ASEAN chair Indonesia said on Saturday that Jakarta proposed an “implementation plan” for ASEAN members to resume negotiations for the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea. Indonesia is preparing to host a round of negotiations on the COC this year, the first taking place in March, said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi.

For Hong Kong, it is necessary to remain not only optimistic about the future, but also sober and calm about the reality. It has to overcome unfavorable factors, consolidate existing advantages, and keep advancing with the times.

American anti-China politicians make a fuss about Chinese meteorological balloon.

The US does not want to spend a single penny on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The assets in the US of any individuals may be deprived due to international relations. This will consume US' credibility to a large extent.

Both Taiwan and the compatriots on the island cannot wait to see the resumption of direct flights between the two sides.

The renovation is an innovative initiative to attract talents, provide solid protection for enterprises to resume work and production after the holidays, and greatly facilitate the work and lives of employees.

In short, in the face of the US' Inflation Reduction Act, it's possible that the EU will make more active counterattacks in the future. Facing a strong offensive by the US; China and the EU, the two major economies, could join hands in new-energy vehicle and green environmental protection industries, so as to jointly lead the world's green and environmental protection trends.

The US vaccine offer to China is hypocritical in essence. US vaccine diplomacy is clearly utilitarian. Its primary goal is to expand US soft power, and fighting the epidemic is only a secondary task.

Political bias blocks EU's space cooperation with China.

Even in a sparsely populated remote area like North Dakota, the so-called national security may destroy normal investment projects at any time.

With NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg having concluded a four-day trip to South Korea and Japan, the bloc's attempt to extend into Asia has been a topic of many international affairs observers. There is even discussion on Twitter whether the NATO should become NAPTO – the North Atlantic Pacific Alliance, and bring in Australia, Japan, India, New Zealand and many more.

While facing severe problems at home, such as rising energy prices and high inflation, Britain is still sending aid to Ukraine to support it on the battlefield better.

Westerners would say that “zero-sum” is the way the world works. This is the philosophy of “I win, you lose” – or “win-lose” – and it has a deep root in Western history. Think of the doctrine of election or the “chosen people”: one group is chosen by God and the rest can go to hell. Through 500 years of Western imperialism and colonialism, this is how the West has treated the rest of the world.

The COVID-19 epidemic in China has entered a period of low infection with new cases steadily declining, highlighting the effectiveness of prevention work after the country downgraded the management of COVID-19 from Class A to B, senior officials of the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Monday. This indicated that China's three-year fight against the epidemic, from the initial dynamic zero-COVID approach, to later gradual optimization of the COVID response, has produced results that withstood the test.

The UK had plenty to say when China was dealing with riots in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region more than three years ago. It blamed Chinese central government for the civil unrest which caused destruction.

The US targets Chinese companies with the excuse of "national security," but that is backfiring on the US economy.

Obviously, NATO is an unwelcome “guest” to East Asia and the entire Asia-Pacific region.

NATO is crusading to East Asia.

The US woos India to step up its geopolitical competition with China and Russia, but lacks an efficient approach. The US and India are like a couple who are on the same bed but with different dreams.

An active duty US four-star general recently expressed his belief that the US will go to war against China over Taiwan island in 2025 in a memo sent to the officers he commands. The memo predictably found its way into the public domain.

In the past few years, the two recent US administrations have comprehensively adjusted their strategies toward China, and the policy of “engagement” has been replaced by “strategic competition.” In the face of Washington's actions that pursue hegemony and power politics, China has, justifiably, resolutely counteracted and fought back. In the cycle of “US crackdown and Chinese counterattack,” bilateral relations have seen a downward spiral.

Conversations during Spring Festival now feel like what they were 20 years ago.

In front of the US, unlike some other countries, the Philippines has generally demonstrated the independence of a sovereign state.

NATO is dragging South Korea deeper into the abyss of providing aid to Ukraine. Its ultimate goal is to facilitate extending its tentacles even further into Asia-Pacific through its most tractable partners in the region.

The US has lodged appeals against a series of WTO rulings that found various US behaviors breached global trade rules.

There are still no indications that the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has lasted for nearly a year, is about to cease or ease. Despite various appeals from the outside world, at present, the two sides lack the necessary conditions to resume substantive peace talks. Furthermore, the essence of the ongoing conflict is the crisis of the European security architecture. No matter how the conflict develops or when the negotiation resumes, in addition to urging the Moscow and Kiev to remain restraint and avoid further escalation, it is also necessary to explore the manner of coexistence in the future, and cogitate a new European security architecture.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has been recently escalating. The US, the West, and Russia have poured a large amount of military and material resources into the battlefield, constantly touching the red line between the two sides and risking entering into a spiral of deterioration. At the same time, secondary hazards brought about by the conflict have emerged, especially internal contradictions in the US and the West. The divergences of different parties' interests continue to affect the internal unity of the US and Europe.

