The Trump administration’s pressure on Iran has created an opening for diplomacy.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Neither Iran nor the United States likely wants war, but the possibility of a miscommunication is considerable, risking a dangerous escalation.
DRC
John Wessels/AFP/Getty Images
An outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to neighboring Uganda, and conflict and mistrust of health workers is impeding international efforts to contain the disease.
Public Health Threats and Pandemics
Endemic to the African tropics, the Ebola virus has killed thousands in recent years, putting the World Health Organization and major donor countries in the limelight as they’ve grappled with how to respond to outbreaks.
Hong Kong
The Five Questions Series is a forum for scholars, government officials, civil society leaders, and foreign policy practitioners to provide timely analysis of new developments related to the advancement of women and girls worldwide. In this interview Denise Ho, a Hong Kong-based artist and pro-democracy and LGBTQ rights activist, explains why the proposed extradition bill has triggered protests in Hong Kong.
As China’s power continues to grow, some fear that the considerable autonomy Hong Kong has enjoyed over the last three decades could slip away.
China
The Chinese telecommunications company faces accusations from President Donald J. Trump and other leaders that Beijing could use it for cyber espionage. The outcome of the struggle could shape the world’s tech and 5G landscape for years to come.
Since 1949, U.S.-China relations have evolved from tense standoffs to a complex mix of intensifying diplomacy, growing international rivalry, and increasingly intertwined economies.
Social Media
Violence attributed to online hate speech has increased worldwide. Societies confronting the trend must deal with questions of free speech and censorship on widely used tech platforms.
CFR on the Record
The Elders, an independent group of global leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, work to address challenges of peace-building, inequality, exclusion, and injustice in a rapidly changing world. Mary Robinson, Ban Ki-moon, and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf discuss the vital role of a well-functioning multilateral system and how it can provide the tools and institutions needed to manage and prevent conflicts before they turn violent.
Governor Inslee discusses international climate policy and U.S. leadership in global climate action.
This is the keynote event for the 2019 Conference on Diversity in International Affairs.
Expert Spotlight
Editor, Foreign Affairs and Peter G. Peterson Chair
Wars and Conflict Middle East and North Africa Southeast Asia
Explainers
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China
Photos: Thirty Years of Protests in China Since Tiananmen
From demonstrations for religious freedom to demands for environmental protection, citizens from diverse backgrounds have challenged authority in China. Here’s a look at major protests since 1989.
Pollution
Why Air Pollution Is So Bad in Asia’s Cities
Air pollution in Asia is deadly. Here’s why it’s so bad.
China
Belt and Road Tracker
This tracker shows how the Belt and Road Initiative has changed countries’ bilateral economic relationships with China over time.
Trade
The Truth About Tariffs
Tariffs have been applied over the years to protect homegrown industries and target competitors who are seen as using unfair trade practices. They impose costs on both importers and exporters and had been in decline until the recent U.S.-China trade spat.
Wars and Conflict
Global Conflict Tracker
The Center for Preventive Action’s Global Conflict Tracker is an interactive guide to ongoing conflicts around the world of concern to the United States.
Featured Publications
President Donald J. Trump’s actions have often been rash, ignorant, and chaotic. Yet some of his individual foreign policies are substantially better than his opponents assert.
Japan’s United States–imposed postwar constitution renounced the use of offensive military force, but, Sheila A. Smith shows, a nuclear North Korea and an increasingly assertive China have the Japanese rethinking that commitment—and their reliance on U.S. security.
In chronicling the adventurous life of legendary CIA operative Edward Lansdale, The Road Not Taken definitively reframes our understanding of the Vietnam War.