Donald Trump’s return to the White House puts the Indo-Pacific at the center of U.S. foreign policy, but restoring American dominance won’t be easy. While his first term laid the groundwork for a strategic shift, China’s expanding economic and military influence has only grown stronger. To compete, Trump must recalibrate U.S. engagement—strengthening military alliances, reviving economic initiatives, and leveraging technological advantages—before Beijing cements its leadership in the region.

The war is unlikely to end according to the timeline of the incoming U.S. president. Imposing his Ukraine plan on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could give Russia an opportunity to rearm, thereby raising hurdles for the United States and its NATO allies.

Locked in a mindset of great power competition, the U.S. president has been trying to find a new balance. Decades of military involvement in the region not only cost the U.S. dearly but also provoked a sort of psychological fatigue.

With the Winter Olympics bringing the world’s eyes to China, it seems that the stage is set for a major year of confrontation between rising China and the U.S., competing with rival benefit packages to draw third-parties away from their opponent.

While President Biden declares to U.S. allies that 'America is back,' democracies worldwide find themselves unsure how to emerge from the coronavirus pandemic.

The outgoing U.S. president’s attempts to booby-trap his successor’s ability to improve relations with China is troublesome. It will take some time for the new occupant of the White House to stitch things together. But time is not unlimited.

How the US lost its moral, legal and ethical center after winning the Cold War, and how the new norms of immoral, illegal and unethical actions are affecting the world.

The pandemic has accelerated the US pushback against China across the military, economic, and communication dimensions to new heights. There are serious risks of a US-China race to the bottom.

Trump’s approach, the Great American Comeback, has seen some success domestically but has been rocky in the international scene. Given persistent and emerging global threats, America First should not necessarily mean America alone.

Putting yourself in others’ shoes may bring surprises. A China expert explores what makes countries tick, and what drives their perceptions.