According to Sky News, Tobias Ellwood, the chair of UK's defense select committee, has suggested the AUKUS agreement, a trilateral agreement between Australia, the UK, and the US, expand to include India and Japan. This is not the first-time news of the expansion of AUKUS has been reported. Some Western media reports have previously hyped that Japan should join AUKUS.

2023 might witness more high-level interactions between China and the US. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's planned China visit is catching eyeballs. It will be Blinken's first visit to China since assuming office, and another face-to-face communication between high-level officials from the two sides after the meeting in Bali, Indonesia, 2022.

NATO's intention to get involved in the Asia-Pacific is well known. How to refuse to “drink poison to quench thirst” will test Seoul's political wisdom.

How many times have you picked up a newspaper and read something on a topic you're familiar with and realized that you're reading something which isn't true? Annoyingly, it happens to us all.

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson said that the “Normandy format,” in which Europe and Russia discussed the progress in settlement of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, was a “diplomatic imitation.” A few weeks earlier, the former German chancellor Angela Merkel said the same thing. In November, the head of the Canadian government disclosed to the media the contents of his personal consultations with Chinese leader right after the negotiations.

China achieved smooth transition as COVID wave ebbed away. Whatever the US and Western media slander, China's achievements in anti-epidemic work cannot be erased.

In an exclusive interview with Portugal's RTP TV channel published on Saturday, Chair of the NATO Military Committee (NMC) Rob Bauer claimed that NATO is ready for direct confrontation with Russia. He pointed out that NATO's decision during the NATO summit in Madrid last year to establish four additional multinational battle groups in four member states is “an important signal for Russia… that we are prepared if they decide to go after NATO.”

"China collapse" is only the US' daydreaming.

The biggest opportunity of 2023 is for Europe to take control of its own security, liberating itself from US dominance. There are two aspects. One is the opportunity. The other is the willingness.

Uncle Sam attempts to drag the whole world into its war game by hyping war with China in 2025.

Washington has played a disgraceful and disruptive role in both issues of peace and development, and has essentially become the “source of chaos” for the entire world.

If an undercover video of similar kind was exposed in China, there is no doubt that the Chinese public and officials would take it very seriously. Not only the company involved must give a detailed explanation, relevant authorities will quickly conduct an investigation to find the truth.

The rhetoric on display at the Swiss ski resort of Davos in January, for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), seemed suspiciously like proverbial whistling past the graveyard – in this case, of Western global hegemony.

In recent days, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have surged.

US debt crisis dims prospects of global economy.

During a visit to India in January, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu said that the US will continue to stand with its Indian partners on the China-India border conflict. About two months ago, the US and India held the “Yudh Abhyas 2022” joint military exercise in Uttarakhand, about 100 kilometers away from the China-India border, and its purpose is self-evident.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Seoul had asked Tokyo to provide transparent security information on the dumping of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea and take responsible measures to handle the issue.

The US is the hardest-hit area by hurricanes, and Americans should understand the violent power of hurricanes to destroy everything.

US credibility is at stake. Long before the trend is observed among Taiwan people, a growing number of US allies have started losing confidence in US security guarantee. And the US has no one to blame but itself.

US turns into a “war zone” of gun violence.

It is more important for a person to have a sound personality and independent thinking than to be married or not.

China in the Year of the Rabbit is on a fairly good starting point. Optimism and vitality have become the key words at the beginning of this year.

Now that the adjusted COVID-19 policy has made mobility easier, going back home is once again the best way to show love.

Sticking too tightly to NATO means that India is playing with fire. It will be a test of India's diplomatic and strategic autonomy, which is declining significantly due to it increasingly tying itself to US strategy.

Politico reported that the Pentagon is making preliminary plans for new house speaker Kevin McCarthy's travel schedule, including a possible trip to the island of Taiwan this spring. That US media reveals the military was making security preparations for McCarthy's Taiwan visit can be seen as the first move of the public opinion war ahead of the visit.

Chinese New Year has arrived, kicking off the weeklong Spring Festival holidays in China. Unfortunately, well wishes from the West have been hard to come by. Western media has even suggested that holiday travel in China, now with the lifting of most COVID-related restrictions, could cause a tsunami of cases and even deaths.

I took my 5-year-old boy back to my hometown in East China's Shandong Province to celebrate the Spring Festival on January 20, the day before Spring Festival Eve. Because of the pandemic, we have not returned to my hometown to celebrate the most important annual festival for three years.

