Chinese leader Xi Jinping meets President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, this week—and "U.S. access to critical materials is expected to again be the top issue," writes EU Institute for Security Studies expert @joristeer in a new CFR report. "Western governments have long treated their dependence on China-controlled critical raw materials, the backbone of the global economy, as a latent risk. Between 2023 and 2026, Beijing imposed export controls on gallium, rare earths, and at least seven other materials," he writes. Last year, "Beijing woke up to the enormous power it wields through its control over critical materials and other value chains. If the United States and Europe do not dismantle this weapon (and deter its use in the interim), China may press its advantage to achieve much greater aims in the coming years—most dangerously, a forced 'reunification' with Taiwan," he argues. Read the full report: