Amid escalating tensions in Sino-Philippine relations, ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, especially Cambodia appear to be more prominent, positive and prosperous – due to the politicizing of the U.S.

Is China undergoing a shift in diplomacy and foreign policy? If this shift is significant, it must be critically examined. An article titled, "Proactive diplomacy" which reported what Wang Yi said in his press conference, provides a basis for discussion.

Must land border or maritime disputes necessarily lead to violent conflicts? The case of the China-Philippines may be one that warrants serious discussions – for better border management. Amid escalations both in terms of frequency and duration of physical conflicts, the following newspaper article may provide a model for China and the Philippines to peacefully resolve their current disputes through what I call "durian diplomacy".

The last time when French President Emmanuel Macron visited China, President Xi Jinping took him to Guang Dong, where Xi and his late father have been building their legacy, the Greater Bay Area mega project; this time around, German Chancellor Scholz toured the ancient mountain city of Chongqing with young architects – and was on a boat cruise going down the famed Yangtze River, which was made even more famous by the Tang Dynasty great Chinese poet Li Bei (701-762) whose poem "Boating Downstream to Jiang Ling" is among the world's most beloved and popular piece of poetry.

When the U.S. president's job is in Trump's firing line, there's nothing more furiously urgent to him than fighting for his political life, future and family.

The World of politics would always remain divided after a long time of unity, and vice versa. So would be the bilateral relations of the United States and China, thanks to the hard work of two leaders – who is diametrically opposed to a former leader, now leading a secular "crusade" in America.

All eyes are on Prabowo Subianto, the Indonesian president-elect – who will lead Southeast Asia's biggest economy in the next five years. The current defense minister – son-in-law of autocratic former President Suharto, hand-picked by the C.I.A. to topple his superior President Sukarno – is now in Beijing, being invited by President Xi Jinping – before he becomes president.

After weeks and months of closely following the mounting conflicts between China's coast guards and their Philippine counterparts in the disputes over the Ren'ai Reef, or the Second Thomas Shoal, it is pleasing to read the latest news that President Xi Jinping is now walking – with a top U.S. banker and a great variety of  other top U.S. leaders from all fields in Beijing – and talking with them amicably about doing business, building ties and trusts – and toasting  the success of bilateral relations since his meeting with President Joe Biden in San Francisco last November.

For Ukraine, a country that has been listening to Washington and counting on American financial and military supports, Mr. Kuleba's recent remarks carry a lot of weight – as China has been unilaterally portrayed by Western media propaganda as Mr. Putin's friend, whose friendship has "no limits".

Journalists getting into hustle and bustle with local frontline law enforcers may be a common sight, but such incidents do damage China's image!

I have been keeping an eye on Mr. Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State since the days his nation's military hastily pulled out of Kabal; in its chaos, many mistakes were made and many a military man, including hundreds of innocent civilians were wounded in Afghanistan. Then he described his feelings as "heart-wrenching", according to the New York Times.

You may have been stunned by the extend of the destruction of the Ukrainian war, in which hundreds of high-rise buildings are levelled by missiles, and thousands of civilians killed or wounded, and tens of thousands of displaced Ukrainian refugees, scattering in taters all over the world; you may have been heart-wrenched by the killings of Palestinians while lining up for food and other aids by Israel's bombers or fighter jets; however, these are all video clips and satellite images that may not compromise your sense of loyalty to your motherland.

China's national legislature wrapped up the annual session 2024 with near-unanimous support for government goals and plans – designed to carry out ruling Communist Party leader Xi Jinping's vision for the nation, and mission of his pledged integration to the ASEAN, with pragmatic implications for peace in Asia-Pacific.

In recent years, U.S.-China relations have been following the path of a roller-coaster – going through ups and downs, a stark contrast to the romantic time when the insightful Nixon administration's outreach strategy that sent Dr. Henry Kissinger to Beijing, joining hands, and encountering the Soviet Union.

All the world is watching the nation's major political meeting. One burning issue dominates as the 2024 session of China's legislature gets underway this week.