Kudlow said the U.S. and China “expect to make more headway” in trade talks this week.

Diplomatic mission coincides with resumption of trade talks in Washington.

Growing military tensions make the US-China trade dispute harder to settle.

As the United States continues attempts to pressure North Korea, its allies may be charting a different path, with South Korea leading the way.

Security concerns will remain a barrier to Beijing-Tokyo rapprochement.

The departure of Ambassador Nikki Haley, a strong force for U.S. policies at the UN, illustrates a looming question: as the U.S. withdraws from the multilateral system it built, who will fill the void? China may be next.

Trump’s UN speech rejected the globalism the rest of the world has accepted.

Vice President Mike Pence’s speech at the Hudson Institute signaled a far tougher American line on China. It is worth considering the Trump administration’s motivations for taking such an adversarial public stance now.

Washington’s sudden hostility to its former role as a guardian of global stability has raised questions about how the international order will evolve. At the UN this week, Trump slammed multilateral diplomacy and global cooperation. President Xi Jinping of China (who was absent from the UN meetings) has continued to embrace these ideals.

What is America’s plan to lead in the 21st century? Without focus and strategic investment, the U.S. is at risk of losing in the game of global leadership – and facing a future where America does not occupy a dominant position.