Abstract:

From the perspective of rare earth industrial chain, this article successively constructed the rare earth primary processed products, intermediate processed products and finished products trade network according to the trade dependence, and empirical test on the dynamic change of rare earth trade network structure and its influencing mechanism by using social network analysis method and Temporal Exponential Random Graph Model. The following conclusions are drawn. The three types of rare earth trade network are evolving into a complex network, and the trend of the intermediate processed products goods network ahead of the finished products and primary processed goods network in turn. From the perspective of backbone structure, three types of rare earth trade network have evolved from Europe to Europe and the United States, from China to Europe and the United States, and from Europe, the United States and Asia to Asia. China evolves into the top three countries with direct influence in all networks, but its leading edge has gradually narrowed, while its indirect influence has only entered the top three countries in the network of primary processed products and finished products, with a small increase. Mutual, triangle, star-radiation and star-expansion structure effects have significant heterogeneous effects on the dynamic evolution of the three types of rare earth trade network.

Key words: industrial chain, rare earth trade network, dependencies, network structure effect, temporal exponential random graph model