The European Commission's new leadership, under President Ursula von der Leyen's second term, is shifting toward a more assertive stance on China, amid internal political shifts and overlapping bureaucratic roles. Without a coherent ‘U.S.-China policy,’ Europe risks deepening internal divisions and weakening its ability to assert strategic autonomy between the U.S. and China.

The 2024 Beijing Summit was the first gathering of Chinese and African leaders since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. It enhances the strategic, all-weather nature of their relationships. The result was a repositioning of relations that will affect how China promote cooperation with African countries in the future.

While China is well-positioned to mediate peace in Myanmar due to its economic and strategic interests, its current approach of maintaining relations with all sides in the conflict has not been sufficient to drive meaningful progress. Lasting peace will require China to take a firmer stance, promote constructive dialogue, and collaborate with regional partners to address the humanitarian crisis and political instability.

China's engagement with Africa through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation highlights its strategic commitment to the continent, positioning itself as a robust alternative to Western influence.

Other than a few glib remarks, surprisingly little was said about China at this month’s US presidential debate. Former President Donald Trump asserted that his proposed import tariffs would punish “China and all of the countries that have been ripping us off for years.” Vice President Kamala Harris, for her part, disparaged China’s pandemic response, stating that President Xi Jinping “was responsible for lacking and not giving us transparency about the origins of COVID.”

When President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election, American politics suffered a seismic shock. The Democratic Party’s substitution of Vice President Kamala Harris to face former president Donald Trump upended the apple cart. While Biden had been slipping, Harris’s momentum has made the outcome too close to call.

If both sides maintain a rational and pragmatic understanding of each other and continue on a path of patient, stable communication — looking for opportunities to close seemingly impossible gaps — then a positive outcome is still in the game.

It’s unlikely that conservatism will regain the influence it once had — during the Reagan era, for example. A pivotal issue is whether traditional mainstream conservatism could merge with populist conservatism and national conservatism, and then make a comeback.

The Philippines sits at the crossroads of the Pacific and Southeast Asia, navigating its historical ties to the U.S. and proximity to China with extreme care and diplomatic acumen. As China seeks to grow its power this decade, the Philippines will surely play a major role in how things unfold.

As U.S.-China relations face mounting tension and uncertainty, reflecting on the early days of cultural exchange in the 1980s reveals a simpler time of optimism, goodwill, and mutual curiosity. While today's challenges are formidable, the shared experiences of those who helped build these ties offer a reminder that, even in times of difficulty, there remains potential for collaboration and understanding.