Trump-Xi Summit Nears: US Needs China's Gallium to Replenish Missile Interceptors, Say US Experts
As the Trump-Xi summit approaches, US experts point out that the US needs gallium from China to replenish missile interceptors depleted in the Iran war, potentially giving China an advantage in negotiations over high-tech supply chains and the Taiwan issue.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 16:21
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US-Iran War Key News
Central News
(Central News Agency Taipei 5th report) The Trump-Xi summit is expected to be held from the 14th to the 15th. US experts stated that the US-Iran war may give China an advantage in discussions on high-tech supply chains and the Taiwan issue, because the war has severely depleted US missile interceptors, and the US will need to import gallium from China to replenish its missile interceptor inventory.
US President Trump mentioned in a speech at a White House event on the afternoon of the 4th local time, "I will meet with President Xi in two weeks, and I look forward to this meeting, but I would say, I am in the lead."
Trump is expected to visit China from the 14th to the 15th and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This will be the first visit by a US president to China in over eight years, and Trump's first foreign trip since the US-Iran war broke out on February 28. China has not officially confirmed the itinerary.
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported on the 4th that Ali Wyne, a senior research and advocacy advisor on US-China relations at the International Crisis Group, stated at a seminar on Trump's visit to China on the 3rd that discussing the Iran war might be one of two urgent tasks when Trump meets Xi Jinping; the other is to extend the US-China trade truce agreement reached last October.
Wyne stated that the US-Iran war has severely depleted the US's missile interceptor inventory, and the US will need to import gallium from China to replenish its missile interceptor inventory.
China's Ministry of Commerce announced in December 2024 that it would generally not approve the export of dual-use items related to gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the US, and also prohibited the export of dual-use items for military users or military purposes in the US.
After Trump and Xi Jinping met in Korea in October 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce announced in November of the same year that, effective immediately until November 27, 2026, dual-use items related to gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials could resume export to the US, but the export of dual-use items for US military users or military purposes remained prohibited.
Wyne also stated that both the US and China have reasons to want to discuss the Iran issue. He expects Trump will try to persuade Xi Jinping to play a role in bringing Iran back to the negotiating table. On the other hand, a long-term disruption of transportation in the Strait of Hormuz could affect China more than the US.
Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute, a Washington DC think tank, stated at the same seminar that China might use the US-Iran war as an issue to pressure Trump. However, he believes that the outcome of discussions on the US-Iran war is more related to US-China relations than to resolving the war itself.
Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia program at the US think tank "Defense Priorities," stated that the Taiwan issue is likely to be raised at the Trump-Xi summit. He also expects Trump to ask Xi Jinping to exert pressure on Iran.
Wyne stated that the US was forced to withdraw some military deployments from Japan and South Korea to support operations against Iran, and Beijing would welcome the US's actions. (Editors: Chen Kaiyu / Zhou Huiying) 1150505
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Central News
(Central News Agency Taipei 5th report) The Trump-Xi summit is expected to be held from the 14th to the 15th. US experts stated that the US-Iran war may give China an advantage in discussions on high-tech supply chains and the Taiwan issue, because the war has severely depleted US missile interceptors, and the US will need to import gallium from China to replenish its missile interceptor inventory.
US President Trump mentioned in a speech at a White House event on the afternoon of the 4th local time, "I will meet with President Xi in two weeks, and I look forward to this meeting, but I would say, I am in the lead."
Trump is expected to visit China from the 14th to the 15th and meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This will be the first visit by a US president to China in over eight years, and Trump's first foreign trip since the US-Iran war broke out on February 28. China has not officially confirmed the itinerary.
Hong Kong's South China Morning Post reported on the 4th that Ali Wyne, a senior research and advocacy advisor on US-China relations at the International Crisis Group, stated at a seminar on Trump's visit to China on the 3rd that discussing the Iran war might be one of two urgent tasks when Trump meets Xi Jinping; the other is to extend the US-China trade truce agreement reached last October.
Wyne stated that the US-Iran war has severely depleted the US's missile interceptor inventory, and the US will need to import gallium from China to replenish its missile interceptor inventory.
China's Ministry of Commerce announced in December 2024 that it would generally not approve the export of dual-use items related to gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the US, and also prohibited the export of dual-use items for military users or military purposes in the US.
After Trump and Xi Jinping met in Korea in October 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce announced in November of the same year that, effective immediately until November 27, 2026, dual-use items related to gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials could resume export to the US, but the export of dual-use items for US military users or military purposes remained prohibited.
Wyne also stated that both the US and China have reasons to want to discuss the Iran issue. He expects Trump will try to persuade Xi Jinping to play a role in bringing Iran back to the negotiating table. On the other hand, a long-term disruption of transportation in the Strait of Hormuz could affect China more than the US.
Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute, a Washington DC think tank, stated at the same seminar that China might use the US-Iran war as an issue to pressure Trump. However, he believes that the outcome of discussions on the US-Iran war is more related to US-China relations than to resolving the war itself.
Lyle Goldstein, director of the Asia program at the US think tank "Defense Priorities," stated that the Taiwan issue is likely to be raised at the Trump-Xi summit. He also expects Trump to ask Xi Jinping to exert pressure on Iran.
Wyne stated that the US was forced to withdraw some military deployments from Japan and South Korea to support operations against Iran, and Beijing would welcome the US's actions. (Editors: Chen Kaiyu / Zhou Huiying) 1150505
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship from you is the power to protect press freedom
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.