Editor's Note: January 11 marked 20 years since the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, the infamous US prison located at a US Navy base in southern Cuba that represents injustice and abuse. “How did I harm America that America has to do this to me? And of course, there was never an answer,” Moazzam Begg (Begg), a British Pakistani who was once held in extrajudicial detention by the US government in the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp, told Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen in a recent interview. What was his experience there? Will the prison ever be closed? Begg shared his thoughts with GT.

At the end of the day, the IPEF is more like a new weapon to serve the geopolitical and economic goals of America than a new platform to facilitate economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

Western media outlets have recently paid close attention to China's population decline. China announced on Monday that the number of newborns on the Chinese mainland has been dropping for five consecutive years since 2017. A report by New York Times (NYT) on the same day portrayed the decline as “a demographic crisis that could undermine its economy and even its political stability.”

Editor's Note: The China-Europe relationship hit a bumpy road in 2021, as members of the European Parliament voted to freeze the ratification of the China-EU bilateral investment treaty. Some have been vocal in criticizing China's internal affairs such as its Xinjiang policy and interfering in the Taiwan question. Where are China-EU relations heading? And what position should the EU take on the Lithuania-China spat? Global Times (GT) reporters Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi interviewed Clare Daly (Daly), an Irish politician and a member of the European Parliament, on these issues.

It's been one year since Joe Biden took office as US president. It is a tradition in the US for the president to deliver the State of Union address in January or February. However, Biden decided to postpone it to March 1. This may indicate that the White House is not so confident about its accomplishments. Both Biden and the Democratic Party will also have to face the serious challenge posed by the 2022 midterm elections in the US Congress. But things could get even worse in another two months.

An old, dusty freight train strewn with graffiti slowly crosses the frame. The camera pans down, and all you can see is trash. Cardboard boxes and shredded packages are scattered all over the place. A video of the scene recently went viral on social media. You might think this happened in some poor developing country. But, no, it actually took place in Los Angeles County, one of the most developed areas of the US.

By trying to navigate in the legalistic grey zone between civil and military operations, employing the US Coast Guard as a proxy for US Naval presence, the US is only fooling itself and, by extension, its allies.

Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane “sent a clear message to China that India won't let any attempts to unilaterally change the borders succeed at the Line of Actual Control amid an ongoing standoff between the two sides,” when addressing an Army Day parade on Saturday, according to Hindustan Times.

The irreversibility of globalization is being driven by technology advances. No country can decouple from another in the internet age. The world community should resolutely promote economic globalization.

I have thought a lot recently about war – its misery, its sacrifice, its purpose. I remember about two years earlier when the Chinese top leader declared a “people's war” against the COVID-19 and thought to myself, “after forty years of rising into prosperity without ever being involved in a war, is China going to finally 'start one'?” Well, of course, that wasn't the message at all. The world soon discovered the mental state of focus and action of China on the frontline and what it was capable of to stop the enemy we all know as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taiwan on Friday cut to zero tariffs on 25 goods imported from Honduras under a free-trade agreement. The tariff cut was originally agreed in 2019. While the agreement aimed at boosting trade back then, the latest move of Taiwan against the backdrop of the current political dilemma is meant to keep the Central America country, one of its remaining 14 "diplomatic allies," to its side desperately.

China has earned respect and admiration around the world for the progress it has made over the last four decades. The reforms of opening-up, started by Deng Xiaoping in the year 1978, put China on the development path. Since then, China's per capita income has multiplied many times; rising from just $156 to $10,434 in 2020 and lifting 800 million people out of poverty. Economic transformation at this scale and speed surely has no precedence in human history and the Chinese people and the leadership of the Communist Party of China deserve credit for this.

On January 10, 2022, a court in Qingdao of East China's Shandong Province gave the verdict on the case of Jiang Ge, a Chinese student who was fatally stabbed in Japan more than five years ago. The trial also received much attention in the international community. Some foreign media even reported about the media briefing held the next day by Jiang Qiulian, the mother of Jiang Ge in the "Breaking New" section. It is reported that Jiang Qiulian communicated with judges of the Beijing Internet Court on January 12 as she also filed a civil lawsuit against people who openly defamed Jiang Ge on the internet.

