Hosting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was the opening act for China’s diplomatic efforts this 2023. As the Lunar New Year dawns, it is worth reflecting on what the visit meant for both countries.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to China set the tone for stronger Philippine-China relations in the upcoming years. However, the future of this bilateral relationship might encounter tensions in the face of developments in the Philippine-U.S. relationship and defense cooperation.

Australia’s alignment to the West and its trade barriers with China has entrenched tensions between the two Asian countries.

To glimpse how China is perceived in the West, a good place to start would be the titles of bestsellers. In 2015, the No. 1 bestseller in the United States was The Hundred-year Marathon: China’s Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower. In 2017, there was Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap? And this year, a trending one is Red-handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win.

At the North American Leaders’ Summit in Mexico City in early January, the unmistakable undercurrent was U.S. competition with China. Clearly, China should increase its political support for Latin American countries in their efforts to gain equal footing with the United States.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s visit to Beijing may help set the tone for cordial bilateral ties with China, but could also stir wariness on the part of the country’s longstanding treaty ally, the United States. The Philippines must carefully navigate its position to avoid being seen as favoring either side.

Qin Gang just left his position as Beijing’s top envoy to the U.S., as he has been named China’s new Foreign Minister. As his role changes, there’s no better time to reflect on his tenure in the U.S., his commitment to bettering the China-U.S. relationship, and his, at times, easygoing engagement with the American public.

Recent headlines have broadcasted the Gulf Cooperation Council’s new deal with China, with tens of billions of dollars. Some may see it as a signal of a coming divorce with the West, but careful analysis reveals that the GCC can balance relations to both sides.

America and China have no choice but to engage each other and the nature of their future relationship might be uncertain and even difficult, but will inevitably be close. But while recent diplomatic and leadership moves have indicated that Xi Jinping wants to improve relations with Washington, skeptics warn against believing that the policy of the PRC has changed fundamentally.

The installation of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives portends stormy weather ahead for U.S.-China relations. President Joe Biden will face more congressional policy challenges as ultra-radical Republican exert their power. And if McCarthy follows through on a pledge to visit Taiwan, bilateral ties will be seriously compromised.