Executive Summary: Beijing continues to exploit US policies to circumvent technology controls and to lower the scrutiny applied to its technology transfer activities. Hong Kong as part of the Greater Bay Area—is tasked to focus on third-generation chip production to leapfrog US and allied chokepoints... MORE

Executive Summary: Moscow has reacted angrily to Japan’s agreement with the United States to set up a joint military command to counter Russian, Chinese, and North Korean moves. Russian commentators see this action as threatening Tokyo’s commitment not to use force offensively. This reaction builds... MORE

Executive Summary: Peng Daxun leads the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), one of three major ethnic militias in Myanmar. The MNDAA, alongside the Arakan Army and Ta’ang National Liberation Front, launched a major offensive on October 27, 2023, against the forces of Myanmar’s junta,... MORE

Executive Summary: New Economic and Technology Development Zones (ETDZs) in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) are focused on pockets of the Han population, which will exacerbate tensions within the region. The Tibetan economy is already largely under Han control (except for in the agriculture and... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) engages in extensive security cooperation with other single-party socialist states. This includes deploying the People’s Armed Police (PAP) to train paramilitary and police forces in these countries, offering cybersecurity support, and assisting with online information control. Policymakers... MORE

Executive Summary: The “Joint Sword: 2024A” exercise marks a shift in military strategy by integrating China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces. This coordination enhances the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) ability to leverage maritime law enforcement resources to support military... MORE

Executive Summary: The Resolution from the Third Plenum focused primarily on economic reform but reinforced the Party’s existing strategy rather than announcing a change in overall direction. The Resolution does nothing to mitigate concerns about the real estate sector, weak domestic demand, subsidized export-oriented manufacturing,... MORE

Executive Summary: Turkmenistan, a constitutionally mandated neutral and closed off country, has attracted far less attention and played a smaller role than its neighbors in regional trade and transit. Ashgabat has not only become more active abroad but has also reached agreements that will make... MORE

Executive Summary: Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping has solidified his position as the driving force behind achieving a “high-quality socialist market economy” by 2029. The recent CCP Central Committee Plenum indicated that he would rule until at least 2032. The Third Plenary... MORE

Executive Summary Armenia plans to replace its aging Soviet-era Metsamor nuclear reactor by 2036 and is currently engaged in talks with other countries, including Russia and the United States, to replace it. Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan announced that talks with the United States... MORE