TOKYO -- China's dominant position in refining and processing raw materials is making the nation a strong competitor in the global fight for mining assets, the International Energy Agency said on Tuesday, as governments and companies rush to diversify supply chains for critical minerals and stably meet demand for key clean technologies including renewables and electric vehicle batteries. "As the world's largest metal refining hub, China heavily relies on imports for large volumes of raw materials, often from a small number of sources," the IEA's Critical Minerals Market Review 2023 report said.