Dr. Shehab Al-Makahleh This is a summary of a paper I presented during a lecture at one of the leading global research centers, outlining my perspective on the similarities and differences between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin regarding domestic and foreign policy, and …
Read More »Bridging the Cognitive Gap: Why Europe’s Misreading of China Risks Its Own Future
Hengu Wang Whenever I reflect on Europe’s development challenges and the state of Sino-European relations, I can’t help but think of China’s most famous science fiction novel. China’s rise, especially its rapid advancements in military and technology, has reshaped the global landscape. Yet, after a year of studying …
Read More »Dollar Slips as Trump Softens Trade Rhetoric Toward China
The U.S. dollar edged lower on Monday as investors bet on a potential cooling of U.S.-China trade tensions, following President Donald Trump’s abrupt shift from tough talk to reassurance over the weekend. The dollar index =USD, which measures the greenback against six major currencies, slipped 0.1% to 98.908, …
Read More »From Swords to Algorithms: Reimagining Sun Tzu in the Age of AI
The Art of War by Sun Tzu has been the basis of all strategy in the hundreds of years before and even in modern times, specifically in schools of warfare. Its classic values, such as deception, intelligence, restraint, and speed, are still the pillars of war. The character …
Read More »US and China Agree on TikTok Deal Ahead of Trump-Xi Call
The U.S. and China have reached a framework agreement to transfer ownership of TikTok to U.S.-based control, a deal expected to be finalized during a call between Presidents Trump and Xi on Friday. Teenagers pose for a photo while holding smartphones in front of a TikTok logo in …
Read More »Weaponization of Rare Earths: A New Theatre in US-China Competition
Resource competition has intensified between the two great powers, the US and China, due to trade and tariff wars. Recently, both the countries have made major policy shifts in the strategically significant rare earth sector. China discreetly issued 2025 rare earth mining and smelting quotas to its state-owned …
Read More »Geopolitics vs. Development: G20-Africa Pushes a New Vision for the Global South
In an interview with Modern Diplomacy in mid-August 2025, Ms. Tandiwe Thelma Mgxwati, Minister Plenipotentiary and Charge d’Affaires a.i. at the South African Embassy, discussed South Africa’s presidency of the G20 and its influence on Africa in the context of geopolitical changes. Tandiwe Mgxwati further underlined the African …
Read More »Commercial Diplomacy Needs Good Governance
Good governance is imperative for successful private sector operations. Stable, predictable, and efficient business operations relyon a strong enabling environment with predictable rules and practices. How to ensure that such conducive conditions continue was the subject of a pair of roundtables hosted in July at the Center for …
Read More »Central Asia: The Great Game 2.0
A new “Great Game” is unfolding in the Caucasus and Central Asia, echoing the nineteenth-century rivalry between empires, with a modern, multipolar twist. The term “Great Game” refers to the nineteenth-century strategic rivalry between the British and Russian Empires over influence in Central Asia, particularly in Afghanistan, Persia, …
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