The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
Ten Issues to Watch at the Trump-Xi Summit in Washington
English Summary
The summit reveals a strategic stalemate, characterized by Beijing viewing itself as a peer and the U.S. adopting a cautious, de-escalatory posture. While the meeting is unlikely to produce major deliverables, underlying tensions persist, notably the expiration of the tariff truce, the ongoing competition over AI governance, and chip controls. Policy efforts must therefore focus on maintaining strategic leverage—such as the new sanctions act—and managing critical technology risks, rather than expecting broad, formal agreements. The relationship remains defined by asymmetry, requiring Washington to navigate Beijing's desire for stability while protecting its economic and technological interests.
中文摘要
此次峰會揭示了一種戰略僵局，其特點是北京將自身視為對等方，而美國則採取了謹慎、緩和局勢的姿態。儘管此次會議不太可能產生重大具體成果，但潛在的緊張關係依然存在，特別是關稅休戰的到期、持續的AI治理競爭，以及晶片控制問題。因此，政策努力必須著重於維持戰略籌碼——例如新的制裁法案——和管理關鍵技術風險，而非期待廣泛的正式協議。雙方關係仍由不對稱性定義，要求華盛頓在保護其經濟和技術利益的同時，應處理北京尋求穩定性的意願。
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