2020 brought unpredictable twists to the world, and global leaders were put to the test. Though the challenges brought on by COVID-19 have yet to subside, some positive changes were brought forth by the obstacles presented in the past 12 months.

America’s position as the world’s most powerful country is often credited to its democratic political system. However, when looking at historical trends, the U.S. may just be the latest in a string of empires whose dominance begets political turmoil at the top.

The world looked on in horror as Burma’s military seized power on Feb 1, the latest coup in the Southeast Asian country’s fraught history. Neighboring China’s geopolitical interests and America’s globally provocative rhetoric may come to a head as the situation unfolds.

Over a century ago, tangled alliances in Europe were tested with the onset of the First World War. Today, the converging interests of Asia’s middle powers, U.S. regional allies, and China in the South China Sea threaten to provide the world a redux.

Success often follows failure, as history has shown repeatedly around the world. It’s not too late for Donald Trump to step back gracefully from his electoral loss in November. The loser of any contest can return to fight another day.

It has long advocated international multilateralism. Its recent decision to join the WHO’s vaccine implementation plan is the latest example of its willingness to cooperate for the good of mankind.

Given the many holes in the bungled extradition case of Meng Wanzhou in Canada, including conflicting testimony and political entanglements, the matter should be dismissed. This case should never have been brought.

The stakes for the coming US election have never been higher for America and its place in the world. Whether Trump or Biden secure the win for the US Presidency will determine the course of American foreign policy for the next four years and beyond.

Unlike the old superpower contest between the United States and the Soviet Union, the incipient cold war between China and the US does not reflect a fundamental conflict of unalterably opposed ideologies. Instead, today’s Sino-American rivalry is popularly portrayed as an epic battle between autocracy and democracy.

India and China have had a long history of testy disputes around the mountainous borderlands between the world’s most populous nations. The U.S. sees this conflict as an opportunity to gain a strategic ally in its new Cold War with China.