By insisting on protocols that enable cross-national interoperability in a world that lacks trust, the concept aims to break the grip of a handful of American tech giants while offering a chance for open-source systems to reestablish the sovereignty of all.

President Joe Biden recently hosted Quad leaders to celebrate their cooperation while raising concerns about rising tensions with China. Despite initiatives aimed at countering China's influence, India's growing assertiveness may lead it to distance itself from the Quad, creating uncertainties about the alliance's future amid shifting geopolitical dynamics.

Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst at RAND focused on a range of national security policy and Indo-Pacific security issues. He closely tracks intensifying U.S.-China competition throughout the region, including Asia and Oceania. Grossman was interviewed recently by Wang Zhijin, a reporter for China-US Focus, at the recent Xiangshan Forum in Beijing.

Cooperation on artificial intelligence has emerged as an area with high potential for China-U.S. relations. It would have a lasting impact. Therefore, both sides should take more effective measures to promote it and generate positive energy.

When a major country moves unilaterally to increase its own security, it triggers a greater sense of insecurity in others. The recent move by the United States to adjust its nuclear response strategy is having exactly that effect, along with a return of Cold War thinking.

The United States plays the role of “necessary devil” in the Middle East, yet it is still valued as a key ally by Arab nations and Israel. America’s unwavering support for Israel often draws a backlash from the Arab world. However, the Arabs’ moral imperatives may clash with their strategic interests.

China wields the largest naval capacity in Asia, and has shown no qualms about deploying it to contest waters in its vicinity. The Philippines sitting so near China have faced the brunt of China’s aggressive actions, and must navigate the situation with great strategic acumen.

The Volt Typhoon cyberattacks underscore the escalating tensions between China and the U.S. in cyberspace, with both nations deepening mutual distrust that risks spiraling into broader conflict. To prevent further deterioration, the U.S. and China must engage in dialogue, establish international cybersecurity frameworks, and cooperate on managing cyber threats, ensuring that neither side becomes the winner of a destructive cyber or AI-driven war.

The pursuit of absolute security by individual nations, especially major powers like the U.S., risks destabilizing global peace as competing demands for dominance in areas like technology and economics grow. Smaller nations, particularly in the Global South, often find themselves caught in the struggle, with multilateral cooperation and inclusive dialogue essential to reducing the tensions that this competition creates.

A number of political, social and economic factors tend to put the brakes on the urge to widen a war or escalate a conflict. So far, the world has been lucky with respect to the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the provocative assassination of a Hamas leader. The dog didn’t bark in the night — at least not yet.