Multilateralism is currently facing its greatest downturn since the Great Depression, but the G20 may be best positioned to keep the liberal international order afloat. All eyes will be on President Trump and President Xi at the G20 Summit as the two leaders attempt to bring their escalating trade war to an end.

In the current China-US trade war, some see an analogy to the Japan-US trade dispute over semiconductors in the 1980s. But past US success does not augur victory in the present conflict over 5G tech—today’s China is far more capable and innovative than 1980s Japan.

The trade war is only the latest twist in a tangled China-US relationship. For the two sides to find common ground, the US must accept China’s rise to superpower status on an equal footing, and China should acknowledge the post-World War II order that the US built.

The latest escalation in US-China economic frictions points at worrisome trends. In the short run, US allies may benefit from US-China economic tensions, but serious dangers lie ahead.

Although the latest round of China-US trade talks has ended without agreement, the door to dialogue remains opens. Overall, the level of economic interdependence between the two sides’ makes imposing tariffs a self-defeating tactic — the Sino-US relationship is “too big to fail.”

China’s latest earnings reports show that new technologies are at the center of national growth despite its slowing economy, with new energy vehicles and 5G communications equipment sellers performing especially well. Even so, China’s economy continues to suffer from softer global demand and the ongoing trade war with the U.S.

In the contested South China Sea, there are increasing concerns about public agendas fueled by private interests. The structures of Albert del Rosario's think-tank and its many bedfellows are a case in point.

Continued friction may define US-China relations in the coming years. As such, balancing ties between the two major powers will constitute the greatest foreign policy test for successive Philippine administrations.

China’s increasing prominence in Djibouti and other African nations is the latest signal that China sees Africa as holding strategic promise for the Belt and Road Initiative.

The latest draft of China’s Foreign Investment Law is a nod towards Washington’s concerns over structural issues in China’s economy. But with impending tariffs overhead, it’s hard to know if this was a statement of true intent or a statement made with a metaphorical gun to one’s head.