The Pain of Un-Polarity

China pauses its U.S.-targeted curbs on gallium and germanium until 2026, reopening key chip-metal exports after the Xi–Trump thaw.
A screen shows news coverage of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping in South Korea, outside a shopping mall in Beijing on October 30, 2025. China pauses its U.S.-targeted curbs on gallium and germanium until 2026, reopening key chip-metal exports after the Xi–Trump thaw. (Photo: ADEK BERRY / AFP)

“THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY!”

This post by U.S. President Donald Trump in the run-up to his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping last week may end up leaving a more lasting mark than the actual summit he attended.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Cobus van Staden

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
4 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
5 Chinese Scholars See Russia’s Venezuela Strategy as a Model of Hybrid Power Projection in the U.S.’ Backyard
6
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors

You Might Like

Pentagon Emerges as Leading U.S. Government Voice on China-Africa Relations

The Pentagon, specifically its Africa Command, or AFRICOM, has become the U.S. government agency that most consistently speaks out on China-Africa issues. As a whole, the Trump administration doesn’t seem very interested in ...

While the U.S. Gets Bogged Down in the Persian Gulf, China Pushes on With its African Diplomacy

Getting Africa on the agenda in Washington, D.C. has never been easy, but now it’ll be near impossible as America’s senior foreign policy leaders become consumed managing the burgeoning crisis in Iran, Iraq ...

Q&A: China’s Role in Washington’s Divided, Confusing Foreign Policy Towards Africa

Friday’s announcement that the United States government will impose travel and visa restrictions on four African countries left a lot of Africa policy observers somewhat perplexed. While there had been rumors for ...

Reflections on a Week in Washington

I’m on my way back to Asia after having spent a fascinating week in Washington, D.C. meeting with key stakeholders in government, think tanks and NGOs who are all engaged in U.S. foreign ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP

[ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS] Delivery of the daily email newsletter will resume on Monday, January 5th.

Got it!
X