Owing to deep-rooted racism and growing violence, hate crimes in the US have spiked in recent years. While giving federal and central governments endless headaches, this issue will continue corrupting the development and stability of the US society and bring pain to the country's minorities due to the US' inability to govern.

Despite the difficulties and challenges ahead, we are always inspired by this spiritual power. Such a national spirit has been fully manifested in the Spring Festival Gala.

China's decision to change its COVID-19 policy and reopen its economy will increase inflation in Europe as they both compete for more energy, Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, said during a Davos panel on Friday, according to CNBC.

External observers are often puzzled by Australia's rather erratic behavior in terms of international relations. One moment, China is a "good friend"; another moment, China is an "enemy." In the past, Japan was the enemy - a real enemy - but now it is supposedly a "good friend." Even more, Australia's location is in southeast Asia, and yet it is seen by many as a "Western" country. English is the most common language, and yet more than 300 languages are spoken in Australia. The second-most spoken language in Australia is Putonghua (Mandarin). As for me, I was born in Australia but I spoke Dutch when I first learned to speak. Contradictions, contradictions … The list could go on.

The day has come - the first Spring Festival since China optimized its COVID pandemic responses, as well as restored social life back to normal. Some are looking forward to reuniting with family, some are on the way home and some have already started enjoying a beautiful time with loved ones. It is supposed to be a sweet moment. However, certain Western media outlets are observing it only through a negative lens, choreographing eye-catching negative stories about China, without scientific manner or professionalism. Worse, they seem to have even dropped humanitarianism.

Have you ever tried the social deduction game Mafia, or Werewolf? Basically, it is about the “mafia” – the bad guys – taking down the good guys without exposing their identity. The innocent, to protect themselves, must look really hard for signs that give the undercover mafia player away and blow their cover as early as possible.

There is no “perfect” emergency response, but rest assured that China has never taken the enemy lightly and is ready to fight the war unwaveringly till victory is finally claimed.

It doesn't matter how hard Western countries try to slander China's efforts; as long as it continues to put people and life first, history will make fair judgments, and those who play with fire will perish by it.

In this Year of the Rabbit with two “starters,” we have reason to expect that everything will become better in the new year for us, for our families and for our country.

As West, mired in energy crisis, is loosening efforts to deliver carbon pledge, China's sticking to realizing its carbon goal once again reveals that it's a leading force in climate change. This is a prominent embodiment of China's intl responsibility.

Hopping into a triumphant Year of the Rabbit.

The discriminatory restrictive measures adopted by Japan against Chinese tourists hurt itself and hinder the development of bilateral relations.

The Morrison administration's “drums of war” rhetoric was obnoxious to the normalcy of international relations, and should never recur. A vigorous China-Australia relationship contributes to the economic and social development for the two countries and the world.

Americans do not yet understand China's uncompromising quest to reunify. They will confront the animated and unbreakable will of 1.4 billion Chinese citizens who are becoming ever more skeptical of US regional designs.

Some people have realized that the US has done a poor job. Washington can no longer fool China, let alone blame China for the epidemic.

It's clear that China and the US are implementing the spirit of the Bali meeting between the two heads of state and gradually resuming high-level exchanges in the fields of diplomacy, economy and trade.

EU Challenges USA's Inflation Reduction Act With Net-Zero Industry Act

The increasing cooperation between China and African countries has opened a new window for them, a China window beyond the old Western window, from where new choices can be seen.

The US has already failed in its struggle against the multipolar world order simply because it has to fight it. The important question of international politics is how long it will take America to find the right balance between how it see itself and how the rest of us see it.

In the eyes of the US, the rise of a powerful country is the greatest threat to it. What happened to China today will surely happen to the next country with growing comprehensive strength, such as India.

China's status as one of the most populous countries in the world will not change. A slight decline in population will not lead to the stagnation of China's GDP growth or becomes a stumbling block to surpass US economy.

The West finds it difficult to think afresh in the post-COVID era. China is embracing a new post-COVID era, while the West is behind the curve, still living in a COVID-dominated era of international relations.

Since the world has greater confidence and expectations in the determination and ability of China's economy to overcome difficulties, we should have this confidence even more.

The European Union and NATO signed a joint declaration on January 10 which stated that “China's growing assertiveness and policies present challenges that we [the EU and the NATO] need to address.” This is the first time that the two blocs have expressed their common stance on China in an official document, exposing their prejudice against and arrogance toward China.

It is ridiculous that Stoltenberg thinks he can speak on behalf of the West. In fact, he can only represent NATO and the US – or, in other words, a destructive force in the West that keeps creating conflicts.

The recent international tour of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida turned out to be one of the most remarkable events of early 2023. The trip, which included a number of capitals in Europe and in North America, was officially presented as a step in preparing for the G7 Summit to be held in June in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. However, Kishida's diplomatic marathon was also an opportunity to introduce the latest changes in the Japanese foreign and security policy to key Japanese partners, allies and, arguably, even to its opponents.

Isn't it about time the COVID policy shift in China is viewed in its appropriate context, or from some kind of rational perspective? At a time like this, cool heads are called for and the large-scale sensational reporting and knee-jerk overreactions are inappropriate. Better to be level-headed than pig-headed when giving consideration to a public health emergency, surely?

The US wants to fool Africans and turn Africa into an arena for competition between major powers

Money politics is shutting out ordinary Americans from democratic processes. Like a tumor, it is sucking the soul out of US democracy. A structure set up to serve the people is now a cash cow mercilessly milked by the deep-pocketed.

A clear, stable, and predictable regulatory environment, and a policy atmosphere that encourages private entrepreneurs to explore and venture, will release enormous energy.

If the US really wants to help African countries, is it hard to find proper places and timing? Is it necessary to chase and follow China? Under the guise of helping Africa, the US actually regards the continent as a battleground for great powers.

After the end of the Cold War, the world bid farewell to the era of bipolarity. With a fresh wave of globalization and the advent of the internet and information age, the world has been moving toward multipolarization instead of the dominance of one country.

US politicians use document scandals as tool to retaliate against political opponents. Justice, fairness, and the rule of law are worthless in US politics, but political interests are above everything else. How bottomless US politics is.

There's a new viewpoint that's emerging in recent days that the US and its Western allies are uneasy about the prospects of a multipolar world. In fact, the US hardly recognizes this unavoidable fact while, at times, its European allies do pay some lip service to it. The US only has one viable option to combat this trend, with military force, which will inevitably weaken the US in every other sphere: economically, diplomatically, politically and in trade relations.

Nearly one year on, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is still raging with its spillover effects. The contradictions between Old Europe and New Europe, namely Eastern Europe and Western Europe, are catching eyeballs, raising concerns over a divided continent. Meanwhile, divergences between North and South Europe are also surfacing, which may cause greater disruption to European unity and future development.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict will continue to be the dominant flashpoint for 2023, both in terms of conflict resolution and sorting out the security consequences for Europe.

Cases of classified documents have been used as a tool for partisan struggle.

The WEF has witnessed China's opening-up and development in decades. China's ideals and achievements also made the Davos Spirit more dazzling. At the WEF this year, the world will once again witness that “China's development is an opportunity for the world,” and we also believe that China will have more like-minded friends at the WEF.

Japan is increasingly trying to justify its ongoing militarization under the pretext of the so-called external threats. Looking around the region, it is Japan that is pushing the regional situation closer to the edge of danger, following the US strategy closely. Tokyo's move deserves much vigilance. If it continues to act as a pawn of the US in the Asia-Pacific region to stir up trouble here, Japan must be wary of becoming a victim itself of the US or even the Ukraine of East Asia.

Over a year has passed since the European Union unveiled its Global Gateway initiative as an ambitious plan to support infrastructure globally, with a special focus to develop new infrastructure in developing countries such as those in Africa.

When Joe Biden was elected in November 2020, many around the world were hoping for a change of course in the US' reckless new Cold War.

Japan PM's US and Europe tour brings risks to East Asia

Suppressing social media app TikTok, banning the app from government devices, labelling it as "digital fentanyl" and a "CPC virus" - Sinophobia is getting worse in the US because some politicians and elites are taking every chance to spread an anti-China political virus.

China is confident it can protect public health and prevent serious cases, while accelerating the normalization of economic and social life to achieve a final anti-epidemic victory. It proved the superiority of socialism over capitalism.

It is time for Tokyo to realize that in the Asia-Pacific region, which is a highland of cooperation, what is really powerful is not the so-called "spear" or "shield," but the general desire for peace and development.

Some Western countries remain unaware of the objective reality that China's smooth opening benefits the world.

China is the first country in the world to move from the coronavirus being a pandemic to it being endemic.

As Chinese New Year approaches, folk artists have been practicing walking on stilts on the streets.

Imagine completing a thousand-piece jigsaw and knocking it over so everything falls on the floor. Imagine having to rebuild it, but without any picture of the scene to guide you. That's how it feels to be post-Brexit Britain.

The political profits on Jimmy Lai's gang must be "delicious but hard to digest."

We should not worry if the UK-Japan RAA will lead to similar moves of defense cooperation from other US allies.

Editor's Note: China and Australia celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties last month. In the eyes of Stephen FitzGerald (FitzGerald), Australia's first ambassador to China, the essential ingredient that made the two countries drop differences and establish ties was mutual self-interest and realpolitik, while the most important thing lost in the bilateral tensions in the past few years was confidence and trust between the two governments. Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen talked to FitzGerald on his memory of 50 years ago and his view on the prospect of China-Australia relations.

The riots in Brasília have petered out, but the conundrums facing Washington are just beginning to bubble up.

China's COVID policies have saved millions of lives over the past three years. Yet those policies were attacked by some Western politicians, media pundits, and academics every day. Terms like “draconian” were constantly used to criticize China's measures to control and contain the virus. China's achievements in managing the epidemic were unmatched anywhere in the world, yet an ordinary citizen of a Western country can have very little idea of that given the relentless demonization of China to which they are regularly exposed.

When Western countries claim to follow the science, they are actually using COVID as a tool to contain their ideological opponents.

The year 2022 was highly significant and eventful for China's diplomatic achievements, especially in major country diplomacy. China's multifaceted and multidimensional global vision diplomacy has been praiseworthy, which touched every region of the world in a holistic manner, bringing far-reaching dividends to relevant countries, regions and the world at large. China has presented itself as a responsible global leader and genuinely contributed to the development and prosperity of underdeveloped and developing countries. China's diplomacy has brought world peace, stability, and prosperity during the year 2022.

US two parties in a race to be the toughest guy against China.

US and Japan agree to step up security cooperation

NATO, which long lost the cause of existence, is sparing no effort to prolong its life. It is deliberately creating enemies, when it could have no enemy at all. But the EU could avoid being taken hostage by the military organization, or ending up as a US pet.

It was the US and its people that suffered the most from McCarthyism back then. Today, McCarthy's shadow is rising from the ashes of the Cold War, manifesting itself through another "McCarthy." History is full of coincidences. Is this also a special way to send alarms and warnings to Americans? But has Washington got it?

At the beginning of the new year, rereading the autobiography Father, Son & Co: My Life at IBM and Beyond by Thomas Watson Jr., former president of IBM, I found new inspiration.

While China has reopened its borders after three years of a hard battle against COVID-19, some countries have taken measures specifically against travelers arriving from China.

House approves special US-China committee to keep strategic competition high on Congress's agenda

Capitol riots 2.0 in Brazil.

China and South Korea are close neighbors and inseparable partners. Even during the most severe period of the epidemic, China and South Korea took the lead in finding the facilitating means and innovative mechanism arrangement against the backdrop of epidemic prevention and control. The economic and trade cooperation between the two countries broke through the interference of the virus, benefited both countries, and ensured the stability of South Korea's industrial chain. This is a truly "scientific and objective" attitude to respond to the epidemic, and South Korea should not lose it.

To make Tokyo become strategically sober as soon as possible is a serious problem that both the Japanese society and the Asia-Pacific region need to face and find ways to solve. The current political ecology, public opinion and social thinking in Japan are all showing disturbing signs. If these signs are not extinguished as soon as possible, there is a high risk that a fire will break out, and even Washington will not be able to stay out of it.

No matter how Washington hypes up the “Chinese military threat” theory or plays down Beijing's military capabilities, China needs to firmly adhere to its strategy of strengthening the military and improving the fusion of military mechanization, informatization and intelligentization. At the same time, the mainland also needs to prepare for the military struggle in the Straits in a normalized and targeted manner. Ultimately, the US will have to deal with a well-prepared Chinese mainland, and its projected “pyrrhic victory” may even become a Waterloo.

Editor's Note: How have theories of “American exceptionalism” and “American innocence” influenced US culture? Why is the problem of racism deeply rooted in the US? Global Times (GT) reporter Yu Jincui organized a dialogue between Wei Leijie (Wei), associate professor at the School of Law, Xiamen University, and Danny Haiphong (Haiphong), an independent journalist and researcher in the US, over these issues. Wei is among the translators of the book American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News – From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror, coauthored by Roberto Sirvent and Haiphong.

Thailand looks forward to the return of Chinese tourists, and the consular section of the Royal Thai Embassy and Thai consulates in China are also preparing for the resumption of tourist visas, Ambassador of Thailand to China Arthayudh Srisamoot told the Global Times in an exclusive interview.

The US' young children tend to gain more access to firearms.

Optimism has often been described as one of the defining characteristics of Americans. Starting with the colonists who came to the continent to forge a better life for themselves and their posterity, this mind-set has come to be reflected in everything, from culture to politics. The notion of material, technological and even social progress is simply assumed, and yet, as Americans rang in 2023, four out of five people there believed the new year would be worse.

