Asia | Council on Foreign Relations

China

The United States, China, and Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War

To preserve peace in the Taiwan Strait, Robert D. Blackwill and Philip Zelikow propose the United States make clear that it will not change Taiwan’s status, yet will work with allies to plan for Chinese aggression and help Taiwan defend itself.

Council Special Report by Robert D. Blackwill and Philip Zelikow February 11, 2021 U.S. Foreign Policy Program
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

NATO Defense Ministers Convene, UN Security Council Talks Yemen, and More

Defense ministers of NATO countries meet virtually to discuss withdrawing from Afghanistan; the UN Security Council debates the war in Yemen following the Biden administration’s policy shift; and spacecraft from China, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States enters Mars’s orbit.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon February 11, 2021 The World Next Week
Myanmar

Myanmar’s Troubled History: Coups, Military Rule, and Ethnic Conflict

The military’s recent coup and ongoing violent campaign against the Rohingya minority group have dashed hopes for democratic progress in Myanmar.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland February 9, 2021

Public Health Threats and Pandemics

World Economic Update

The World Economic Update highlights the quarter’s most important and emerging trends. Discussions cover changes in the global marketplace with special emphasis on current economic events and their implications for U.S. policy. This series is presented by the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies and is dedicated to the life and work of the distinguished economist Martin Feldstein.

Virtual Event by Susan Lund, Catherine L. Mann and Adam Posen February 10, 2021 Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies
Afghanistan

U.S. Troop Withdrawal From Afghanistan: What Are Biden’s Options?

U.S. troops are supposed to leave by May 1, according to a U.S.-Taliban agreement. But a complete withdrawal could be disastrous.

In Brief by Max Boot February 9, 2021
India

The Future of U.S.-India Relations, With Tanvi Madan

Tanvi Madan, senior fellow in the Project on International Order and Strategy in the Foreign Policy program and director of the India Project at the Brookings Institution, sits down with James M. Lindsay to discuss India’s foreign policy and relations with the United States. Madan’s most recent book is Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped U.S.-India Relations During the Cold War.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Tanvi Madan February 9, 2021 The President's Inbox
United States

Biden’s Foreign Policy Takes Shape

Biden drew the curtain on the disastrous Trump era, emphasizing the nation’s strength at home determines its success abroad—and vice versa.

Blog Post by Stewart M. Patrick February 8, 2021 The Internationalist
China

Transition 2021 Series: Confronting the China Challenge

Panelists discuss the challenges the Biden administration will confront navigating the U.S.-China relationship, including negotiating trade agreements, cybersecurity, relations with Taiwan, and Chinese repression in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. The Transition 2021 series examines the major issues confronting the administration in the foreign policy arena.

Virtual Event by Evan S. Medeiros, Minxin Pei and Susan A. Thornton February 8, 2021
Cybersecurity

Cyber Week in Review: February 5, 2021

SolarWinds software breached again in separate Chinese hack; Internet temporarily disabled in Myanmar after military coup; Ongoing protests around New Delhi result in internet and social media crackdown; Canadian government denounces Clearview AI; and Biden addresses election interference, SolarWinds intrusion in foreign policy speech.

Blog Post by Adam Segal February 5, 2021 Digital and Cyberspace Policy Program
U.S. Congress

Trump’s Trial Begins, Myanmar’s Military Coup, and More

Former President Donald J. Trump’s second impeachment trial begins in the Senate, Myanmar faces the fallout of a military coup, and the United States extends the New START nuclear treaty with Russia.

Podcast with James M. Lindsay and Robert McMahon February 4, 2021 The World Next Week
Southeast Asia

Myanmar’s Coup Emblematic of Regional Democracy Failures

Myanmar’s coup is a disaster for Myanmar, but it also is a signifier of the continuing regression of democracy region-wide in Southeast Asia. The region, which once had made significant progress towa…

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick February 4, 2021 Asia Unbound
China

China’s Abuse of the Uighurs: Does the Genocide Label Fit?

While multiple reports indicate that China has committed major abuses of the Uighur minority group, determining the most serious charges is difficult.

by John B. Bellinger III February 3, 2021 U.S. Foreign Policy Program
Philippines

Guest Event: Screening and Discussion of "A Thousand Cuts"

Panelists discuss the regression of democracy and rights in Southeast Asia, with a particular look at the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte. A Thousand Cuts follows renowned journalist Maria Ressa, who has become a top target of President Duterte’s crackdown on the news media, and explores the escalating war between the Duterte government and the press. CFR members are encouraged to watch the PBS FRONTLINE documentary A Thousand Cuts prior to the virtual discussion. The film is available to watch on the PBS FRONTLINE website.

Virtual Event by Ramona Diaz, Joshua Kurlantzick and Maria Ressa February 2, 2021
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

What’s Next for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)?

Though President Trump withdrew from the TPP, the remaining members of the trade pact have forged ahead with a new version, leaving the U.S. role in the Asia-Pacific in question.

Backgrounder by James McBride, Andrew Chatzky and Anshu Siripurapu February 1, 2021
Southeast Asia

Myanmar’s Coup: The Aftershocks

On Monday morning Myanmar time, the Myanmar military staged a coup, its first coup since 1988, but hardly unique in Myanmar’s modern history. This coup bore all the hallmarks of previous military tak…

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick February 1, 2021 Asia Unbound