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Welcome to The Adversarial. Every other week, we’ll provide you with expert analysis on America’s greatest challengers: China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and jihadists. Read more below.***ChinaChina is determined to put up a fight in the tariff war with the United States. Since April 2, in response to the Trump administration’s announced tariffs on China, Beijing retaliated with its own tariff of 34 percent on U.S. goods on April 4, which was subsequently increased to 84 percent on April 9 and 125 percent on April 11. The prohibitively high tariffs imposed by both countries severely threaten bilateral trade, and the world awaits anxiously to see what the two governments will do to de-escalate trade tensions — or if they will let them spill over to other domains. In the midst of the unprecedented trade war, Chinese General Secretary Xi Jinping embarked on state visits to three Southeast Asian countries: Vietnam, Malaysia, and Cambodia on April 14. The trip was scheduled long before the renewed trade war, but in the context of the rising trade tensions with the United States, China strives to strengthen its relationships with other trading partners and Asian neighbors.Domestically, the Financial Times reported on April 10 that the vice chair of the Central Military Commission, He Weidong, has been removed from his position for corruption charges, making him the latest — and perhaps most important — subject of shakeups in the Chinese military.Preparations for Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s state visit to Cambodia in 2016. Image: Neou Vannarin via VOA Khmer.IranOn April 12, U.S. and Iranian officials met in Oman — a significant diplomatic event and the first such meeting under the new Trump administration. This followed a surprise public statement from U.S. President Donald Trump on April 7 announcing that the two sides would meet. Officials are scheduled to