Australia

China

New Zealand

Military & Security

Politics

Australia and New Zealand are actively monitoring a Chinese naval task force transiting south off Australia's east coast 150 nautical miles east of Sydney, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on Feb. 20.

China, Australia, New Zealand: Canberra, Wellington Monitoring PLA Naval Presence Near Their Waters

United States

Economics

U.S.-China Relations

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, "It’s possible," when asked about making a new trade deal with China, adding, "There’s a little bit of competitiveness, but the relationship I have with President Xi [Jinping] is, I would say, a great one," Bloomberg reported on Feb. 19.

U.S., China: Trump Open To Trade Negotiations, but a Deal Remains Distant

Chinese President Xi Jinping held a symposium with the heads of major Chinese companies on Feb. 17 in Beijing, where he reiterated the state's support for private enterprise and pledged to reduce obstacles to funding and public contracts as well as curb legal and regulatory excesses, Xinhua reported the next day. 

China: Xi Holds Rare Meeting With Chinese CEOs, Tries To Quell Concerns

China and the Cook Islands -- a self-governing territory in constitutional free association with New Zealand -- are set to sign a comprehensive strategic partnership during Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown's Beijing visit on Feb. 14, The Washington Post reported the same day. 

China, Cook Islands: Deal Will Expand Beijing's Influence in the Pacific Islands, Undercut New Zealand

A Chinese J-16 fighter jet released flares within 30 meters (33 yards) of an Australian surveillance plane over the Paracel Islands on Feb. 11, and while Canberra called the incident an "unsafe and dangerous" maneuver, Beijing defended its action and accused Australia of violating its sovereignty, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported on Feb. 13. 

Australia, China: Midair Incident Over South China Sea

Colombia

Colombia opened a new direct maritime trade route with China, connecting its main Pacific port with Shanghai, DW reported on Feb. 7.

Colombia, China: New Maritime Route Indicates Bilateral Ties To Increase Over Coming Years

Pakistan

China pledged to partner with Islamabad to make additional investments in Pakistan, including in Pakistani railways and the strategic, China-operated Gwadar port, Reuters reported on Feb. 6.

Pakistan, China: Beijing To Bolster Investment Projects in Pakistan Despite Uptick in Militant Attacks

Myanmar

Thailand

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met Xi Jinping in Beijing, where the Chinese leader endorsed Thailand's crackdown on Myanmar-based scam hubs while agreeing to deepen cooperation in law enforcement, infrastructure and tourism, the South China Morning Post reported Feb 6. 

Thailand, China: Thai PM's Visit to Beijing Highlights Deepening Security, Supply Chain Ties

Assessments

Europe

United Kingdom

The U.K. flag is flown near the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to honor the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, on Sept. 9, 2022.

While the U.K. will likely avoid major U.S. tariffs, concessions to Trump could undermine London's push to ''reset'' ties with the EU and expand economic engagement with China.

Trump's Tariff Threats Will Complicate the U.K.'s Trade Balancing Act

Members of Myanmar's military patrol on a street next to Shwedagon Pagoda during the fourth anniversary of the military coup in Yangon on Feb. 1, 2025. 

The junta will struggle to retain control over large parts of the country in 2025, but it will still seek to hold elections to legitimize continued rule by civilian proxy and appease China.

Facing Territorial Losses and External Pressure, Myanmar's Junta Plans Elections

Sub-Saharan Africa

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Tanzania

Americas

Brazil

Cuba

Haiti

Nicaragua

Venezuela

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Syria

Yemen

Cambodia

Indonesia

North Macedonia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Serbia

Albania

Kosovo

Ukraine

Russia

South Asia

Afghanistan

Bangladesh

India

The lobby of the headquarters for the U.S. Agency for International Development is seen on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Social Issues

Cuts to U.S.-funded humanitarian and development programs could worsen global health outcomes, destabilize security environments, accelerate democratic backsliding, and create opportunities for rival powers to expand their influence.

The Global Implications of Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts

Bangladeshi soldiers stand guard in Dhaka on July 27, 2024.

Since assuming power in August, Bangladesh's interim government has pursued closer ties with Pakistan and China, deepening India's concerns about regional stability and its declining influence over Dhaka.

Bangladesh's More Assertive Foreign Policy Puts India on Edge

Snapshots

Stacked shipping containers are seen at Yantian Port in Shenzhen, China, on Dec. 1, 2024. 

While a resolution on stemming flows of Chinese fentanyl to the U.S. market is possible, a comprehensive trade deal is still unlikely due to the wide scope of U.S. grievances and China's reluctance to concede on sensitive issues.

New U.S. Tariffs on China May Be Negotiable, but a Broader Trade Deal Remains Unlikely

Japan

Laos

Malaysia

Philippines

Vietnam

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba hold a joint press conference on Jan. 10, 2025.

Japan is intensifying its diplomatic and security engagement in Southeast Asia through defense, trade and infrastructure agreements to counterbalance China and enhance regional stability.

Ishiba Strengthens Japan's Role in Southeast Asia With Defense and Trade Deals

Canada

Costa Rica

Dominican Republic

El Salvador

Guatemala

Mexico

Panama

Hungary

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his wife Jeanette Rubio arrive at the State Department in Washington, D.C., to speak to employees on Jan. 21, 2025. 

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Expires, Rubio Tours Latin America

The Geopolitics of Water

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

South Asia's rising demand for water resources will exacerbate disputes over key waterways, particularly the Brahmaputra and Indus rivers.

The Geopolitics of Water: Regional Rivals Compete for South Asia's Rivers

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

The entrance to the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C.

Ahead of the first review of its newest IMF program, Pakistan seeks creditor assurances and a broader tax base.

Pakistan's Path to Meeting IMF Demands

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up an executive order after signing it during an indoor inauguration parade at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C, on Jan. 20, 2025.

While some will face legal challenges, Trump's initial orders on immigration, trade, energy and climate issues lay the groundwork for his ambitious agenda.

What To Make of Trump's Day 1 Executive Orders

Columns

On Geopolitics

Asia-Pacific

South Korea

Taiwan

U.S. President Joe Biden gestures to reporters after landing on the South Lawn of the White House on Sept. 22, 2024, in Washington, D.C. 

Trump's more aggressive and transactional approach could deliver quick wins for the U.S.'s position in the region, though it could also strain ties with key partners. 

Trump's Asia-Pacific Approach Will Test Biden's Gains

Iran

Cyber

Nation-states' growing use of hacktivist personas to obfuscate responsibility will increasingly enable them to attack targets they would otherwise avoid and spread propaganda.

Hacktivism Offers Plausible Deniability for State-Backed Cyber Actors

<p>China is situated on the eastern third of the Eurasian landmass, between Russia, mainland Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Its more than 9,000 mile-long coastline abuts the Yellow, East and South China Seas. China is a country of deep geographic divisions. Most fundamental is the split between its fertile eastern lowlands and the arid, sparsely populated highlands that enclose the lowlands like a shell. More than a billion people live in the ethnic Han Chinese core, making it one of the most densely populated places on Earth. Traditionally, threats to China&#39;s Han core originated in the borderlands. To guard against overland invasion, successive Chinese rulers have sought to push the Core&#39;s borders outward &mdash;integrating these highlands as strategic &quot;buffer&quot; zones. These zones form a shield, protecting and containing the core. To be secure, China must control the buffer regions. But maintaining control of the regions, in turn, requires a strong and united core. And that means overcoming immense internal divisions &mdash; not only between northern and southern regions orbiting the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, but also between smaller regional units, each with their own geography, history, dialect and interests. Chinese history is defined by cycles of unity and fragmentation, from periods when a strong Han core captures and holds the surrounding buffers to those when a weak core breaks into its constituent parts, loses internal coherence and cedes control of the borderlands. This pattern, rooted in China&#39;s geography, has played out with remarkable consistency. By comparison, China&#39;s maritime interests have remained mostly limited to coastal waters. Today, however, growing international trade and rising Chinese reliance on overseas resources threaten to alter the pattern, adding a new maritime dimension to the struggle for buffer space &mdash; and potentially upending the long-standing dynamics of China&#39;s geographic challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

China, Australia, New Zealand: Canberra, Wellington Monitoring PLA Naval Presence Near Their Waters

U.S., China: Trump Open To Trade Negotiations, but a Deal Remains Distant

China: Xi Holds Rare Meeting With Chinese CEOs, Tries To Quell Concerns

China, Cook Islands: Deal Will Expand Beijing's Influence in the Pacific Islands, Undercut New Zealand

Australia, China: Midair Incident Over South China Sea

Colombia, China: New Maritime Route Indicates Bilateral Ties To Increase Over Coming Years

Pakistan, China: Beijing To Bolster Investment Projects in Pakistan Despite Uptick in Militant Attacks

Thailand, China: Thai PM's Visit to Beijing Highlights Deepening Security, Supply Chain Ties

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