In today's chaotic and intertwined international situation, a radical political virus can easily find a suitable hotbed for survival, and it has become more infectious and pathogenic. After Washington's catalyst, its destruction will sharply increase. And it is bound to backfire on the US. The unrest in Brazil has once again sounded the alarm for the US.

During the past days, a growing number of US politicians and media outlets have been making shrill "warnings" about the epidemic in China, pretending to be worried about the spread of COVID in a big way, and about how global economy would be hit by the wave from China. If they do care about it, why don't Pfizer drop some pursuit of the profit, and cooperate with China with a little more sincerity?

For a long time, some Western media and politicians have suffered from a savior complex. They think they are superior and believe that the only right solution to many issues in this world is to take the Western path. How to restrain such a complex is a serious problem the West is facing.

As the US is engaging in strategic confrontation with Russia and China, its allies and partners are feeling increasing pressure. Against the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, many European leaders are dissatisfied with US' energy prices and discriminatory subsidies against Europe, and some EU member states have called for the lifting or gradual lifting of the sanctions against Russia. In the Asia-Pacific region, many US allies and partners are actively developing relations with China, unwilling to take sides between China and the US. Why has the US' appeal to its allies and partners declined?

The US stokes regional instability by including space in security pact with Japan.

The integration of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 can help achieve the development goals of both countries.

After three years of a difficult epidemic fight, we have finally won the strategic initiative of this "tough battle" and ushered in an important turning point.

Superficially, the crisis of the House speakership is due to some radical conservative lawmakers of the GOP being dissatisfied with McCarthy, but in essence, it is Washington's deepened political polarization.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet with US President Joe Biden in Washington DC on January 13. This will be Kishida's first official trip to the US since he took office. Kishida said his meeting with Biden will be “very important” and “more significant than showing my face as G7 president,” and “will show to the rest of the world an even stronger Japan-US alliance, which is a lynchpin of Japanese security and diplomacy.”

The US is exploiting the epidemic to smear China and spread panic

The cost of living has been increasing across the UK since early 2021. The annual rate of inflation reached 11.1 percent in October 2022, a 41-year high. Rising costs including mortgage rates, rent, energy bills and food, are making it difficult for millions of households to keep their heads above financial choppy waters. What are the reasons for the rising cost of living? Can the UK government solve the problem? Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen talked to Michael Burke (Burke), a London-based economist, on these issues.

In general, the tenor of debate and even conflict of opinion over COVID-19 are still benign and positive in Chinese society. The diversified discussions facilitate a relatively smooth transition in China's fight against the epidemic, bringing the country closer toward a final victory in this battle.

The scientific and professional nature of the 10th edition of the diagnosis and treatment plan is a realistic response to the urgent demands of society. It reflects the consistent adherence to "People First, Life First" under the new situation of Class B Management.

We hope that Biden and Kishida's vision can surpass the level shown during Thursday's ministerial meeting.

The changes brought by the Beijing Winter Olympics to Beijing and even Chinese society are becoming more and more visible.

Can you imagine what is killing the most children in the US?

The UK now can only find someone else to attack to divert attention from its internal conflicts and ease its anxiety about a declining international status.

Without a speaker, the third-highest constitutional officer in the US, the House of Representatives is not essentially useless – it is completely useless.

Historic deadlock drags on in US House.

Some countries have been putting on a show from the very beginning, and political factors have overwhelmed scientific judgment.

The West is pretty confused in how to deal with China.

US moves to reopen Solomon Islands embassy to counter China

As an international public health emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused global health challenges, and the concept of mankind's joint response to disasters has also seen confrontations and agitations. China, as a country with a huge population, has achieved effective control of the epidemic over the past three years. There are some different angles to observe the adjustment and optimization of the epidemic prevention policy in the later period, amid the political context and ideological differences in the current global epidemic-related governance.

Comedian Trevor Noah once satirized the way Western mainstream media would tell the story of a church bombing – a popular joke on Chinese social media – “Middle Easterner does something, they are a terrorist. Black person does something, they are a thug. But if a white guy walks into a church killing nine people dead, the first thing they always say is it's mental instability.”

As 2023 opens, analysis naturally turns to economic prospects for the coming year and the wider period. Any factual study of this leads to a clear conclusion. China's economy, having far outperformed that of the US and EU during the pandemic, will accelerate further this year while Western economies will stagnate.

Several years ago, I wrote in a Danish book about foreign and security politics that Denmark and other European countries would be wise to begin to walk on two legs: One for The West, and one for The Rest. One leg would be friendly, correct and necessary cooperation with the United States, the EU and others ultimately belonging to the West, and allowing friendly criticism too. The other leg would consist of taking into account the emerging world order change and seek cooperation with the Rest - China, the Belt and Road Initiative, and at least some of the non-Western regional organizations. As expected, there was no reaction.

