𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘢'𝘴 𝘞𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘻𝘰𝘯 explains how Beijing's global ambitions collide with local realties.

Today @ambassadorbrief is running a summary of the book. It makes 3 main observations:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0190680199/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_bIcPEb5CJ0JX8

1. Xi Jinping’s China has expanded ambitions for continental Eurasia and potent new tools of geopolitical influence.

2. However, Beijing’s ambitions and policies are an insufficient guide to understanding developments on the ground in Eurasia. Local actors often set the conditions and frame the outcomes of China’s actions.

3. Similarly, existing geopolitical relationships among Eurasian states inform how China is likely to be pulled into conflicts, rivalries, and competitions.

Going forward, these lessons have some practical implications for US policymakers (top lines only here, see the brief for more):

1. China is increasingly likely to play a role in many of continental Eurasia’s toughest geopolitical issues, such as India-Pakistan hostility, Russia’s great power ambition, and Iran’s nuclear program.

2. Beijing’s ability to influence the politics and economics of Eurasia could tilt the global balance in the US-China competition over the long run.

3. A China-centric approach alone will prove insufficient for anticipating the future geopolitics of the region.

4. Because continental Eurasia is distant from American shores, Washington must make the most of its finite resources in the region.

For more on each of these points, read the book or check out @ambassadorbrief here: https://bit.ly/2S5YqP6