At this year’s Munich Security Conference, the focus was clearly on the relations between Russia and the West and the dire consequences for international peace and security.

Washington and Beijing have strengthened cooperation in coping with global challenges as climate change and pandemic control, and seen remarkable achievements. Such co-existence and interweaving of competition and cooperation will become the New Normal of China-US ties for a fairly long period of time, though challenges in North Korea and Afghanistan will test that potential.

The just concluded 2016 Munich Security Conference further deepened people's concerns over an increasing disorder in international situation. Although a war among major powers is unlikely to happen, the possibility of an escalation of conflicts cannot be excluded. Scholars expert in national security are pessimistic about the prospects of the Syria and Ukraine crises. They also harbor deep misgivings about the struggle for power vacuum in Afghanistan, Mali, Libya and Yemen, among varied non-state actors that are fueled by extremist ideology and conflicts between religious sects and ethnic groups.

Could the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) suffer collateral damage from China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea? In coming years, China must invest overseas to relieve growing internal economic imbalances and keep its populace employed to maintain political stability. This presents opportunities for borrowers and risks to China.

Given the importance of both China and NATO, it is inconceivable that China and NATO don’t interact. Counter-piracy in the Gulf of Aden shows how both sides can work together to provide common security to the world.

China's failure to appear in court demonstrates its continued position of "non-acceptance and non-participation" in the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. This arbitration could set a precedent that undermines the true spirit of the dispute settlement mechanism of UNCLOS.

The first round of the talk between the Syrian government and opposition parties is expected to be held for two to three weeks, discussing the political process, ceasefire, provisions for humanitarian assistance, and the fight against terrorism. The good news is that Russia and the United States have reached common ground in their mediation efforts.

China now provides half of Pakistan’s military hardware and has demonstrated willingness to transfer technology to Pakistan. As geo-political alignments are changing, the mutuality of interests is drawing China and Pakistan closer.

As large parts of Asia celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year on February 8th, it’s in with the Year of the Monkey. But before the Year of the Sheep fully recedes into memory, we take our annual look back at the people and events that made headlines across Asia—for good and for bad.

China-US cooperation is the critical factor for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Regaining and maintaining security in the area is the common interest and common responsibility of both nations, and that is the basis of President Xi Jinping’s fresh approach.