Since last May's brief yet dangerous military confrontation between two nuclear-armed powers, a tenuous calm has held. But should a new war erupt, the margin of error this time will be far slimmer.

The Communist Party's general secretary since 2012 may have grown up in a secure compound for the elite, but he forged his values in the fields of rural Shaanxi province

From Tokyo's perspective, there were three key issues: Taiwan, Iran, and the broader bilateral framework

Beijing can't easily afford to escalate any economic struggle with Washington

The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as a fragile space of competitive geopolitical coexistence between the US and China. But it should be carefully managed.

China and the United States have a chance to clinch some economic win-win deals this week, provided politics does not get in the way

Beijing can help Washington find a way out of its Gulf quagmire, but it won't come cheap. Xi Jinping may wonder aloud if the Americans still plan to defend Taiwan.

Al Majalla examines the wider implications of the US-China summit in Beijing—especially regarding the ongoing US-Iran conflict, and Gulf states' strategic considerations as global power balances shift

Washington and Beijing have much to discuss during Donald Trump's visit. As they meet, both presidents will find that they are playing with different hands.