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Trans-Pacific View
US Pentagon Chief Speaks for 1st Time to Chinese Counterpart
By Robert Burns
For months, Austin has failed to get Gen. Xu Qiliang, deputy chairman of the Party's Central Military Commission, on the phone. Instead, he spoke to lower-ranked Defense Minister Gen. Wei Fenghe.
Time for the US to Step Up in Solomon Islands
By Anne-Marie Brady
Washington must start to shape its own policy on the Solomons, otherwise Campbell’s trip is a fool’s errand.
Regional Partners Seek Clarity on Biden’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
By Matthew P. Goodman and Aidan Arasasingham
Addressing regional concerns will be difficult, take time, and require U.S. policymakers to be responsive. But failure is not an option.
China’s Embrace of the Taliban Complicates US Afghanistan Strategy
By Zane Zovak
China’s willingness to partner with the Taliban undermines American efforts to influence the extremist group’s behavior through pressure campaigns and sanctions.
The US Should Pay Attention to the China-South Korea Culture Clash
By Yong Kwon
China's claims to great power status are strongly based on historical narratives. Navigating Asia thus requires Washington to study more history.
Why Vietnam Holds the Trump Card in the US-Vietnam Partnership
By Khang Vu
Hanoi enjoys considerable leverage as a frontline state in Washington's strategic competition with Beijing.
The US Pivot to Asia Was Dead on Arrival
By Peter Birgbauer
Since its unveiling under the Obama administration, the U.S. “pivot” to Asia has constantly been derailed by emergencies elsewhere. The Ukraine war is just the latest example.
Sanctioning China to Get to Russia Is Easier Said Than Done
By Joseph Cash
Secondary sanctions on China would be more painful and harder to justify – which makes any unified application unlikely.
America’s Aid Imperium and Human Rights in Southeast Asia
By Salvador Santino F. Regilme Jr.
Has U.S. foreign aid led to advancements in rights or increased repression in Southeast Asia?
What the US Indo-Pacific Strategy Is Missing
By Zenel Garcia
The Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy rests on old assumptions that fail to account for the region’s dynamics and complexity.
US Alleges ‘Transnational Repression’ Scheme Involving China’s Secret Police
By Shannon Tiezzi
The Department of Justice has accused five individuals of working with China's Ministry of State Security to surveil and harass Chinese dissidents residing in the United States.
Fancy Footwork: Biden’s Two-Step Approach to Indo-Pacific Allies
By Tom Corben and Peter K. Lee
The Biden administration took some bold steps to empower its Indo-Pacific allies and partners in 2021. But can it deliver on its promises?