Recent developments signal a potential thaw in U.S.-China space cooperation, as NASA’s outreach sparks cautious optimism but also draws sharp political criticism from China, highlighting both the promise and the challenges of collaboration amidst broader tensions.

It’s no longer just a movie: The risk of a nuclear accident, mistake or blunder that escalates into war is a tangible reality. U.S.-China engagement is urgently needed and could produce more stability and sustainability than many other areas of cooperation in the face of new and evolving nuclear risks.

Middle Eastern nations are capitalizing on Donald Trump’s penchant for unprincipled, no-limits deal-making, even though he has yet to assume office. These countries are scrambling to position themselves for the high-stakes negotiations that lie ahead.

America’s China policy, characterized by major-power competition, has had a subtle yet significant influence on the Taiwan question. The next U.S. administration, whether led by Kamala Harris or Donald Trump, is likely make changes. The devil will be in the details.

Former Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen’s call for the U.S. to prioritize aid to Ukraine over Taiwan drew scrutiny, especially given rising cross-Strait tensions. While Tsai’s stance may momentarily shift Trump’s administration's attention in East Asia, it risks undermining his likely focus on ending the costly Ukraine conflict and confronting China more aggressively, with Taiwan as a key flashpoint.

Threats of violence are pushing the region to the brink. Israel said it would exact a “deadly and heavy” toll for any Iranian attack. In turn, Iran promised to “retaliate tenfold,” and its hardliners want to lift the ban on developing nuclear weapons. Lines are blurring that were once seen as inviolable.

China and the United States held their first governmental dialogue on artificial intelligence in May. But skepticism arose about its value because the U.S. continued to impose technological restrictions on China. Here are some suggestions for how to move forward toward greater understanding and mutual security.

In small but steady degrees, the United States is undercutting its stated commitment to “one China” by subtly modifying its words. The meanings it has added in diplomatic discourse do not promote confidence that it will continue to honor the agreements it has made. On the contrary, U.S. actions belie those agreements.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict, which broke out in February 2022, marked the latest episode of the use of warfare as a tool to accelerate change in the world order. But two other events disturbed Asia and the Middle East: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022 and the Israel-Hamas conflict, which broke out in October 2023. People began to worry about potential interplay across three war zones. Such a prospect has become more prominent in recent months, and may be worthy of note by historians.

Francesca Giovannini is executive director of the Project on Managing the Atom (MTA) at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science & Internati