Russia-Iran Alliance: Shifting the Power Dynamic
Russia’s airstrikes into Syria from an Iranian air base mark a new phase in the relationship between the two countries. “Historically they’re not friends. They […] More
Adverse
Erdogan Meets Putin to Repair Ties Amidst Tense Relations with West
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met on Tuesday in St. Petersburg, highlighting efforts to renew their strained relationship and indicating a […] More
China and the U.S. Election
As Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump enter the final stage of the presidential campaign, China watches their foreign policy statements closely for indications of their […] More
North Korea Missile Test is a Game-Changing Act
North Korea is once again taking provocative actions, this time launching two ballistic missiles in which one landed for the first time in Japanese controlled […] More
The World is Watching: The American Election and China
Most Americans agree that the 2016 presidential election is one of the strangest in their history – and it looks like that feeling extends beyond […] More
China Supports Trump, Loses American Electorate
“Who is Trump?” asks a Chinese official close to the country’s military. “We don’t really know.” China’s leaders are perplexed by the Republican candidate for […] More
Why China Fears a Clinton Presidency
Over the last eight years, China perceived weakness and indetermination in Washington. Whether right or wrong, it used this time to aggressively promote China’s regional […] More
North Korea Hangs Up the Phone
North Korea informed the U.S. on July 10th that it would cut off the New York channel of communication to the U.S. Government. If American […] More
Philippines v. China: Laying Down the Law of the Sea
As the deadline for the landmark international court ruling on the South China Sea territorial dispute draws near, a recent editorial in a Chinese state […] More
Possible Outcomes and What They Mean
Predictions are a tricky business, especially with something as complicated as the outcome of Manila’s arbitration case against Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea. […] More
What to Watch For
With a ruling imminent in the arbitration case initiated by the Philippines against China over claims in the South China Sea, officials around Asia are […] More
You Can’t Start and Stop Jihadism at Will
The coordinated terrorist attack at the international airport in Istanbul on Tuesday is the latest in a rash of deadly attacks that have struck Turkey […] More
Cooperation in the Mideast?
Trade and South China Sea dominated the agenda at the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue held in Beijing last week. However, with much focus on […] More
Challenges for Agreement on Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is one important area where both China and the U.S. agree cooperation is necessary, but on very different terms. The Cipher Brief spoke to […] More
U.S. and China: Strategic Cooperation at Arm’s Length
As the 8th round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) drew to a close on Tuesday, Chinese fighter jets buzzed a U.S. reconnaissance […] More
Roadblocks on the Path to Normality in Iran
On May 10, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry prepared to discuss Iranian sanctions with leading members of the European banking industry in London. However, […] More
It's a Matter of Time
Although the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in January lifted some international sanctions on Iran, […] More
Economic Cooperation as Political Insurance
Since Iran signed the nuclear deal with world powers in July 2015, Tehran has seen a flood of foreign visitors. Nine heads of state, 16 […] More