United States

China

Economics

Politics

U.S.-China Relations

Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call on June 5 at Trump's request, Chinese state media Xinhua reported the same day. 

U.S., China: Xi, Trump Phone Call Suggests Rare Earths Talks Inbound

Several major Western automakers are considering shifting more of their auto-parts manufacturing to China to avoid factory shutdowns due to an inability to source Chinese rare earth magnets, The Wall Street Journal reported on June 3.

China: Limits on Rare Earth Exports Force Western Automakers To Consider Relocating Production

Mongolia

Russia

Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, Mongolia's prime minister and head of the long-dominant Mongolian People's Party, was ousted when he failed to win a vote of confidence, only receiving 44 of the 64 votes required despite the MPP's control over 76 out of 126 legislative seats, Bloomberg reported on June 2.

Mongolia: Prime Minister Ousted Amid Protests, Ruling Party To Remain

Vietnam

The United States submitted a lengthy list of "tough" demands to Vietnam in ongoing trade negotiations, including measures that would reduce Hanoi's ability to import industrial inputs from China, Reuters reported on June 3.

Vietnam, U.S.: Hanoi Faces Industrial Realignment Choices Amid Steep U.S. Demands

Jordan

Syria

Turkey

Military & Security

The U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said the United States had begun reducing its troop presence in Syria "from eight bases, to five, to three. We'll eventually go to one," the Financial Times reported on June 3. 

Syria, U.S.: U.S. Begins Troop Drawdown in Syria

The president of the EU Chamber of Commerce in China said China was approving only a few rare earth export licenses, "far from being sufficient to prevent imminent production halts," The New York Times reported on June 2.

U.S., China: Rare Earth Export Curbs Start To Bite, Beijing Refutes U.S. Accusations

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social on May 30 that China "perhaps not surprisingly to some, HAS TOTALLY VIOLATED ITS AGREEMENT WITH US. So much for being Mr. NICE GUY," in reference to the United States' May 12 deal with China to reduce tariffs.

U.S., China: Trump Cries Foul on Trade as Both Sides Maintain Retaliatory Power

Australia

Japan

New Zealand

Philippines

New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins announced an expanded regional military role, committing to more frequent and longer-reaching deployments and closer cooperation with allies so Wellington can "pull its weight," Reuters reported on May 30. 

New Zealand: Wellington To 'Pull Its Weight' in South China Sea, Indian Ocean

Assessments

Taiwan

Taiwanese lawmakers prepare to vote on reconsidering controversial bills in Taipei, Taiwan, on June 21, 2024. 

Political infighting since the president's inauguration has impeded Taiwan's efforts to bolster military spending and has prompted Chinese military and economic retaliation, which could eventually imperil U.S. trade and arms deals.

After One Year Under Lai, Taiwan's Political Dysfunction Shows Little Sign of Easing

Europe

India

Pakistan

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Turkey's export strategy necessitates trade partnerships with countries in many different spheres of influence, portending both risks and opportunities as Ankara attempts to maintain its neutral middle-power status.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Turkey's Export Strategy Hinges on Neutrality

Snapshots

Canada

Mexico

South Korea

A U.S. courthouse facade with columns in lower Manhattan, New York.

The court ruling nullifies most -- though not all -- of the Trump administration's tariffs, giving U.S. trading partners temporary breathing room in negotiations while the White House searches for alternative trade measures.

The White House's Tariff Ambitions Bend -- But Do Not Break -- Under the Weight of a Court Ruling

Malaysia

The ASEAN logo May 15 in front of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysia will host the first of the two annual summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on May 26.

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Trans-Atlantic Trade Talks Intensify, Malaysia Hosts Two Summits

Columns

On Geopolitics

A digital illustration of a Chinese flag.

The apparent ineffectiveness of consumer subsidies in raising retail sales, paired with the government's continued resistance to stimulus, suggests that China's post-COVID consumer activity will remain depressed for the foreseeable future.

Gauging the Success of China's Consumer Subsidies Program, One Year Later

Visitors walk down the inclined shaft at Steenkampskraal rare-earth mine on July 29, 2019, about 80 kilometers (about 50 miles) from Vanrhynsdorp, a town in Western Cape province, South Africa.

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

U.S.-China trade tensions are increasing the risk of supply chain disruptions for critical raw materials, but companies can take steps to mitigate this danger.

