HK's first group C rotavirus case detected, with expert warning of community spread
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South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Former CIA director William Burns' ‘riveting' memoir to be published by Random House
Former CIA director and Biden cabinet official William Burns is working on a book about his years leading the intelligence agency. Advertisement Random House announced on June 3 that it would publish Burns' Diplomat Spy: A Memoir of Espionage in Revolutionary Times. The release date is still to be determined. 'It was a profound honour to lead the men and women of CIA, and I hope in this new book to illuminate their remarkable service, and the crucial connection in this revolutionary new era between spycraft and statecraft,' said Burns, who headed the CIA from 2021-23 and was elevated by the then US president, Joe Biden , to a cabinet position. A veteran diplomat, he was a key adviser to Biden on Russia, Ukraine and other parts of the world. In this image provided by The White House, CIA Director William Burns (left) and other security officials brief US President Joe Biden on an airborne attack on Israel from Iran in the White House Situation Room on April 13, 2024. Photo: Adam Schultz/The White House via AP According to Random House, Burns' book is 'a riveting first-hand account of dealing with the most difficult foreign adversaries in the most difficult crises, a candid look at the personal and professional pressures which come with espionage, and a reflection on the future of intelligence at a time of rapid technological change and relentless attacks on public institutions'. Advertisement
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- South China Morning Post
Triangular diplomacy a tricky tightrope to walk for Asia-Pacific leaders
Middle and major powers are using trade, investment and technology as weapons of influence in pursuit of triangular diplomacy, a stratagem of Cold War realpolitik. However, the strengths of this approach – agility, ambiguity and tactical scope – hide the dangers of entanglements that escalate instability. A nation triangulates by balancing and manoeuvring between two other powers , building leverage, reducing dependency and becoming indispensable to multiple sides without fully committing to any. Triangular diplomacy is now a prominent approach for leaders negotiating a world where post-war institutions are in decline, autarkic capitalism is emerging, military budgets are soaring and multilateral commitments are being reassessed by US President Donald Trump. President Richard Nixon's emissary, Henry Kissinger , orchestrated this statecraft in the 1970s by using the Sino-Soviet rivalry to bolster America's power. He fostered closer ties with Beijing and Moscow individually as he kept both unsure of Washington's commitment to either.
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Will a calmer approach to US-China relations work out for Beijing?
Advertisement Beyond this brief moment in the spotlight, however, Xie has kept a lower profile during Trump's second term, in stark contrast to his predecessors Cui Tiankai and Qin Gang, who actively engaged American audiences to counter negative perceptions of China. At events such as the 2024 Harvard Kennedy School China Conference, despite facing pro-Tibetan protests, he maintained a composed demeanour, emphasising modernisation and cooperation rather than confronting his critics directly, a sharp contrast to Qin's more combative approach. Xie's style aligns more closely with Cui, China's longest-serving ambassador to the US, who was known for his measured, professional approach. Cui, who served as ambassador between 2013 and 2021, adeptly navigated turbulence during the Barack Obama era and Trump's first term, actively engaging US officials and lawmakers, media and think tanks, while forging personal ties with the Trump family. Advertisement Highly regarded in both Beijing and Washington, Cui was viewed as a skilled communicator and an interlocutor who understood American politics.