When people in Britain think of spies, many call to mind the exploits of James Bond, the fictional secret agent created in the books of author Ian Fleming but whose character has grown through movies to become a glamorous brand known all over the world.

Why have so many American journalists and writers been reluctant to thoroughly tell the stories of Americans' losses and pains?

The US' so-called political elites are increasingly petty, and their so-called debates about China rarely, if ever, reflect reality. They insist on making the US a laughingstock for the rest of the world.

Taiwan separatists are actively encouraging Lithuania to double down on failure, even when its own population do not support them being a party to this dispute.

We hope that in the second half of the century of relations and in the new chapter of cooperation that is based on the consensus of the leaders of the two countries, we see more and more development of cooperation and multi-faceted promotion of relations.

When delivering an address on the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riots, US President Joe Biden blasted his predecessor Donald Trump and his supporters for attacking US democracy. Meanwhile, Biden once again did his utmost to defend the US-style democracy. At a time when US-style democracy is increasingly becoming a model of “bad democracy,” why do some US political elites still cling to the procedural and formal legitimacy of Western democracy?

It seems that worries are on the rise over the possibility of a new civil war in the US recently. More discussions on this matter occurred in US media especially after the first anniversary of the Capitol riots. For instance, The New York Times carried an opinion piece on January 6, titled “Are We Really Facing a Second Civil War?” A CNN video on Saturday asked a similar question: “Is America heading to civil war or secession?”

After Australia's highly controversial plan to build up a fleet of at least 12 nuclear-powered submarines, announced in September 2021 with the establishment of the AUKUS alliance, Canberra has unusually quickened the pace to further upgrade and expand its all-round military capacity.

Lithuanian people and companies are paying for Vilnius' wrong and costly policies toward China. People are discontent with the government, as its approval rating has fallen to a decade record low. It's time for Lithuania to think about how to fix its mistakes.

The presence and influence of Western countries and foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Kazakhstan might give some clues.

Regarding issues that concern its own security, NATO should influence and constrain the US through the US-Europe bilateral mechanism and the NATO framework instead of becoming a chess piece to be sacrificed by the US.

It will be difficult to change the gap between the rich and poor if the system remains unchanged. If big changes cannot be made, a small change can only slightly help bridge the gap.

China has maintained a zero mortality rate for new cases, while the US averaged 1,664 deaths per day during last week. This is not to say that the US government doesn't want to reduce the death rate, but it can't, due to a different system.

Ruggero Alcantarini, the President of the Italian National Fair Play Commission, addressed the European Fair Play Commission delegation on the thorny issue of the "diplomatic boycott" announced by the United States and other countries against the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

Kazakhstan also has work to do to strengthen the unity of its people. In this regard, China can play a positive role in assisting the Central Asian country counter the influence of "three forces."

China is the target of Quad, but it is not a foe of any country. Therefore, the security mechanism of Quad will not function at an extreme scale like the confrontation between the US and the Soviet Union. Quad can hardly function as a true alliance and will not have any real impact on China.

Extremism and terrorism cannot be solved in one single way due to the complex social, historical, religious, and ethnic backgrounds of extremism.

Diversity is our advantage since we can complement one another when sharing the same values and wishes - the prosperity of our motherlands, our nations, our families and closest ties.

Most Lithuanian people even don't know where the Taiwan island is, but they will have to bear the risk of livelihood due to the government's wrong course on the Taiwan question. The anti-China foreign policy has aroused great dissatisfaction among Lithuanian people.

Historically, when the US is in strategic contraction, it often tends to create crises in strategic areas of concern, so that its allies and adversaries can balance each other and the US can maintain balance to the greatest extent offshore. From this point of view, the Ukraine situation may become a long-term and strategic issue.