Corporate America Comes to Grips With Supply Chain Risks to Critical Raw Materials

South Africa

United Kingdom

Portugal

Poland

Romania

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on May 21 during an official trip to the United States.

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's U.S. Reset, Three European Elections

Supporters of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attend a campaign rally in Mandaluyong, the Philippines, on May 9, 2025, ahead of the midterm elections. 

President Marcos' diminished Senate majority could slow defense deals in the short term and tilt foreign policy back toward neutrality or a China-friendly stance in the long term.

Midterm Elections Deal a Blow to the Philippines' U.S.-Friendly President

Containers are seen at China's Lianyungang port in eastern Jiangsu province on May 1, 2025. 

Although the U.S.-China trade deal will bring short-term economic relief, negotiations over a broader agreement will remain fraught, particularly since the rapid reduction of U.S. tariffs will embolden China to implement strong retaliation when talks falter.

Despite Tariff Reprieve, a Broader U.S.-China Deal Will Remain Elusive

A Chinese frigate participates in a naval parade in the sea near Qingdao, in eastern China's Shandong province, on April 23, 2019. 

A shift from coastguard to naval confrontations raises the likelihood of sharp, short direct conflict that would significantly worsen already high maritime tensions.

Chinese-Philippine Naval Confrontations Raise the Stakes in South China Sea Tensions

A digital illustration of the Chinese and EU flags.

Transatlantic trade tensions have created a window for tactical EU-China engagement, but structural constraints and unresolved disputes limit prospects for meaningful realignment.

Budding EU-China Rapprochement Amid U.S. Tariffs Will Have Its Limits

Trucks travel by the U.S.-Mexico border after crossing the border into the United States at Otay Mesa, California, on April 2, 2025. 

Although U.S. tariffs will hurt Mexico's economy in the short term, they may eventually grant Mexico a competitive advantage over countries that face even higher duties.

The Buffers That Will Help Mexico Navigate Tariff Turbulence

<p>China is situated on the eastern third of the Eurasian landmass, between Russia, mainland Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Its more than 9,000 mile-long coastline abuts the Yellow, East and South China Seas. China is a country of deep geographic divisions. Most fundamental is the split between its fertile eastern lowlands and the arid, sparsely populated highlands that enclose the lowlands like a shell. More than a billion people live in the ethnic Han Chinese core, making it one of the most densely populated places on Earth. Traditionally, threats to China&#39;s Han core originated in the borderlands. To guard against overland invasion, successive Chinese rulers have sought to push the Core&#39;s borders outward &mdash;integrating these highlands as strategic &quot;buffer&quot; zones. These zones form a shield, protecting and containing the core. To be secure, China must control the buffer regions. But maintaining control of the regions, in turn, requires a strong and united core. And that means overcoming immense internal divisions &mdash; not only between northern and southern regions orbiting the Yellow and Yangtze rivers, but also between smaller regional units, each with their own geography, history, dialect and interests. Chinese history is defined by cycles of unity and fragmentation, from periods when a strong Han core captures and holds the surrounding buffers to those when a weak core breaks into its constituent parts, loses internal coherence and cedes control of the borderlands. This pattern, rooted in China&#39;s geography, has played out with remarkable consistency. By comparison, China&#39;s maritime interests have remained mostly limited to coastal waters. Today, however, growing international trade and rising Chinese reliance on overseas resources threaten to alter the pattern, adding a new maritime dimension to the struggle for buffer space &mdash; and potentially upending the long-standing dynamics of China&#39;s geographic challenge.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S., China: Xi, Trump Phone Call Suggests Rare Earths Talks Inbound

China: Limits on Rare Earth Exports Force Western Automakers To Consider Relocating Production

Mongolia: Prime Minister Ousted Amid Protests, Ruling Party To Remain

Vietnam, U.S.: Hanoi Faces Industrial Realignment Choices Amid Steep U.S. Demands

Syria, U.S.: U.S. Begins Troop Drawdown in Syria

U.S., China: Rare Earth Export Curbs Start To Bite, Beijing Refutes U.S. Accusations

U.S., China: Trump Cries Foul on Trade as Both Sides Maintain Retaliatory Power

New Zealand: Wellington To 'Pull Its Weight' in South China Sea, Indian Ocean

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