On What Really Matters, Walter Russell Mead discusses the China-Japan spat, Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House, China’s lead in scientific paper and patent production, and the apparent rise of Orthodox Christianity among young conservative American men.
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US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Japan’s Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi inspect a guard of honor on October 29, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Getty Images)