As long as there is sufficient political will and wisdom in Northeast Asia, the prospects for regional cooperation is encouraging, writes Chen Jimin.

Although the recent S&ED and SSD discussions and the Xi-Obama summit highlighted many points of agreement between the U.S. and China, the coming months will focus on some of the more difficult issues in the relationship such as military-to-military exchanges and trade disputes.

China may view Ms. Kennedy’s appointment as a show of favoritism shown to Japan, but the move should still be welcomed in Beijing. An Ambassador Kennedy would not only be an asset in improving US - Japan relations, but would also be invaluable in bringing Japan to the table to resolve conflicts with its neighbors.

Congressional involvement in foreign policy can cause difficulties for any U.S. administration. Recent resolutions passed regarding the South and East China Seas and their territorial disputes, although seemingly harmless, carry a deep undertone and may be thrusting the U.S. government further into a regional issue that it cares to be involved.

It will depend on the US whether Iran-US relations will enter a stage of normalization, writes Jin Liangxiang. The US may not be ready for such a process, though some senior diplomats are once again calling for reviewing US-Iran relations.

At the Sunnyland summit, Chinese president Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama pledged to establish a “new type of relationship between the major powers” and to upgrade the military relationship to a new level, writes Zhou Bo.

Wu Sike, China’s special envoy to the Middle East, describes the new Chinese leadership’s role in creating an international atmosphere capable of encouraging and mediating peace talks between Palestine and Israel.

As a new great power relationship develops between the United States and China, both countries must take steps to ensure that future military conflicts can be avoided.

Following President Obama’s most recent trip to Africa, it is necessary to examine the United States’ Africa policy. Noting the core interests and efforts of the Obama administration in Africa, Chen Jimin explains there is room for cooperation on the continent based upon the shared interests of China and the United Sates.

Liu Junhong writes that Japan’s recent election results reflect the shifting landscape of Japan's party politics, and drastic changes in the country's domestic and international environment.