The Other Superpower

While Africa is frequently overlooked in discussions of U.S. foreign policy, The Other Superpower is working to expand its presence on the continent. China, Russia, and Iran are working with local governments to advance their revisionist agendas, secure diplomatic and material backing, and displace Western influence whenever possible. Aleksandra Gadzala Tirziu, nonresident Senior Fellow...

The influence of The Other Superpower is growing rapidly in the Western Hemisphere. China, Russia, and Iran are actively deepening their ties with local regimes, partnering with countries like Venezuela and Cuba, while also making inroads with non-state actors, building a hostile network just beyond our borders that directly threatens American interests. Ryan Berg, Vandenberg Advisory Board member...

In this episode of “The Other Superpower,” we turn our focus to North Korea, the “agent of chaos” within the anti-American coalition. North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un has built strategic ties of varying depth and for varying reasons with The Other Superpower, most notably supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine with troops, ammunition, ballistic missiles, and drones. Victor Cha, Vandenberg Advis...

On the third episode of “The Other Superpower,” we dissect one of the most consequential partnerships between our adversaries to emerge in recent years: the relationship between China and Russia. These two powers are now as close as ever, as indicated by the “no-limits friendship” declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping weeks before Russia’s ful...

On the second episode of “The Other Superpower,” we analyze the complex and evolving relationship between China and the Islamic Republic of Iran. In 2021, China and Iran signed a 25-year strategic accord—perhaps a testament to their shared desire for deeper cooperation and to thwart the American-led system. But is this partnership truly as solid or enduring as we may think it is? Craig Singleton,...

"The Other Superpower" is a series produced by The Vandenberg Coalition highlighting that current Great Power Competition is not exclusively between the United States and one other nation, but instead between the United States and a dangerous and growing coalition made up of Iran, Russia, China, and other actors. For this debut episode, our guests shed light on the growing relationship between Rus...