China’s rapid rise to power has caught the attention of the world. China’s new diplomatic strategy of extending “olive branches” has some states worried and others intrigued. Can a balance be found between China’s national interests, the US pivot to Asia and the interests of regional actors such as ASEAN or Japan?

Japan is making provocative statements on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands and questioning the Chinese position, writes Xue Junying.

Xi Jinping has launched a new era of periphery diplomacy and will make for better political and economic relations with neighboring countries, closer security cooperation and stronger people-to-people contact.

All eyes are on the Central Committee’s Third Plenum scheduled to open in Beijing on November 9 for details about China’s economic reforms. As attention focuses on domestic economic development, however, Chinese foreign policy also deserves notice.

As free trade agreements flourish around the globe, He Weiwen examines the developments between the China-ASEAN FTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership noting that while the US and China have been left out of each negotiation respectively, it does not mean the countries are competing directly against each other.

Washington has made it a point to handle arms sales to Taiwan as delicately as possible. However, following a recent visit by Senator James Inhofe and other developments, the Obama administration is finding it more challenging to walk the diplomatic tightrope.

The U.S. has relentlessly worked on improving its foreign policies in order to safeguard its global hegemony. Chen Jimin analyzes the framework of the Obama administration’s global strategy.

As Japanese Prime Minister Abe seems to have discarded his nationalist talking points in favor of a more populist platform, many wonder how China will be affected?

Although the US is firmly established in the region, many Pacific countries are concerned about US stability and consistency in policy. China’s recent confident actions have allowed for relations with ASEAN to grow and may have begun to act to supplant the US role. But do the two powers need to be competing or can they work in tandem?

In the wake of President Xi and Premier Li’s visits to Southeast Asia, China not only underscored its diplomatic commitment to the region but also elevated its partnerships with neighboring countries to more strategic ones. Zhai Kun examines in which ways the new Chinese leadership “upgraded” the China-ASEAN relations.