Executive Summary: The People’s Liberation Army increasingly emphasizes blockade scenarios in its exercises and drills, signaling a strategic shift in Beijing’s approach to a military contingency in the Taiwan Strait. Policy elites and current and former military officials corroborate this shift but largely project any... MORE

Executive Summary: The relative absence of supreme leader Xi Jinping in authoritative media could indicate that his power, though still unassailable, is waning. There were no references to Xi or his eponymous ideology in coverage of crucial trade talks with the United States, the announcement... MORE

Executive Summary: The Party has updated plans to build the Greater Bay Area into a key growth driver, emphasizing attracting foreign investment and overseas talent. The measures from Beijing seek to make it easier for funds and elite global experts to move between the jurisdictions... MORE

Executive Summary: Beijing is moving to systematically embed artificial intelligence into its national innovation system, according to a high-level leadership meeting of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in early June. This marks the beginning of a new phase in which AI development... MORE

Executive Summary: Since 2019, the Party has promoted the construction of a “new national system”—a centrally directed, institutionalized framework for mobilizing state and market resources to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies vital to national power and security. Beijing sees this system as already delivering results... MORE

Executive Summary: Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka visited Chinese President Xi Jinping for a “family-like” meeting to reinforce bilateral ties between the two countries. The visit reflects Minsk’s strategy amid sustained Western sanctions to diversify from over-reliance on Russia without alienating Moscow. Belarus will eventually face... MORE

Executive Summary: Azerbaijan and Vietnam established an official strategic partnership during General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm’s May 7–8 visit to Baku, signing major agreements in energy, defense, science, trade, and culture to expand bilateral cooperation. Key economic deals include energy... MORE

Executive Summary: Georgia is increasingly turning toward the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, marking a sharp shift away from its traditional Western allies. Economic ties with these countries have intensified, bringing increased investment, business activity, tourism, and even cultural... MORE

Executive Summary:  Kazakhstan is expanding rail cargo capacity on the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), which uses Kazakhstan to bypass Russian infrastructure between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Europe.  Major investments, including a second Dostyk-Moiynty rail track and over 1,300 miles of new... MORE

Executive Summary: The united front operates abroad as a political machine, helping to get people elected by fielding candidates, mobilizing votes, and building power bases. Asian-Americans are growing in numbers yet remain key swing voters. Beijing’s role in shaping the political leanings of this demographic... MORE