China

Japan

Economics

Politics

China accepted a shipment of Japanese scallops, marking the first instance of China importing Japanese seafood since Beijing banned these goods in August 2023, Jiemian reported on Nov. 7.

China, Japan: China Resumes Japanese Seafood Imports in Sign of Temporary Truce

United States

Europe

Netherlands

Environment, Science & Technology

Science & Technology

The CEO of German car parts supplier AUMOVIO said shipments of chips from Dutch-headquartered semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia's China unit have resumed and that the company received an exemption from Chinese export controls, the Financial Times reported on Nov. 7.

EU, China: Nexperia Chip Exports Pave Way for Netherlands To Relinquish Control of Dutch Chipmaker

South Korea

Military & Security

In reference to the recent U.S.-South Korea plan to build a nuclear submarine, new Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on a TBS television program on Nov. 6, "all of the surrounding countries have nuclear submarines."

Japan, U.S.: Defense Minister Says Japan Wants Nuclear Submarines

Nigeria

U.S. Republican Rep. for West Virginia Riley Moore pushed back against China's stated opposition to recent threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to use force in Nigeria, stressing on X that China "would not dictate [U.S.] foreign policy," Sahara Reporters reported on Nov. 4.

Nigeria, U.S.: Trump Ally Doubles Down on Threats Amid Fresh Claims of Boko Haram Genocide of Christians

When asked whether U.S. Forces Korea could be used in a Taiwan or South China Sea contingency, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Nov. 4 that "There's no doubt flexibility for regional contingencies is something we would take a look at," Bloomberg reported on Nov. 4.

South Korea, U.S.: Security Meeting Addresses Shifting Mission of USFK, Construction of Nuclear Sub

Canada

Philippines

The Philippines and Canada signed their status of visiting forces agreement, formalizing troop access and joint military training cooperation, The Philippine Star reported on Nov. 3.

Philippines, Canada: Manila, Ottawa Sign Defense Pact

U.S.-China Relations

A Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said on Nov. 1 that China would "consider" authorizing the export of chips from Dutch-headquartered semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia's China unit to individual companies, the Financial Times reported.

U.S., China, Netherlands: Nexperia China Chip Shipments To Resume, But Uncertainty Remains

New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Oct. 30 and 31, respectively, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, Bloomberg reported. 

Japan: Takaichi Meets With South Korea's Lee and China's Xi on the Sidelines of APEC 

Assessments

Brazil

Iraq

Syria

Campaign posters Nov. 6 ahead of Nov. 11 Iraqi parliamentary elections in central Baghdad.

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

The Weekly Rundown: Iraqi Elections, a U.S.-China Deal Enters Effect

South Sudan

Burundi

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ethiopia

Kenya

Malawi

Mozambique

Rwanda

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Over the next decade, Kenya and Tanzania will compete for the title of East Africa's leading trade gateway, particularly as global demand for Central Africa's critical minerals grows. 

The Geopolitics of Trade: The Race to Unlock East Africa, Part 1 

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a photo session for participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 on Sept. 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China.

The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) outlines Beijing's intent to continue current economic policies, pursue new industrial priorities, further securitize Chinese society, escalate Xi's anti-corruption campaign, and use lawfare to fend off foreign trade disputes.

President Xi Lays Out China's Plans for the Next Five Years

Snapshots

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping leave after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025. 

The framework deal favors China by boosting its export competitiveness, but future escalations with the U.S. are likely over the coming year due to differing interpretations of the new measures and ongoing trade tensions.

China Secures Favorable U.S. Trade Deal, New Escalations Still Likely

Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Timor-Leste

Indonesia

Laos

Malaysia

Myanmar

Singapore

Thailand

Vietnam

U.S. President Donald Trump (center) poses for a group photo with the leaders of (L-R) Singapore, East Timor, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia and Laos during the ASEAN leaders summit on Oct. 26, 2025. 

The summit highlighted the Southeast Asian bloc's attempts to boost internal unity and economic integration amid the U.S.-China rivalry, but it also exposed structural divides and external pressures that hinder unified action and leave ASEAN states vulnerable to coercion.

The Takeaways From the 2025 ASEAN Summit

Columns

On Geopolitics

Germany

Slovakia

Hungary

Ukraine

Russia

European Council President Antonio Costa and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for a meeting of the European Council on Oct. 23. The EU pursuit of geopolitical independence is being severely tested by Russia's direct security aggression, China's control over critical raw materials and competing economic pressures from the United States.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The EU pursuit of geopolitical independence is being severely tested by Russia's direct security aggression, China's control over critical raw materials and competing economic pressures from the United States.

Europe's Dual Challenge From China and Russia

Cameroon

Cote d'Ivoire

Argentina

Supporters of Argentine President Javier Milei's Liberty Advances (LLA) party wave flags during a campaign rally in Rosario, Argentina, on Oct. 23, 2025.

The Weekly Rundown: Argentina Holds Midterm Elections, Trump Travels to Asia

Australia

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and U.S. President Donald Trump speak to reporters during a bilateral meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Oct. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Trump and Albanese agreed to tighten defense and supply chain integration as a way to reduce their countries' reliance on China, but industrial bottlenecks mean implementation will be slow.

U.S.-Australia Leadership Summit Yields Critical Minerals Pact, AUKUS Reaffirmation

Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2025.

Sanae Takaichi's appointment as prime minister will reduce short-term political instability in Japan and strengthen U.S. ties, but her conservative government will struggle to recover domestic support and could alienate neighboring countries.

New Premier Takaichi a Quick Fix for Japan's Long-Term Political Problems

Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, and other senior government members and deputies attend the second plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 8, 2025, in Beijing, China.

The key political meeting will fill vacant Party seats and update economic and security goals, offering insights into China's policy priorities and the trajectory of Xi's political purges for the next five years. 

What To Watch for During China's Fourth Plenum

Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected LDP leader, on Oct. 4 in Tokyo.

Takaichi will lean into populism, spurring near-term growth but exacerbating long-term economic challenges, while her nationalism will bolster Japan's military and boost U.S. ties even as it strains those with Japan's neighbors.

Japan's Conservative Takaichi Set To Become Next Prime Minister

Iran

The U.N. Security Council holds a meeting on Iran at the U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, on Sept. 19, 2025. 

Energy

U.S.-Iran Relations

The increased isolation will make Iran more reliant on China and Russia, while the added economic strain could fuel domestic protests and empower Iranian hard-liners calling for more aggressive action against the West.

U.N. Sanctions Snapback: What's Next for Iran?

<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

China, Japan: China Resumes Japanese Seafood Imports in Sign of Temporary Truce

EU, China: Nexperia Chip Exports Pave Way for Netherlands To Relinquish Control of Dutch Chipmaker

Japan, U.S.: Defense Minister Says Japan Wants Nuclear Submarines

Nigeria, U.S.: Trump Ally Doubles Down on Threats Amid Fresh Claims of Boko Haram Genocide of Christians

South Korea, U.S.: Security Meeting Addresses Shifting Mission of USFK, Construction of Nuclear Sub

Philippines, Canada: Manila, Ottawa Sign Defense Pact

U.S., China, Netherlands: Nexperia China Chip Shipments To Resume, But Uncertainty Remains

Japan: Takaichi Meets With South Korea's Lee and China's Xi on the Sidelines of APEC

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