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How rare earths raise the stakes in China-Japan spat
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While China appears to have more immediate leverage to inflict economic pain on Japan, it will have to weigh its options.
PHOTO: REUTERS
BEIJING/TOKYO - China and Japan are bound together by trade and geography, but a long history of rivalry and unresolved disputes makes even periods of cooperation fragile.
Long-running flashpoints – including China’s increased military activity around a cluster of disputed islands, trade restrictions and concerns over peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait – have flared at times, reminding both sides how quickly ties can sour.


