As C.I.A. director, William J. Burns was deeply focused on China and Russia when the Middle East conflict plunged him back into his old life.

While the United States tries to spy on one of the hardest targets, Burns has also tried to reopen a dialogue with Beijing, including via his counterpart, Chen Yixin, the security minister. (The head of the China Mission Center, a career CIA officer fluent in Mandarin, accompanied Burns on one of his trips to Beijing.)

KELLY: That would be Bill Burns. Elsewhere on the show today ... First, another pressing priority... China and the recent cyberattack by China into U.S. phone companies - the Salt Typhoon attack ...

With less than two weeks remaining before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, Mr. Burns is raising the administration’s concerns about Russia, as well as China’s alignment with Iran ...

Outgoing US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said the Chinese government is making a mistake in being so belligerent and intimidating toward Taiwan, and that he believes it would be better for the Chinese government to talk to President William Lai ...

In a wide-ranging exit interview, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly asks Central Intelligence Agency director William Burns about the resurgence of ISIS, and what's next for the intel community.

In a wide-ranging exit interview, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly asks Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns ... Kelly: Mm-hmm. Burns: What we focus on China and technology while we continue ...

The spy agency is trying to give its teams better tools and make it easier for the private sector to develop technology for their secretive work.

No one would ever refer to CIA Director William J. Burns as “Wild Bill,” the nickname of William J. Donovan, who led the OSS, the agency’s swashbuckling predecessor, during World War II. But the self-effacing Burns has bravely commanded a CIA force in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago.

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with the outgoing U.S. ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns. He says China faces certain challenges, like a slowing economy and a declining population.

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John Ratcliffe, US president-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the CIA, pledged on Wednesday that, should he be approved to lead the spy agency, he would intensify its focus on China and emerging technologies.