EU Weighs Financial Support for Vietnam Critical Minerals; Masan Unit in 5% Stake Talks

The EU's interest in Vietnamese processing signals a push to build refining capacity outside China, which is where the leverage in critical minerals really sits — not in extraction. For Masan, a minority stake sale would bring in outside capital without ceding control of its tungsten operations, a structure worth noting as Western buyers look for non-Chinese supply. Whether the EU's involvement moves from consideration to committed projects, and whether Masan's talks produce a partner, are the open questions.