Conventional logic would say that new leadership should open a broad window to reset relationships between nations. Yet as the first 6 months of the Biden presidency shows, the story is not always so cut-and-dry.

Russia’s influence once stretched from the edge of Western Europe to the battlefields of Vietnam. Surpassed economically by the West and China, Russian foreign policy sees opportunity in Southeast Asia to restore its global reach.

The world should thank Joe Biden for being straight about the aim of the America’s intervention in Afghanistan. It’s yet another wake-up call that reveals the truth about America’s approach to foreign policy. Uncle Sam will always be for himself.

In the year 2034, the United States and China become embroiled in a series of military conflicts that escalate into a devastating tactical nuclear war. Other countries – including Russia, Iran, and India – get involved. Suddenly, the world is on the verge of World War III.

Japan’s strong ties to the West have benefited its economy and global standing in the Pacific Rim for the better part of a century. Now, as China gains power and grows bolder, Japan’s next moves will test the stability of China-Japan relations.

North Korea has presented an issue to both China and the U.S. since the ceasefire halted the Korean War in 1953. Though both nations share common security interests regarding the Hermit Kingdom, the desired outcome may drive a wedge between them.

Reassuring verbal messages from high levels in the United States government regarding China are nice to hear but are little more than public relations. American credibility is so poor that few believe such statements are sincere. Actions speak louder than words, and they tell a different story.

The United States has been unsuccessful in its attempts to rally Southeast Asia against China. In recent months, it has mounted a transparent effort to curry favor in the region. But nobody wants to choose between major trading powers. They’d rather keep their options open.

The U.S. has seemingly pulled out all the stops to advance its agenda in Southeast Asia, hoping to entice countries away from China. Yet, as members of China’s neighborhood, ASEAN members will find it hard to create distance between themselves and China, literally and figuratively.

China-U.S. relations are the main stress point in the present-day world, and the U.S. has yet to accept China’s bottom lines. While chilly political relations and warm economic ones are the new normal, it is still possible for the two to meet halfway.