Right before the second anniversary of the Capitol riots, on January 3, 2023, another political chaos, dubbed by CNN as a "horror show," happened in the same place.

It may be a chance for the US to realize what it did in the past equals shooting itself in the foot. If the US truly wants to enjoy China's travel dividends, it should show a welcoming gesture to China's optimized pandemic response and the incoming Chinese tourists.

From many perspectives, the world is in danger of being drawn into long-term trouble right before our eyes. Greater risk of outbreak of new conflicts bubbles amid a lingering pandemic, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the plague of soaring inflation and an energy crisis. Against this complex backdrop, what will 2023 look like? Who should we look toward as the anchor of stability in the world? Global Times (GT) reporters Yu Jincui and Xing Xiaojing recently interviewed Scott Ritter (Ritter), a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, over these pressing issues. This is the fourth piece of the Global Times series － "Looking for an anchor of stability in 2023."

In the closing days of 2022, starting with the US, numerous Western aligned countries began mandating that Chinese travelers undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test on arrival. Following China's decision to relax its dynamic zero-COVID policy, which the Western mainstream media viciously attacked, they spared no hesitation in jumping straight toward pushing mass hysteria over COVID-19 outbreaks in China, talking up fears of so-called “new variants” and claiming Beijing “lacked transparency.”

The difficult election for Speaker of the US House of Representatives is not a good thing for US-China relations.

US House in chaos after Kevin McCarthy loses speaker votes

The hype without a factual basis eventually failed to take root.

In recent months, international forecasters have begun to predict a gloomy future for the Chinese economy. In a Bloomberg interview in August 2022, Larry Summers likened China today to Japan in 1990 when many people believed that Japan would overtake the US to become the largest economy in the world. Since Japan did not manage to do that, Summers reckoned, it will not be surprising that China will not do so either. In December, a study by the Japan Center for Economic Research expressed the same view. Paul Krugman recently joined the bandwagon in his latest New York Times column. He believed that China's future isn't what it used to be because China faces headwinds in its demography and its heavy reliance on investment, particularly housing investment, is not sustainable.

As time goes by, it will only become more and more difficult for the US to play the Taiwan card to suppress China and for the DPP authorities to seek independence by colluding with foreign forces.

'We're in a space race': Nasa sounds alarm at Chinese designs on moon

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun in late December, Japan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) was considering deploying a surface-to-air guided missile unit on a Ground Self-Defense Force camp on Yonaguni in Okinawa Prefecture. The ministry has included the cost of acquiring the land in the draft budget for fiscal 2023. Some Japanese media outlets believe that this move is intended to deal with the so-called an emergency in Taiwan.

In the face of many challenges, for the world to become better, major countries must set an example. Over the past year, we have unremittingly explored the correct way for the two major countries, China and the US, to get along with each other and shown our utmost restraint and goodwill. In the new year, it is obvious that Washington needs to do more regarding how the two countries should correctly view each other's domestic and foreign policies as well as strategic intentions, establish the exchange tone of dialogues rather than confrontation and win-win rather than zero-sum mentality.

It is worth noting that even the CNN report said that there is no evidence that the "national security risk" those US politicians worry about has actually occurred. Rather, what we see is the US manipulating and infiltrating into the opinion of other countries and even its own. Twitter CEO Elon Musk recently revealed that all social media platforms work with the US government to censor content. As the US shifts the blame on China, it clearly shows the US lacks self-confidence in the face of China's rise.

It is predicted that the US may face a recession in 2023.

The most significant opportunity is the personal meeting between President Marcos Jr. and President Xi Jinping where trust and confidence can be rekindled for President Marcos Jr. to bring back home and breathe new life, sincerity and vigor to the Philippines' commitment to the "comprehensive strategic cooperation" with its "strongest partner" China. Thus, the millennial friendship and brotherhood of the two nations continues into the era's Asian Century and toward the world's quest for peace.

Being friendly with both China and the US at the same time is beneficial to the Philippines, but if it takes sides in the competition between major powers, no matter which side it offends, it will be unbearable for the Philippines. From a longer-term perspective, pragmatic cooperation is the keynote of China-Philippine relations. China and the Philippines witnessed the golden age of partnership under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Manila developed sound cooperation with Beijing during the early presidency of President Benigno Aquino III. After the bilateral relationship was bogged down due to the South China Sea arbitration case, President Duterte quickly reversed course. In other words, the golden age of China-Philippine relations is actually the norm, and Marcos Jr. is just continuing this tradition.

