Cyberspace is an arena where geopolitical competition in Northeast Asia plays out daily. The United States, ROK, and Japan have all been at the receiving end of cyberattacks from North Korea or China—and a regional expert estimated that North Korea could draw on a force of 7,000 hackers and has sought to bolster their technological capacities with AI research in partnership with Chinese companies.

SOURCE: "Geopolitical Implications of Scientific Innovation Trends in Northeast Asia" by CSIS' Seth Jones, Andrew Hunter, Gregory Sanders, Lindsey Sheppard, Park In-kook, Hong Kyu-Dok, Kim Jina, and Lee Geunwook.

Since the start of 2019, the Sahel has experienced a 50 percent rise in violent events (battles, violence against civilians, explosions, remote violence, and riots), resulting in over 15,000 fatalities, according to Armed Conflict Locations and Events Database. To chart a path forward, the United states must prioritize policies and programming that simultaneously address democratization, violent extremism, and strategic competition.

SOURCE: "False Choices: U.S. Policy toward Coastal West Africa and the Sahel" by CSIS' Judd Devermont.

On June 8, 2021, the Senate voted to adopt the United States Innovation and Competitiveness Act by a vote of 68 to 32. While the House of Representatives still has to consider the legislation, the bill represents a coherent strategic statement by Congress on China policy and commits a historic level of spending—over $250 billion—for research and development (R&D), advanced manufacturing, and improved supply-chain resilience.

SOURCE: "Congress on China: Then and Now" by CSIS' Scott Kennedy.

The SARS-CoV-2 variants that emerge in other parts of the world will remain a significant threat to the United States until herd immunity rate is reached globally. Although nearly 50 percent of the U.S. population is already fully vaccinated, fewer than 1 percent of people living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been vaccinated.

SOURCE: "Global Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution Handbook" by CSIS' Dan Runde, Conor M. Savoy, and Janina Staguhn.