Maritime disputes constitute the single likeliest source of instability and military conflict with China, says Swaine. He explains the primary drivers of tension in the East and South China Seas and identifies steps Washington can take to reduce the risk of hostilities.

While China is repeatedly mentioned as the country that can and should play a special role in solving the North Korean crisis, Wang Wenfeng writes that China has only limited leverage and influence over North Korea, and oftentimes it’s not what China wants, but whether North Korea listens.

While China’s defense spending constantly comes under scrutiny, Kevin Baron analyzes the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army and breaks down where China’s military spending is going.

The fact that Barack Obama chose Israel as the destination of his first foreign visit during his second term in White House illustrates how important the Middle East is in the United States' global strategy, although Washington had, before the March 20-23 visit, ruled out any new plan for settling the Middle East issue.

As Secretary of State John Kerry prepares to head to Beijing for high-level bilateral discussions, Shen Dingli outlines the top strategic priorities for China and the US. While the visit is expected to address major security issues, could Kerry’s pragmatism be misinterpreted for greater cooperation?

North Korea’s third nuclear test has dealt a death blow to any remaining illusions that Pyongyang can be persuaded to give up its fledgling nuclear weapons capability. J. Stapleton Roy writes that both Beijing and Washington need to rethink their policies in the face of this reality.

As tensions between China and the US continue to mount over cybersecurity concerns, Lu Jinghua urges both nations to come together and cooperate in cyberspace to avoid a catastrophic miscalculation.

As cyber attacks on the United States continue, so does the Obama administration’s intensification of cybersecurity measures. While the U.S. attempts to frame China as the scapegoat, Xu Longdi argues that progress cannot be made without the U.S. changing the way it engages China on cybersecurity and strengthening Sino-U.S. cyber relations.

North Korea’s satellite launch and subsequent nuclear test has greatly increased concerns that conflict could quickly spread across the Korean peninsula. Ted Galen Carpenter writes that without meaningful concessions by the United States, China will continue to give Kim Jong-un a free pass and limit the enforcement of UN sanctions.

Fire-control radar row is Tokyo's attempt to get more overt outside support and push for constitutional change.