ASEAN has grown from a small, consensus-based group into a significant regional bloc, now at the center of U.S.-China competition. Its expanded scope and diverse membership make it both a key player and a complex challenge for external powers.
As China rapidly expands its network of satellite mega-constellations, it grows in informational power. As a result, it could acquire a dominant position in global connectivity, greatly expanding the reach and impact of its messaging, propaganda and influence operations.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform economies, reshape societies, and redefine what it means to be a global power. China’s pursuit of AI advancement poses a challenge to U.S. interests.
President Xi Jinping has promoted the enhancement of strategic forces, stressing new developmental plans for the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force (PLARF). The U.S. maintains nuclear superiority, but China leads in conventional and hypersonic missile technology.
The U.S. Space Force’s plan to deorbit Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) satellites presents a strategic opportunity to advance defense partnerships.