The pope’s encyclical on the environment carries a profoundly religious message about care for the earth, wedded to a new call for activism, say religious scholars Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim.

Pope Francis will use his upcoming high-level visits to the U.S. and UN to press the concerns of the poor and marginalized, says expert Kenneth Himes.

Shanghai’s new free trade zone promises to be a testing ground for China’s economic reform, but its innovations should be assessed over time, explains expert Daniel Rosen.

CFR’s Elizabeth C. Economy says there are increasing calls for more democracy in China and the Communist Party Congress will have to deal with who will become the so-called “fifth generation” of Chin…