The election of Hassan Rouhani could serve as a turning point for Iran both domestically and internationally. With a moderate politician leading this important nation, the time for the U.S and China to engage and reintegrate Iran into the international system is now; otherwise, the Middle East will continue to be plagued by violence.

If U.S. policy is determined by passion, ignorance, and myopia, the prospects of maintaining a peaceful relationship are far lower. President Trump is not a stupid man, but until he seeks to educate himself he risks acting stupidly. Then the cost for both nations, and most of Asia, could be quite high.

U.S. Secretary Rex Tillerson spoke with reporters at a State Department press pressing on August 1 in Washington D.C. and covered a wide range of foreign policy issues, including dealing with China. The following are excerpts of his remarks.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which marks its 50th anniversary this month, comprises the world’s seventh-largest economy, on track to become the fourth largest by 2050. ASEAN’s approach may turn out to be the way of the future, enabling other fractious regions to develop sturdy bonds of cooperation.

The “America First” doctrine and its capricious approach have not only caused dissatisfaction and opposition from allies, but also prompted them to reconsider their relations with the US, thus leading to a growing divide. In short, the global pattern is undergoing tremendous changes, in an era full of risks but also opportunities.

The US-India relationship has been burdened by mutual misgivings as of late. In Washington summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump displayed a comfortable chemistry, with no real discord to be seen – a departure from some of Trump’s other early diplomatic forays.

For more than a century, joining the “family of nations” has been a goal of Chinese leaders. Some are now predicting that China will soon assume many of the leadership roles that the United States is withdrawing from. But it’s not the first time that such opportunities have presented themselves.

On July 6th CSIS hosted an event to release a major report on U.S.-China relations written by a group of experts from some of America’s leading foreign policy think tanks.

Despite the shocking withdrawal by the US from the Paris climate accord, the G20 Summit in Hamburg, demonstrated that good and healthy bilateral relations continue to play their roles. Strategic partnerships are gaining respect, popularity and upgrading.

Bilateral ties between Myanmar and China, at least at top governing levels, appear to be improving following souring diplomatic and economic ties during the previous Thein Sein administration. As China expands its investment footprint, it must heed the widespread wariness, and in some areas, strong anti-Chinese sentiment in Myanmar.