Treaty and Talks

Foreign Policy

Staff reporter at Treaty and Talks, covering International Relations.

China's top leaders have wrapped up their annual summer retreat in Beidaihe, a seaside resort town east of Beijing
Relationships

China's Leadership Retreat: A Look into the Country's Power Dynamics

China's top leaders have wrapped up their annual summer retreat in Beidaihe, a seaside resort town east of Beijing. The retreat, which has been a tradition since the early 1950s, is a time for leaders to discuss policy and personnel issues behind closed doors. But under Xi Jinping's one-man rule, the nature of the power struggles has changed, with lower-ranking party officials competing for face time to assure Xi of their loyalty or push their own policy agendas.

Foreign Policy19 August 2026
Tensions rise in the West Bank as Israeli settlers clash with the military, prompting a rare rebuke from the US Ambassador
Relationships

Israel's Crackdown on West Bank Settlers Sparks International Concerns

Tensions rise in the West Bank as Israeli settlers clash with the military, prompting a rare rebuke from the US Ambassador. Meanwhile, a defense agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan is set to deepen cooperation, and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo worsens.

Foreign Policy17 August 2026
The ongoing conflict in Iran bears striking similarities to the Vietnam War, according to a recent analysis of David...
Conflict & security

The Iran War: A Reprise of Vietnam?

The ongoing conflict in Iran bears striking similarities to the Vietnam War, according to a recent analysis of David Halberstam's classic work, *The Best and the Brightest*. Both conflicts were marked by a lack of clear goals, poor management, and an overreliance on technology and firepower. The current US administration's approach to the war has been criticized for its lack of expertise and experience, with many of its key advisors lacking a background in foreign policy or military affairs.

Foreign Policy17 August 2026
Pope Leo XIV's encyclical challenges the relevance of just war theory in the age of artificial intelligence and autonomous...
Instruments

Just War Theory Faces a New Era of Technology

Pope Leo XIV's encyclical challenges the relevance of just war theory in the age of artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons, but experts argue that the theory requires an update rather than retirement.

Foreign Policy16 August 2026
Recent biographies of Ronald Reagan reveal a leader whose composure steadied a disoriented state, but also a governing...
Conflict & security

The Paradox of Legibility: How Ronald Reagan Perfected the Art of Governance by Silence

Recent biographies of Ronald Reagan reveal a leader whose composure steadied a disoriented state, but also a governing method that relied on repetition and procedure rather than fixing systems. This emotional sensibility became a governing method, where the federal government became increasingly opaque to citizens, and technical debt grew, the accumulation of unmade decisions carried forward as administrative workarounds.

Foreign Policy16 August 2026
The recent passing of Zhu Rongji marks the end of an era in China's breakneck reform period, which began in the 1990s under...
Relationships

The End of an Era: China's Breakneck Reform Period Comes to a Close

The recent passing of Zhu Rongji marks the end of an era in China's breakneck reform period, which began in the 1990s under the leadership of Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji. This period saw significant economic reforms, including the introduction of market-oriented policies and the opening up of the Chinese economy to the world.

Foreign Policy16 August 2026
The Cockroach Janta Party, a new political movement in India, emerged after the country's chief justice referred to...
Relationships

India's Cockroach Movement Highlights Youth Unemployment and Education Challenges

The Cockroach Janta Party, a new political movement in India, emerged after the country's chief justice referred to unemployed youth as 'cockroaches.' The movement reflects deep discontent among young graduates with India's education system and labor market. Despite economic growth, structural changes have failed to create enough jobs, leaving millions in informal or precarious work. The education system, while producing top talent, struggles with elementary education quality. The movement also

Foreign Policy16 August 2026