It is still quite uncertain what ending this bill will face. Even if it ends as Ossoff desires, the bill will be enacted under the fierce partisan struggles in the US Congress. The current US political machine is operating abnormally.

The security of neighboring countries, especially the security along the BRI routes, is a part of China's overall security. This is also the case for Russia.

The Kazakhstan turmoil has again reassured a close-knit Russia-China partnership since both countries have deprecated infiltrated groups of foreign-backed terrorists and opposed external forces "fomenting color revolution."

Luther has a great influence on her constituents and even acts as an opinion leader among her supporters though still being a candidate. Those constituents may not have any prejudice or knowledge about China, but may be infused with a narrow and biased understanding of China.

After days of unrest in Kazakhstan, the largest country in the Central Asian region, the situation has begun to stabilize with the arrival of CSTO Collective Peacekeeping Forces. What are the reasons behind the violent protests? What lessons should regional countries learn? How will it change geopolitics in Central Asia?

The primary task of the Kazakh government and the peacekeeping forces is to stabilize the situation, and the key to maintaining long-term stability in the country is to eradicate the influence of Western and hostile forces.

When it comes to public safety and imminent danger to people's lives, technology can often play a huge role.

India is not a true ally of the US. The two sides will engage in military cooperation on the basis of mutual utilization with a sense of suspicion. Therefore, India's defense cooperation with the US and US allies is loose and lacks sincerity.

Will India ignore the cost and harm others while also hurting itself with such a narrow way of thinking, or will it follow the rules of the market economy and choose to purchase clean and efficient hydropower from Nepal to alleviate its own domestic power shortages? People may as well wait and see.

US democracy is a democracy in form where public interests are ignored or compromised simply because of its naturally flawed institutional design. It is not a solution to problems, but a problem itself.

Potential interference in Kazakhstan's internal affairs from outside would trigger greater Russian moves to reduce geo-security risks in Central Asia, in addition to possibly further pushing regional country toward Russia.

The global health system must be redesigned to end the pandemic.

One year after Insurrection on the Capitol, the US has tried to forget its nightmare and pretend that all was well with its democracy. But the memory of the rioting continues to haunt the country.

There is no need to discuss the necessity of China's zero-COVID policy. The virus is a threat to human lives. Whenever possible, reducing the threat to zero is a goal that any competent government should pursue.

2022 is a crucial year for US politics. Many major events are set to occur, such as the mid-term elections and the handling of the Omicron rampage. There is another thing that cannot be ignored: former US president Donald Trump's comeback on social media.

If we really enter the “post-American era” one day, I think it will be a better time for consultation, and the world will become a more democratic place. We can't predict when that time will come, but we can be prepared for that day.

China sticks to its dynamic zero-COVID policy to minimize the infections and human lives loss, while the US embraces coexistence with the virus with a high death toll. Which is humane? Which is barbaric? One doesn't need much wit to draw the conclusion.

The China-CELAC Joint Action Plan is based on the interests of LAC countries when facing US hegemony and a China willing to respect. The US should neither have malicious suspicion of China nor should it control their decisions.

This joint statement by the P5 demonstrates that other countries, such as China, Russia and France, may have piled some pressure on the US against AUKUS.

As the US retains hundreds of military bases, it cannot tolerate China's rise.

This essay discusses the issues that have stirred up hostility between the superpowers. It begins with an outline emphasizing the sensitivity pertaining to the presence of China in Solomon Islands, whilst arguing that the interests of Western powers in undermining that presence is discernible in their eagerness to 'develop' Malaita Province.

The US cannot accept a strong China, but is it willing to see a strong India?

The US politics has come to a deadlock. The 2022 midterm elections will present the world an ever more divided US.

When American soldiers take oaths of enlistment, they say, “I will obey the orders of the President of the United States.” But right now many of them are obviously betraying that oath.

The Washington Post's recent article, entitled “China harvests masses of data on Western targets, documents show”, accused China of “mining Western social media… to equip its government agencies, military, and police with information on foreign targets.” It also claimed that Beijing will use these data to investigate Chinese citizens locally and abroad and harass “Beijing's critics.”

