Gordon Brown, like many of his EU counterparts, focussed on national interests and commercial contracts in his China trip last week. But EU leaders need to work together not compete with each other to benefit from China's rise.

New ECFR report, to be published on Monday 21 January, criticises European efforts in Afghanistan and calls for a "grand bargain" between the United States and the EU to avert failure.

After six-and-a-half years of war and the biggest NATO operation in history, Afghanistan remains in the throes of insurgency and President Hamid Karzai's government is perilously weak. The EU needs to get a reality check, and fast.

A series of recommended texts on Afghanistan.

A backgrounder on the problems plaguing Afghanistan's reconstruction, and on why the war-torn country should matter to Europe.

The U.S and Europe are casting about for Afghanistan's "Anbar moment". But the warring tribes to be united first are the international ones.

The EU delegation has prepared an unusually full agenda for the annual EU-China Summit. However, there is a real danger they will go home empty-handed, and the Chinese will hijack the event to lecture about Taiwan and the Dalai Lama.

Europa ha hecho demasiado poco y demasiado tarde en Afganist?n.

Pakistan's stability is vital to Europe's security. Why, then, does EU?s role in Pakistan bear all the hallmarks of the pre-Maastricht polity it no longer wants to be?

Will the rise of China lead to inevitable conflict on the international stage? Or will China mellow and adapt to international norms as it grapples with the new requirements of its phenomenal growth?

European double-standards on Burma and Uzbekistan will hurt the EU's interests and democracy in both countries.

Targeted sanctions are a good idea ? but the goal must be to convince the Junta that they are better off with a political process