Vietnam's top leader, To Lam, drives security policy while steering new leadership consolidation amid regional power shifts.
Leaders from BRICS are meeting in New Delhi for a summit that will test ties between India, China and Russia while India balances relations with Western partners. Japan's Okinawa has held a governor race that is reflecting economic concerns. Several Asian policy and business events this week include a Philippine AI infrastructure plan, a Huawei trial in New York and Hong Kong's BIOHK2026 conference.
Beijing is positioning itself as a mediator in the Iran-US conflict as Xi Jinping prepares for a Washington visit. Wang Yi has urged restraint, while Iran and US are encouraged to return to dialogue; Iran’s nuclear and regional risks persist.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has arrived in Washington for a state visit and a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss extending a trade truce, AI safety and the fate of Americans detained in China. Preparatory talks have produced limited deliverables; officials are expecting targeted, incremental agreements rather than a broad breakthrough.
Vietnam and Japan have broadened their strategic partnership, pledging faster public-private cooperation on critical minerals, energy security, and digital development. The leaders signed multiple deals in Tokyo, with a focus on AI, semiconductors, and offshore energy, while highlighting human rights concerns amid CPTPP commitments.