As the calendar turns its first page of 2022, it reminds the world that it is officially entering the Winter Olympic time, with just about a month ahead of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Scholars and officials from China and Greece stressed the importance of unity on Saturday as the Beijing Winter Games are an important occasion for reviving the Olympic spirit.

France is scheduled to take on the rotating presidency of the European Union from January 1 to June 30, 2022. As French President Emmanuel Macron will take the opportunity to shape the EU's development path and the process of European integration, the promotion of the EU's strategic autonomy is an important part of the process. France may lead the EU to make some progress in defense construction, but the EU still faces serious constraints to realize the true strategic autonomy.

Assange is portrayed as an enemy of the US govt when he did the right thing of revealing what was wrong.

Chinese State Council Information Office on Wednesday issued China's first ever white paper on export controls, which clarifies China's stance on maintaining world peace and development, safeguarding national and global common security. The white paper shares China's ideas and practices in promoting the modernization of its export control system, and advocates that all countries should join hands in dealing with international and regional security risks and challenges under new situations.

I would not compare the Cold War with today's competition between China and the US. Back then there was a real ideological competition. The Soviet Union offered its model about the achievements of people's wellbeing and happiness, and the US offered its own. On the one hand, today we are living in a very integrated world – for example, in terms of information. But on the other hand, we are also living in a very divided world, with different value systems and approaches to development.

Protecting the most vulnerable groups is a manifestation of social justice.

China has put in enormous efforts to wipe out terrorism and extremism on its soil, which is also a great contribution to this global campaign. When the West becomes the de facto inciter of terrorism and extremism, China stands with justice and firm in its own path.

Australia's review of Darwin Port proves the innocence of the Chinese firm's lease. But it doesn't rule out the possibility that Australia's China hawks may seek another groundless excuse to slander the lease. Their manner toward China is radical.

Export control aims to regulate and promote trade rather than restrict trade.

Facing such US hegemony, China needs to consolidate its own manufacturing strength while advancing connections with its global counterparts, which requires a more open market.

The United States should take much of the blame for a wider global spread of COVID-19, which has caused more than 278 million infections and nearly 5.4 million deaths worldwide and is still hampering global recovery.

In alignment with Washington's agenda of smearing and attacking China on Xinjiang affairs, the US media deliberately amplifies certain details and blurs the lines between facts and lies. As Danish scholar Jan Oberg has pointed out, the US media's coverage of China has formed an “accusation industry” with obvious intentions of manipulating public opinion.

The Taiwan island has to understand it cannot gain international recognition by heavily depending on the US or playing old tricks against the Chinese mainland. These moves will trigger repulsion among some regional countries. The world is worried about whether there will be a crisis between China and the US because of the Taiwan question. The international community is reluctant to see a new cold war or even a “hot war” between Beijing and Washington. As all actors look forward to a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question, there is no other path left for Taiwan but to work with the Chinese mainland in order to truly gain international respect.

Black swan events are unpredictable. But people should still be fully prepared psychologically: The US is a very fragile society, and anything can happen.

When Westerners say that Chinese people have slanted eyes, some speak out of contempt and others out of humor and not necessarily maliciously. When we present Chinese people with small eyes, it could mean confidence or self-mockery. I think they are all fine. But if we divide ourselves from within along the China-West rift and make a big issue out of it, it is truly unnecessary.

Nearly a year into his administration, US President Joe Biden's promise to "heal" the US in his inaugural address, delivered on January 20, has not been realized.

A country is supposed to make its own diplomatic choices. But the US tends to view the issue under the China-US power game and adopt corresponding plans to interfere in others' domestic affairs. It would even stir up political infighting and social turmoil in other countries, jeopardizing the countries' regional peace and stability.

Nobody from the rest of the Five Eyes – not the US, nor Canada, New Zealand or Australia – complained about the lack of an electoral system in Hong Kong when the British were in charge less than three decades ago.

