Hong Kong is a vital bridge and gateway for China to the rest of the world, and for the United States to China. China and the United States would be wise to maintain the city’s cosmopolitanism while reining in detrimental sanctions, respectively.

China and ASEAN countries have maintained contact relating to the Code of Conduct. The main messages delivered are that progress has been made, efforts have been undertaken for the step-by-step resumption of COC negotiations and an environment conducive to the negotiations will be created.

The concept is a foreign one, as China has always stressed the independence of all nation-states as they make their own decisions both domestically and regionally. Moreover, the United States will not be leaving the Middle East anytime soon.

In Afghanistan, the withdrawal of American troops is far easier said than done. Overlapping factors complicate the matter so se-verely that it may not be possible for the U.S. to achieve its goals in a few months. A quagmire will be left behind in any case, and who will be responsible for the human toll?

Although bilateral relations face many difficulties this year, it’s possible — so long as the DPRK and the ROK understand and respect each other — to seize strategic opportunities for a new phase of reconciliation and cooperation. In that case, the re-emergence of the Peninsula Spring may be expected.

ASEAN has long been a platform for dialogue and multilateralism in Asia. But it now must refocus on leadership development and proactive cooperation in order to de-escalate tensions and promote stability in the ASEAN region.

When it comes to Taiwan and the South China Sea, it’s imperative that trust and restraint be restored between China and the United States. Failure to do so can only increase the risk of conflict in the region. There are rational, common-sense steps that can be taken in this direction.

China has called for an immediate cease-fire and an end to violence to save the lives of innocent civilians on both sides. The ultimate solution, in China’s view, lies in a two-state solution. The Palestinians who live in the region are entitled to a state of their own, no less than Israelis.

Though China’s invasive data security laws are oft criticized abroad, China is on the way to implementing a comprehensive national regulatory framework protecting personal privacy online.

As a former U.S. colony, the Philippines has maintained close ties with the United States on security issues for decades, and may quickly become a key player in Washington’s plans in the Indo-Pacific as China tests their claims across the South China Sea.