Exploring Universal Values and Chinese Aspirations

America’s upper legislative chamber remains in Democrats’ hands; they may even expand their majority. We explain what that means for the Biden administration, and why Democrats outperformed expectations. President Biden’s biggest foreign-policy headaches involve China; we ask what to expect from his first in-person meeting with President Xi Jinping. And we introduce our new China-focused podcast, “Drum Tower.” For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer