Talks are underway for a U.S.-China summit this spring, with the choice of venue crucial to balancing Trump’s unpredictability and Xi’s preference for control. Hawaii and Hainan stand out as potential neutral sites, offering luxury, security, and a level playing field for both leaders.

Trump’s return creates uncertainty for Beijing, with potential economic risks from renewed tariffs and trade restrictions. While there are some prospects for relations to get better, the unpredictable nature of Trump’s policies and Washington’s internal challenges could also lead to further volatility between the U.S. and China.

Challenges presented by Donald Trump, including tariffs and withdrawal from global leadership, give BRICS countries a chance to build a cooperation platform for the Global South and a to create a new channel for international discourse.

The European Parliament making moves to condemn China over human rights abuses may play well in modern day, but exposes the fault lines in a changing global order - the West today should no longer freely lecture the rest of the world on moral issues.

Trump’s Oval Office ambush of Ukrainian President Zelensky highlights the unpredictability and volatility of U.S. diplomacy under his second term—an unsettling prospect for China as it prepares for a potential Trump-Xi summit. With Trump emboldened and increasingly unpredictable, China may face new challenges in navigating an engagement with a leader who thrives on disruption.

The future for European countries hinges on maintaining competitiveness and growth while safeguarding the quality of life of their citizens. The shock delivered by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could hasten Europe’s long-overdue strategic awakening.

Peter Hegseth’s inability to name an ASEAN country underscores the Trump administration’s broader indifference to Southeast Asia, favoring trade protectionism, military burden-shifting, and transactional diplomacy over sustained regional engagement.

The Asia-Pacific region began to exhibit signs of easing major geopolitical tensions in late 2024, but has started to heat up again following President Trump’s return to power in the White House. During the ‘easing’ period, although low-level disputes persisted in the vast region, in the South China Sea, and in cross-strait relations, the risk of a conflict involving regional heavyweights was not imminent.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to promoting peace in Ukraine has brought significant changes. China needs to find new roles for itself in promoting the peace process, while continuing to advocate political solutions.

During Donald Trump’s second term, the world’s three major continental powers — China, the United States and the European Union — will engage in their most intense interactions since the end of World War II. The results will shape the global power structure in stages.