Cooperation between China and the Arab world has increased exponentially over the years. China is the largest trading partner of many Middle Eastern countries, and the region is China's main source of energy. The significance of the summit was multifold － it was a political statement highlighting cooperation, it expanded and diversified areas of cooperation and it was substantially forward-looking. In essence it was a highly attractive action plan which I am confident will be mutually beneficial.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk recently revealed that all social media platforms work with the US government to censor content.

The crisis and consequence caused by COVID-19 is real. It has swept the world over the past three years, and many countries have come out through almost “surrendering to the virus.” China has been fighting the epidemic for three years, and it will eventually break the lock of the virus. From November to December, the country made up its mind to take this step. It turned out to be more challenging and painful than many had expected. However, we have escaped the worst period of the virus after all. China carried out a strategic breakthrough when it was relatively weakened.

Following the virtual meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, Washington repeated its threadbare concern over closeness of China-Russia relationship. According to CNN, a US State Department spokesperson said that "those that side with Moscow in this unjust war will inevitably find themselves on the wrong side of history," besides "monitoring Beijing's activity closely."

On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks via video link with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which they exchanged views on the China-Russia bilateral relations and the most pressing regional problems. As the world enters 2023 soon, this signals a good start for the ties between Beijing and Moscow in the coming new year.

The basic judgment is that even in the worst-case scenario, the COVID-19 mortality rate in China should be much lower than that of the US and Europe in the last three years if the same statistical criteria are applied. Everyone can remain completely confident about this.

Japan's dramatic U-turn.

As the new year's bell is about to ring, we embrace 2023 with open arms, expecting it to become a new year for China to "roll up our sleeves and work hard" and provide the world with an inexhaustible supply of positive energy.

Western media outlets and elites are only accusing China to make themselves feel better. The

China is moving toward a brighter year of 2023.

The world in 2022 is not peaceful. What is presented to the world unprecedentedly is a profound change in the world, the times and history.

Everyone should know that there are no limits to American propagandists' perfidy.

The US and Western politicians cannot influence the internal affairs of the HKSAR, nor do they have the right to interfere with the practice of the rule of law in the governance of the HKSAR. Only the Chinese law is the final basis.

China walked the tightrope to keep its people alive. The US and UK lost their balance and fell.

As Serbia maintains close ties with both Russia and China, two of Washington's top rivals, Serbia has long been a thorn of the US.

US interference attempts have seriously damaged Nepal's political independence, of which Nepal's political forces have a clear understanding.

If the US and some Western countries are forcing countries to choose, it is because an alternative now exists.

There is so much untapped potential and synergy in Arab-China relations. The next couple of decades will witness exponentially strengthening relations between the two sides.

There's a phenomenon in the UK known as “heat or eat,” which means that people have to choose between whether to heat their homes or to feed themselves, but can't afford to do both.

Recent diplomatic activities around Ukraine imply that Russia, Ukraine, the US and the West at large are approaching 2023 with no immediate prospects not only for a comprehensive political settlement, and not even for a ceasefire.

The global industrial chain and supply chain are now undergoing unprecedented changes, but the advantages of Made in China remain unchanged, and the image of China based on Made in China is still on the rise.

Habitual fault finder.

We will not be held back by them in our policymaking and in the pace and rhythm with which we move forward.

Both Moscow and Kiev need to show a peaceful gesture and sincerity in realizing peace. But judging from the current situation, the two sides lack a consensus about peace, which dims the hope for a cease-fire.

At a time of so many tensions and instabilities in the world, the consistency and stability of the CPC represent a light at the end of the tunnel for humanity, especially for the Global South

More than 6,000 minors have been killed or injured in gun incidents in the US

The "eye of the storm" for humanity will continue to be the US, for which instability and chaos are a vital condition for maintaining hegemony.

The Chinese mainland must make full preparations in military. There is always a sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of DPP and "Taiwan secessionist"forces.

Some US & Western media use the epidemic as an anti-China tool. Anything China does in this regard will be criticized. China's society is very resilient and it is not easy to mess up China. Their ulterior motives will turn to be wishful thinking.

After 50 years of diplomacy, the last few of which have been anything but smooth sailing, it has become clear that "Herculean" is an understatement when describing the task ahead. The odds are heavily stacked up against Albanese and Wong who are going to need every ounce of their political courage and diplomatic skill to bring it off. But for Australia's sake, bring it off they must.

To a large extent, it depends on whether it can adhere to promoting peace and seeking development in the continent.

In reality, the US has been "investing" in making Ukraine into an anti-Russian platform since the 1990s. The 2004 "Orange Revolution" resulted in a government so corrupt, the Ukrainians voted it out the first chance they got.

In the eyes of some American politicians, the migration crisis is a voter-attracting banner in the elections, a weapon to attack their political opponents in partisan conflicts, and props to help build their image for political posturing.