The World Unpacked

President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in the highly anticipated virtual summit earlier this week with the hopes of bringing down tensions between the two countries. Yet the two leaders came out of the virtual summit with no official joint statement or agreement on any big sticking points. So where does the U.S.-China bilateral relationship stand on Taiwan, trade, climate, and more? This week, Evan Feigenbaum joins Doug to unpack the Biden-Xi summit and where the U.S. and China go from here.

This week, over 30,000 participants are anticipated in Glasgow, Scotland to kick off COP26. The climate conference hosted by the United Nations is a critical moment for nations to address the fight against climate change in order to avoid catastrophic consequences. The expectations for the two-week conference are high as world leaders and delegates are expected to commit to ambitious climate goals that will prevent the global temperature from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius. In this episode Olivia Lazard joins Doug to unpack key developments from the climate conference thus far and how the EU and United States can still take the lead on climate.Olivia Lazard, "The Need for an EU Ecological Diplomacy," Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceOlivia Lazard, "The EU's Deforestation Package: A Test for Taking the Green Deal Global," Strategic Europe

Last week, North Korea unveiled a variety of weapons during an exhibition which included their newest developed “hypersonic missile”, Hwasong-8. This recent exhibition was one of the biggest displays of North Korean weapons in the last couple of years, and the country’s leader, KimJong-un, made it clear that he will continue to build up their military forces. It comes at a time when the United States is pushing for North Korea to return to nuclear disarmament talks, but so far the country has rejected starting any negotiations. This week, Ankit Panda joins Doug to unpack the state of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program and what it means for U.S. policy toward North Korea.Ankit Panda, "North Korea's New 'Hypersonic Missile': Not A Game Changer Just Yet", 19FortyFiveAnkit Panda, "Why North Korea's New Cruise Missile Matters", Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceToby Dalton and Ankit Panda, "Lessons From the Iran Deal for Nuclear Negotiations With North Korea", Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

From the recent announcement of China banning all crypto-related activities to El Salvador legalizing Bitcoin as its currency, cryptocurrency has been making headlines. The rapid growth of crypto has caused countries to reevaluate their approach to adopting digital currencies. Some have welcomed the push towards crypto while others are wary about its overall effect on the global financial system.  This week, New York Times reporter Ephrat Livni joins Doug to unpack cryptocurrency and what this means for the global financial system.Ephrat Livni and Amy Qin. (September 24, 2021). China Cracks Down Harder on Cryptocurrency With New Ban. The New York Times.Ephrat Livni and Oscar Lopez. (September 7, 2021). El Salvador’s Adoption of Bitcoin Is Off to a Rocky Start. The New York Times.

On September 26, Germans will cast their votes in the federal election that will decide the next chancellor of Germany as Angela Merkel steps down from office. Whoever wins will have to contend with a host of challenges, from an emboldened Russia, to climate change, and keeping a fraught EU bloc together amid democratic backsliding on the continent. But perhaps more importantly, can anyone replace the steady handed Merkel who steered the European continent for the last nearly two decades?Judy Dempsey from Carnegie Europe joins Doug to unpack the German elections and the future of Europe in the post Merkel era.Judy is the editor in chief of  Strategic Europe  where you can get more insights and commentary on European foreign policy. Judy Dempsey, "Germany's Vote Should Set the Pace for Europe", Strategic EuropeJudy Dempsey, "Europe's Looming Unpredictable Autumn", Strategic EuropeJudy Dempsey, "The Europe Angela Merkel Leaves Behind", Strategic EuropeYascha Mounk, "The World Won't Miss Angela Merkel", The Atlantic

Twenty years after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the United States’ longest war has ended with the troop withdrawal in Afghanistan completed. Thus, a new chapter between the United States and a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan has begun. It has also begun conversations around the current state and future of America’s foreign policy. This week, Stephen Wertheim joins Doug to unpack the state of America’s foreign policy and role in the world following the conclusion of the longest U.S. war. Stephen is the author of Tomorrow, the World: The Birth of U.S. Global Supremacy. Read the latest from Stephen:End the Imperial Presidency The ever-ready answer for failures in Afghanistan: More warJoe Biden's Perfect Foreign Policy StormThe legacy of 9/11

As the United States was completing its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban rapidly took control of Afghanistan last week. Thousands of Afghans are trying to escape the country as their futures and hopes are looking uncertain. Meanwhile, the United States and its allies are left figuring out what comes next with the Taliban back in power. This week, a former senior adviser to the National Security Council of Afghanistan joins Doug to talk about the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and what it means for Afghans.

Southeast Asia holds vast economic significance to not just the United States but to the world. But the pandemic has strained the region’s recovery with the delta variant surging, while global supply chains have been stretched to the limit. Meanwhile, the United States is looking to reinforce its ties with Southeast Asia as China makes its own moves in the region.Economist Trinh Nguyen joins Doug to talk about the region’s battle with the virus and why the global economic recovery depends on Southeast Asia.Follow Trinh for more insights on emerging Asia and watch her latest interview on CNBC about Southeast Asian economies. 

Crisis has struck Cuba and Haiti in recent weeks. In Cuba, thousands of protestors have flooded the streets in unprecedented demonstrations amid a dire economic situation and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Haiti has plunged into further turmoil following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse at the hands of highly trained assassins, as rivals jockey for power and gangs sew chaos across the island nation.This week, Foreign Policy columnist Elise Labott joins Doug to talk about how both crises unfolded, where the two Caribbean countries go from here, and how the United States should respond.Elise Labott, “Biden’s Missed Opportunity in Cuba,” Foreign PolicyElise Labott, “How to End Haiti’s Terminal Despair,” Foreign Policy  

On June 25, a much anticipated report from the U.S. government on UFOs was released to the public. The nine-page report examined 144 cases of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), or more commonly known as UFOs. Only one UAP case in the report was able to be identified with confidence, while the others remain unidentified. The report has captivated the public as well as government officials, who are taking the findings seriously from a national security standpoint. Joining Doug is Washington Post reporter Shane Harris to unpack the findings in the UFO report and what it means for U.S. national security.Guardian News. Pentagon officially releases 'UFO' videos [Video]. YouTube.Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Office of the Director of National Intelligence.Roland Emmerich. Independence Day [Film]. 20th Century Fox.Shane Harris and Missy Ryan. U.S. unable to explain more than 140 unidentified flying objects, but new report finds no evidence of alien life. The Washington Post.