The China-Russia partnership is a highly consequential geopolitical alignment driven by a shared goal of countering U.S. hegemony and reshaping the international order into a multipolar system. While not a formal alliance, this relationship is strengthened by Russia's increasing economic reliance on China following Western sanctions, which allows Beijing to leverage its influence. Policymakers should note that while the partnership projects deep solidarity (as seen in high-level summits), it remains complex and limited by mutual mistrust and competing strategic interests. This enduring alignment poses a significant challenge to U.S. interests and requires continued diplomatic vigilance.
Avoid any temporary deal on Iran’s nukes
English Summary
The Brookings article argues that any temporary nuclear deal with Iran is fundamentally flawed and dangerous. The core reasoning is that such agreements imply that the Iranian regime's moderation is predictable, which is an unreliable hope, and they undermine the permanent, global nature of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Furthermore, temporary limits send dangerous signals to both Iranian hardliners and regional rivals, suggesting that a nuclear option is permissible. Policy should therefore reject time-bound limitations, focusing instead on establishing permanent compliance mechanisms and robust international monitoring to manage the nuclear program.
中文摘要
布魯金斯智庫的文章主張，任何與伊朗的臨時核協議本質上有缺陷且極具危險性。其核心論點是，這類協議暗示了伊朗政權的溫和路線是可預測的，而這是一種不可靠的希望；此外，它們也削弱了《不擴散核武器條約》（NPT）永久且全球性的性質。更進一步地，臨時限制向伊朗的強硬派和區域競爭對手發出了危險的訊號，暗示了核選項是可接受的。因此，政策應拒絕時間限制的約束，轉而著重建立永久性的合規機制和強健的國際監控體系，以管理其核計畫。
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