Dialogue

The world is entering a period of strategic uncertainty. The war in Iran and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have shaken energy markets, threatened shipping routes, and reminded Asia how vulnerable it remains to conflict far beyond its shores. At the same time, US-China relations continue to reshape trade, technology, security, and choices facing Southeast Asia. Can Southeast Asia keep diplomac...

At this year's Shangri-La Dialogue, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized US military strength and urged regional partners to boost defense spending, repeatedly citing "peace through strength" and deterrence. On China, he took a softer tone than last year, noting efforts to build a stable, constructive relationship and the importance of military communication. Does this signal a shift in Wa...

China and the European Union remain deeply interconnected through trade, investment, technology and diplomacy. Yet the relationship is also facing growing strains. Brussels is speaking more openly about de-risking, industrial security and strategic autonomy, while Beijing warns that some of Europe's emerging policy proposals risk pushing the relationship toward protectionism and discrimination. At...

US forces have launched new strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington describing the operation as “self-defense” after Iranian vessels were reportedly involved in mine-laying activities and missile threats against US assets. The latest escalation comes at a highly fragile moment as negotiations are reportedly continuing over a possible ceasefire framework. But major dis...

Saturday marks the 75th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Xizang Autonomous Region. Over the past seven and a half decades, Xizang has undergone profound transformations in its economy, infrastructure, public services, and living standards. Its GDP has grown from just 327 million yuan in 1965 to more than 300 billion yuan in 2025, and the region is now targeting economic growth of over 7 p...

Beijing has strongly rejected Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te's latest remarks on cross-Strait relations, accusing him of repackaging "Taiwan independence" in the language of peace and democracy. The comments come as Lai faces mounting political pressure on the island, after Taiwan's legislature voted on an impeachment motion against him. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has warned against Taiwan i...

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin have issued a joint statement on further strengthening strategic coordination and deepening friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The two sides also signed a series of cooperation agreements across a wide range of sectors. What is this visit all about? How have China and Russia managed to build such a stable and resi...

Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit to China comes as the two countries mark 30 years of a strategic partnership and 25 years of a good neighborliness. What is the current state of China-Russia economic and trade cooperation? Where are the new opportunities for growth? How could closer China-Russia ties give fresh momentum to BRICS and broader Global South cooperation?

The recent meetings between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump has put the world's most consequential bilateral relationship back at the center of global attention. As the two sides set a new tone of building a relationship of constructive and strategic stability, how will they expand cooperation and manage their differences to stabilize their ties? What challenges...

China and the United States appear poised to open a new chapter in their relationship following in-depth exchanges between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump. A new vision is emerging: building a relationship based on constructive strategic stability. What’s the significance of such a new framework? How can the two powers expand cooperation while setting boundaries fo...

Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting U.S. President Donald Trump have agreed on a new vision of building a constructive China-U.S. relationship of strategic stability. What does that mean in practical terms? How could this important concept shape what is arguably the world's most consequential bilateral relationship? And what challenges could stand in the way of achieving "constructive strate...

The Taiwan legislature has approved a record high 24-billion-U.S.-dollar arms procurement bill, sparking intense debate across the island. Critics are questioning the scale of spending and the lack of transparency. Who will benefit from such massive spending? Can these weapons truly make Taiwan safer? Where is the Taiwan question heading next?

China and the U.S., the world's two most consequential powers, are moving in very different directions. China is doubling down on self-reliance, while the U.S. continues to preserve global dominance. But despite mounting tensions, the two sides also appear to be managing competition carefully and perhaps uneasily. Can this uneasy balance last? How can Beijing and Washington avoid confrontation? Ca...

The 48th ASEAN summit has focused heavily on three urgent issues, oil, food and migrant workers. Regional anxieties have deepened following the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran alongside sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on ASEAN economies, such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. How serious is the energy crisis in the ASEAN region? What do these converging issues mean...

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Beijing. The meeting came one day after the U.S. suspended its efforts to guide ships through the Strait of Hormuz. What can China's diplomacy achieve at this moment? Is Washington moving toward a deal with Tehran, or simply changing tactics after military operations have paused? And can the re...

As China continues to develop, a growing number of Western scholars and policy makers are calling for a reassessment of how the country is understood, urging a move beyond long held stereotypes and ideological bias. At the same time, we are seeing a steady stream of Western leaders visiting China. What's driving this shift? Is the West beginning to rethink its approach to China? How resilient is C...

The Japanese government has convened the first meeting of an expert panel to begin revising three of its most important security documents - the National Security Strategy, the National Defense Strategy, and the Defense Buildup Program. The move marks the latest step in Japan’s accelerating defense shift, following months of rising military spending, expanded security cooperation, and changes to i...

Europe is finding itself in a growing strategic bind: still reliant on the US for security, yet struggling to manage its economic relationship with China amid mounting transatlantic pressure. From Washington's "good versus bad" NATO framing, to Brussels' sanctioning Chinese entities and Beijing's swift response, these are not isolated developments, but signs of deeper structural tensions. Has Euro...

In recent talks with leaders from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against a return to a "law of the jungle," where the strong dominate the weak. He emphasized that the rule of law must not be "applied selectively" based on convenience. This raises important questions: Are we still operating within a law-based international system, or are we drifting toward a "law of t...

For the first time in nearly a decade, a senior U.S. delegation has visited Havana—reviving direct contact between two long-time adversaries at a moment of deep crisis for Cuba. The island is grappling with widespread power outages, fuel shortages, and a contracting economy, amid the long-standing U.S. embargo and its recent tightening grip on Cuba's energy lifeline. What is driving this renewed e...

Japan has approved a sweeping legal overhaul, lifting a decades-old ban on exporting lethal weapons. The move comes as Tokyo accelerates its military buildup, with changes that many see as eroding the constraints of its postwar pacifist constitution and raising concerns about the regional security order in Asia. Meanwhile, 126 Japanese lawmakers have visited the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class...

With the two-week ceasefire about to expire, all eyes are on whether the U.S. and Iran will return to the negotiating table—or drift further apart. Washington has announced a team led by Vice President JD Vance, but Tehran has yet to confirm its participation, and no U.S. delegation has departed. President Donald Trump has said the ceasefire will end "Wednesday evening, Washington time." At the sa...

Beijing has hosted a remarkable series of high-level visitors from Thailand, Spain, the UAE, Vietnam and Russia. These visits come as global energy shock is intensifying, geopolitical tensions remain high, supply chains are under strain, and many countries are searching for more stable partners and broader diplomatic options. What do these visits reveal about China’s role in an increasingly unsett...

The International Monetary Fund has downgraded its global growth outlook, warning that the U.S. and Israeli war on Iran threatens to hike inflation with the possibility of a global recession. For many developing economies, especially across the Global South, the situation is even more urgent with higher energy costs, weaker currencies, and less room to respond to the crisis. How deep is the econom...

The Chinese mainland has unveiled a new package of 10 measures to boost cross-Strait exchange, such as expanding direct flights, allowing more Taiwan TV dramas into the mainland market, and facilitating the sale of agricultural products from Taiwan. These policies were announced immediately after a high-level visit to the mainland by Kuomintang Chair Cheng Li-wun, the first such engagement in a de...