Why Turbulence Will Make Beijing More Assertive; Trump’s Self-Defeating Trade Policy; Beijing Fears American Volatility More Than American Power
Foreign Affairs Today

May 14, 2026 | View in Browser | Sponsored by Cambridge University Press

 

Today’s highlights:

- China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy by Sam Chetwin George

- The Illusion of Reciprocity by Inu Manak and Allison Smith

- What the Iran War Means for China by Zongyuan Zoe Liu

- A Flawed Formula for Peace in Ukraine by Samuel Charap and Jennifer Kavanagh

 

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Outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 2026  

China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy

Why Turbulence Will Make Beijing More Assertive

By Sam Chetwin George

A cargo ship at the port of Oakland, California, February 2026  

The Illusion of Reciprocity

Trump’s Self-Defeating Trade Policy

By Inu Manak and Allison Smith

Outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 2026  

China Was Ready for the Age of Anarchy

Why Turbulence Will Make Beijing More Assertive

By Sam Chetwin George

 
A cargo ship at the port of Oakland, California, February 2026  

The Illusion of Reciprocity

Trump’s Self-Defeating Trade Policy

By Inu Manak and Allison Smith

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A Timely Analysis of Transformations to the Global Trading System

 

“This sweeping account of trade wars through history is especially valuable as the United States and China launch a new and probably long battle. VanGrasstek’s documentation is a gold mine, and his analysis contains lessons for scholars and diplomats alike.” —Gary Hufbauer

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Cover Image of “On Trade War”

A Timely Analysis of Transformations to the Global Trading System

Cover Image of “On Trade War”
Learn More

“This sweeping account of trade wars through history is especially valuable as the United States and China launch a new and probably long battle. VanGrasstek’s documentation is a gold mine, and his analysis contains lessons for scholars and diplomats alike.” —Gary Hufbauer

Police officers at Tiananmen Square, Beijing, March 2026

What the Iran War Means for China

Beijing Fears American Volatility More Than American Power