German defense industry identifies critical supply chain vulnerability in Chinese germanium exports

The German defense sector is highlighting a strategic dependency on China for germanium, a critical raw material essential for military hardware production. This reliance poses a significant risk to the 'Zeitenwende' rearmament goals, as Beijing's geopolitical alignment with Russia creates potential for supply weaponization. The industry is now signaling an urgent need to diversify sourcing to ensure long-term defense industrial autonomy.