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.
Who Should Shape the Future of Development, and How?
English Summary
As global development assistance declines following USAID's closure and reduced ODA funding, CSIS proposes reimagining international development by centering local rightsholders in decision-making through three key stakeholders: civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector. The analysis, based on roundtables held 2025–2026, identifies critical gaps: global ODA dropped $56 billion (2023–2025) while philanthropic giving remains ~$17 billion annually, and over 70% of civil society organizations have cut staff. Key recommendations include shifting philanthropy from project grants to unrestricted multiyear funding, strengthening civil society resource diversification, and aligning corporate private sector engagement with local institutional capacity-building rather than control. The proposals emphasize that without coordinated stakeholder alignment and genuine power transfer to impacted communities, development's sustainability and effectiveness will remain constrained.
中文摘要
隨著 USAID 關閉及官方發展援助（ODA）資金減少，全球發展援助面臨挑戰。因此，戰略與國際問題研究中心（CSIS）提出重新構想國際發展模式，主張透過三大關鍵利害關係人——民間社會、慈善機構和私營部門——將決策權核心化，交予地方權益持有者。本分析基於 2025–2026 年召開的圓桌會議，指出幾個關鍵缺口：全球 ODA 在 2023–2025 年間下降了 560 億美元；雖然慈善捐贈每年仍維持在約 170 億美元，但超過 70% 的民間社會組織已裁員。核心建議包括：將慈善捐贈從專案撥款轉向無限制的多年期資金；加強民間社會的資源多元化；並將企業私營部門的參與，與地方制度能力建設接軌，而非控制。提案強調，若缺乏利害關係人之間的協調一致性，以及真正的權力轉移給受影響社區，發展工作的永續性與有效性仍將受到限制。
Related Entries
-
1.
-
2.
The article argues that the U.S., through recent policy signals—such as questioning NATO's value or sympathizing with great-power territorial claims—is inadvertently adopting the core tenets of non-alignment, prioritizing transactional national interests over binding alliances. Historically, while non-alignment allowed developing nations to gain benefits without commitment, the analysis notes that this approach lacks the deep trust and shared obligations necessary for robust security structures. The implication is critical: by undermining established alliances, the U.S. risks losing its greatest strategic asset—the network of mutual commitments—as allies actively seek alternative bilateral or regional defense pacts.
-
3.
The roundtable established that implementing generational bans represents a powerful, long-term strategy for tackling deeply entrenched public health crises like tobacco use. Using the UK’s permanent ban on selling cigarettes to those born after 2009 as key evidence, experts analyzed how such policies fundamentally alter market dynamics and consumer behavior over time. These lessons suggest that other nations facing persistent addiction challenges should consider adopting similar age-gating or generational restrictions to accelerate decline and set a precedent for future public health policy interventions.
-
4.
The CSIS analysis finds that the U.S. grid's regulatory framework for connecting large loads is severely fragmented and unprepared for the massive electricity demands posed by AI data centers. FERC has mandated significant reforms across six regional operators, requiring them to modernize interconnection studies, prevent cost-shifting, and establish clear tariffs for co-located generation. Evidence shows that most operators fall far short of these new standards, necessitating complex, multi-year policy adjustments rather than simple compliance. Policymakers must coordinate federal regulation (FERC) with state utilities to accelerate grid modernization, ensuring energy affordability while maintaining technological competitiveness.
-
5.
The Brookings report argues that while modern economies are fundamentally regional in nature, effective governance requires states to align their authority and resources with empowered local cross-sector networks. Current state economic development systems are often fragmented and ill-equipped to manage structural shifts like AI or the energy transition. To modernize, policymakers must adopt a structured 'state-regional' model where states define strategic clusters and allocate capital, while regions coordinate execution using deep local knowledge. This approach has proven successful in catalyzing billions in private investment by ensuring state resources are deployed strategically across multiple sectors to achieve measurable economic growth.