The “judgment” of the “Uyghur Tribunal” is created on the basis of speculations other than facts, political manipulation rather than academic independence, and, more importantly, the abuse of the rule of law.

The US has never been a winner in the Cold War – its failure is only 30 years late. Although the US today is still far from disintegration, it is getting closer to the tipping point of a civil war.

The US Capitol riot has become a swamp of US politics. The US, caught in the swamp, should focus on its internal affairs, instead of judging other countries with its discredited democratic standard, which is a historical irony.

We must rise above our evolutionary-molded minds that radically distinguish in-groups and out-groups and thus distort rational decision-making. We must see the world from a holistic, global perspective. We must do better.

Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of the disintegration of the Soviet Union. There is no need for the Chinese people to sigh for it. What we should do is drawing lessons from it, because the US very much hopes that China will become the second Soviet Union and fall apart one day.

This year is a year of elections in Latin America. Gabriel Boric, the candidate for the left-wing political party in Chile, was recently elected as president by an absolute majority. His election has aroused widespread concern in the international community, not only because he will be Chile's youngest modern president when he takes office, but also because he declared "the end of the neoliberal era," which signals a left-ward trend in Chile.

It would be right for China to lay stress on the new model of development as well as clearly and distinctly explain to the world that a "shared future" is not only about material benefits. It can also lead to other higher, more harmonious spiritual state for mankind.

Racism is a constant in US domestic politics & foreign policy. This element has already put China-US relations in jeopardy, and will become a hindrance to any improvement of future bilateral ties.

The China-ASEAN strategic partnership for shared growth and a community with a shared future offers guidelines and cooperation opportunities to realize sustainable development goals.

The dining table of the Taiwan public will become the trash bin of the US and Japan. The health of Taiwan people has become the stepping stone for the DPP to curry favor from its foreign masters. While the DPP authority laughs, 23 million Taiwan people suffer.

Europe is trapped in geopolitical differences between CEECs and Western Europe, and the entanglement of interests between Old Europe and New Europe – a major problem for the EU.

If it is “united we stand” after the 9/11 terror attacks, it is now “divided we fall.”

In the 21st century, the emphasis on adversaries seems to be an obsolete foreign policy concept.

Intel has become a typical “cannon” which opens verbal fire upon China among the US business community.

The Modi administration has made the decision to appoint Pradeep Kumar Rawat, a “China hand,” as Indian ambassador to China, which is itself a signal. India may want to seek a breakthrough amid current stalemate in bilateral relations.

If China, like some countries, indulges radical civil feminist campaigns, letting them develop like wildfire, the result won't be beneficial for women. Gender equality is a social revolution that must be advanced orderly under the government's leadership.

Whole-process people's democracy, fully implemented under the leadership of the CPC, is an essential element in ensuring that development is for the people, by the people, and shared by the people.

Mr. Biden and his party seem to be at an increasing disadvantage in next year's midterm elections.

There has not been any strong leader in the Western world in recent decades.

France and the US are arms sales competitors. France's moves to strengthen defense ties with India are aimed at selling more arms to the Asian country. After AUKUS' snatch, it is no surprise that Paris is now operating similarly to Washington.

The fact that Taiwan's “allies” are breaking ties with it and developing relations with the Chinese mainland is the long-term trend that the one-China principle is adhered to by the international community.

In the past, the opposition were destructive, contemptuous, and were pawns or proxies of Western powers put in our system for the sole purpose to subvert it. Instead of calling them the "opposition," people should refer to them as traitors - who are not only anti-communist, but they also scarify HKSAR's interests to advance the interests of Western powers.

Isn't it ironic that a country that has suffered a nuclear strike by the US now has to rely on Washington's “nuclear umbrella” and use Washington's “first-use of nuclear weapons” policy as a nuclear deterrent?

The DPP authority, which holds administrative resources in the name of “Western-style democracy,” will be more reckless in suppressing its opponents.