- +18
James M. Acton, Saskia Brechenmacher, Cecily Brewer, …
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A Hypersonic Arms Race
There is renewed interested in conventionally armed hypersonic weapons in both the United States and in China.
Source: Arms Control Wonk
Jeffrey Lewis and Aaron Stein spoke with Carnegie’s James Acton about hypersonic weapons. They discussed the status of China’s and the United States’ hypersonic weapons programs and what can open source tell analysts about China’s most recent rest. They also discussed what happened at Kodiak Island and whether hypersonic weapons are destabilizing.
About the Author
Jessica T. Mathews Chair, Co-director, Nuclear Policy Program
Acton holds the Jessica T. Mathews Chair and is co-director of the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
- Unpacking Trump’s National Security StrategyOther
- Trump Has an Out on Nuclear Testing. He Should Take It.Commentary
James M. Acton
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
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- The Xi Doctrine Zeros in on “High-Quality Development” for China’s Economic FutureCommentary
In the latest Five-Year Plan, the Chinese president cements the shift to an innovation-driven economy over a consumption-driven one.
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For Malaysia, the conjunction that works is “and” not “or” when it comes to the United States and China.
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ASEAN needs to determine how to balance perpetuating the benefits of technology cooperation with China while mitigating the risks of getting caught in the crosshairs of U.S.-China gamesmanship.
Elina Noor
- Neither Comrade nor Ally: Decoding Vietnam’s First Army Drill with ChinaCommentary
In July 2025, Vietnam and China held their first joint army drill, a modest but symbolic move reflecting Hanoi’s strategic hedging amid U.S.–China rivalry.
Nguyễn Khắc Giang