WORLD ROUNDUPChina Battles Rare Surge in Violent Crime | Controversial UN Cybercrime Convention | Trump’s Early Picks Worry John Bolton

China Battles Rare Surge in Violent Crime Incidents Amid Economic Woes  (AFP / VOA News)
China’s economic malaise is fueling social tensions that make people more likely to commit violent crimes out of anger or desperation, analysts say, after the country witnessed its deadliest massacre in a decade. The country has experienced a spate of violent attacks this year, challenging Beijing’s proud reputation for public order and prompting online soul-searching about the state of society.

Is Southeast Asia Ready for the Abrupt Changes Trump Could Usher In?  (David Hutt, RFA)
On trade and security, allies could be in for disruptive US moves.

Biden Admin to Support Controversial UN Cybercrime Convention  (Maggie Miller, Politico)
The decision follows months of internal deliberations over whether to support the treaty, which digital rights groups have raised serious concerns over due to its potential misuse by countries like Russia and China.

Trump Made 3 Big Foreign Policy Mistakes During His First Term. Will He Repeat Them?  (Nhal Toosi, Politico)
He doesn’t like a steady process, has contradictory priorities and is better at destroying than building.

Trump’s Early Picks Worry John Bolton  (Keith Johnson, Foreign Policy)
The former national security advisor says that crises will “come very early on” in the new administration.

Beijing Has Already Prepared for Trump’s Return  (By Lizzi C. Lee, Foreign Policy)
China is readying for known challenges and unknown risks.

NATO’s Tech Scouts Are Fortifying Europe for a World with Donald Trump  (Morgan Meaker, Wired)
The new NATO Innovation Fund started as a way to combat flagging US interest. Now, its staff are scouring Europe to find the companies that could give the alliance the edge in the face of war.