In light of recent tension in the Asia Pacific, Colin Moreshead argues that the United States should bring Japan, South Korea and China all to the table for common-ground initiatives, like fighting climate change or promoting education.

It is of essential significance to consistently enhance diplomatic relations with neighboring countries and improve good-neighborliness. Periphery strategy and diplomacy will always be important to China, writes Shi Yinhong.

China’s 2014 “host diplomacy” provides the best opportunity for China to demonstrate its achievements in economic growth and its recent defense build-up, writes Jin Canrong and Kong Xihui.

Sino-Japanese relations have been strained due to confrontations regarding the Diaoyu Islands and state visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese leaders. In order to mitigate these tensions, it is imperative that the Chinese government adjusts its official policies in order to shift the international perception of Japan in their favor.

A new report demonstrates that future relations between China and the US need not suffer a power conflict. Instead, as Wang Wenfeng notes, their cooperation should serve as an example for the international community.

As international tensions increase over Russia’s actions in Crimea, China continues to keep a low profile. Ted Galen Carpenter explains that as China’s leaders exhibit nervous ambivalence over the developments, the United States should not misinterpret this as siding with Western powers.

Following the crisis in Ukraine, Russia-US relations will have to go through a readjustment, relaxation and gradual improvement, writes Yu Sui.

First Lady Michelle Obama’s trip to China highlights the need to build-upon people-to-people exchanges to increase cross-cultural understanding between students in China and the United States. As Tom Watkins explains, two important initiatives are hoping to increase these types of exchanges through study abroad opportunities.

Skillful Chinese diplomacy has managed to transform an initial damage limitation strategy into one that will likely bring benefits to Beijing. China has won praise from both sides of the conflict without suffering any major costs. Although Beijing will not apply sanctions to Moscow for its actions, China has expressed disapproval of the Crimean referendum through its silence—probably the best Washington can hope for.

With Michelle Obama’s six-day visit to China, China’s first lady is inviting special attention as the country actively courts international public opinion, writes Jay Wang.