The 2026 Hong Kong Forum on Cooperation and Development was held in Hong Kong on May 19, bringing together more than 100 professionals and scholars from countries including the US, Russia, France, Switzerland and Thailand to discuss international cooperation and global governance.
The forum centered on the theme of promoting cooperation and development to improve global governance amid growing geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
During a media session, American scholar Josef Gregory Mahoney, Professor of Politics and International Relations and Director of the International Graduate Program in Politics at East China Normal University, commented on the recent visits to China by the leaders of both the US and Russia within the span of a month.
Mahoney said Beijing has increasingly become a focal point for international diplomacy.
"Over the last year or so, we've seen leaders from many countries around the world coming. We sometimes say: 'Now all roads lead to Beijing,'" he said.
According to Mahoney, China has emerged as "the responsible major power" that seeks cooperation rather than dominance, while successive US administrations have created instability that has placed pressure not only on rivals but also on allies such as Germany and Japan.
Referring to US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing, Mahoney pointed out that Washington's strategy of containing China had failed on multiple fronts.
"He was compelled by the failure of his own anti-China containment strategy," Mahoney said, citing challenges faced by the US in areas including the Middle East, financial markets and technological competition.
He added that China has continued to advance despite US restrictions on Chinese technology, while Washington's own global position has weakened.
"The US is in danger, and they need China's help, despite having been aggressing against China on multiple fronts," he said.
Mahoney also described China and Russia as important strategic partners that maintain close communication, particularly during periods of engagement with the US.
"This is what strategic partners do," he said. "This is how they're working together to try to create greater security not only in Asia but in the rest of the world."
Looking ahead, Mahoney said more world leaders are expected to visit China, adding that the broader goal is to "put the world back on track" and develop "win-win security paradigms" beyond traditional Western geopolitical frameworks.
(Reporter & Video Cutter: Zoey SUN; Camera Person: Lynn Zhou)
Related News:
Comment