China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium in response to chip sanctions (opens in new tab)

For you personally, which is more important, the economic problems that come with this with having to re-source these materials from somewhere else, or the byproduct of (we assume) the US having less slave labor in its supply chain?

I can see both sides. If we keep using slaves to produce materials that lessen our dependence non-renewables and help save us from a climate disaster, then maybe it's a question of perfect being the enemy of the good?

On the other hand if we continue to rely on slave labor to get us these resources, then will we remain dependent on slave labor? Will we be endorsing slave labor, and by doing so help expand its use around the world?

Or maybe, given our current record with slave labor in the U.S. [1] is this all just hand waving anyway? IOW if we use slaves, why should we complain if our economic partners do?

[1] https://www.aclu.org/news/human-rights/captive-labor-exploit...

Not using slaves also makes products more costly and hurts consumers.

You say that as if there's nothing that can be done about that. As it turns out, bad ethics can be turned into a one way trip to not being able to operate in respectable business circles.

Remember, the race to the bottom does have an adjustable lower bar.