Washington is hosting the first ministerial meeting aimed at strengthening and diversifying critical mineral supply chains, where China's dominance is a growing area of concern for the West.

The European Union's industry chief Stephane Sejourne will represent the bloc during the discussions hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The EU wants a critical minerals partnership with the United States to check China's influence and leverage in the field.

It also hopes such an agreement would help avoid a fight with Washington over resources from other parts of the world, such as Australia.

Sejourne will seek a joint declaration with Washington before Brussels pursues a more formal agreement.

"We have to make sure that we're not bidding each other up for the same supplies," an EU official said, "and where we are going towards the same projects, that we find ways to be complementary to each other."

Rare-earth metals are crucial in the production of everything from smartphones to fighter jets and electric cars.

The EU has partnerships with several countries already: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Greenland, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Norway, Rwanda, Serbia, Ukraine and Zambia.

The bloc also adopted a critical raw materials law in 2024 but a watchdog on Monday warned the EU's efforts were not enough to diversify its supply.

The law set non-binding targets for the EU to ramp up domestic processing and recycling of the minerals, which the European Court of Auditors said the bloc will struggle to meet.