Amid the recent developments surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, the US has continued to press its allies to participate in escort missions, while responses from Europe and other US allies have shown clear caution: They are re-evaluating their strategic choices regarding Middle East issues. The Global Times invited four scholars to share their perspectives, exploring the evolving positions of US allies and the deeper logic behind them.

China's GDP growth target of 4.5-5 percent for 2026 provides flexibility to address financial risks an structural challenges while maintaining macroeconomic stability.

The 15th Five-Year Plan marks a transition toward "institutional opening-up," where certainty is formalized through better legal protections and standard-setting. By shortening negative lists for foreign investment and scaling pilot reforms from the Hainan Free Trade Port to a national level, China is transforming its domestic stability into a shared global asset.

In an increasingly uncertain international environment, the ability to plan for the long term while maintaining macroeconomic stability remains one of the key strengths of the Chinese economy.

The Global Times invited three young international observers, including students and journalists from different parts of the world, to share their observations on this year's meetings.

How are consensuses achieved swiftly and on a broad scale? How do the down-to-earth style of CPPCC members and NPC deputies differ from Western lawmakers? And how do weighty national issues debated each year genuinely resonate with the daily lives of ordinary people?

China's emphasis on institutionalized planning creates stability that contrasts with the project-to-project volatility often associated with traditional development assistance.

2025 was quite an active year for Chinese diplomacy. Rather than a single landmark achievement, it was characterized by a broad initiative across multiple fronts.

From my extensive travels across many Chinese cities, I can say with confidence that China today stands as one of the most open and secure countries in the world. And thanks to China's visa-free entry policy for Russian citizens, Many Russians have already seized the opportunity to experience firsthand its splendid culture, profound traditions and exquisite cuisine.

“I think what China has achieved is remarkable. Once again, it showed the world that the doomsayers were wrong”: South African economist on China's economic growth in recent years

Through the governance model of whole-process people's democracy, the Chinese government has demonstrated that it can effectively align long-term development objectives with the immediate needs of the population by adopting an integrated and participatory approach: French experts

“I don't think that the US has the means to defeat Iran. I would expect that Iran will be backed by countries in different parts of the world as it fights this war”

US-Israel military operations against Iran set a dangerous precedent. In the minds of US and Israeli politicians, disliking a regime appears to have become sufficient justification for launching an illegal war against it – a profound and worrying shift in the paradigm of modern warfare: former UN independent expert

The certainty of policy, which we used to expect from the US, is no longer there. Meanwhile, what China is trying to achieve is becoming more visible. In terms of certainty, this is where the 15th Five-Year Plan will be instrumental: French investor

The visit holds considerable significance in light of the global challenges.

As a photographer, I aim to connect people. I like to think of myself as a bridge, bringing photographers to China and sharing my work with the world.

The essence of the five-year planning system is to maintain the country's long-term vision while regularly adapting its methods to address new challenges. Thus, this system balances continuity with flexibility and adaptation.

So, the question is not whether we engage, but how.

In recent years, scholarly interest in Ryukyu has continued to rise. The Ryukyu Islands are scattered across the waters from the northeast of China's Taiwan island to the southwest of Japan's Kyushu Island. Historically, Ryukyu was a tributary state of China. Japan annexed the Ryukyu Islands in 1879 and established the Okinawa Prefecture on the islands. Today, Okinawa hosts about 70 percent of US military bases in the country, despite making up just 0.6 percent of Japan's land area. How do people from Okinawa identify themselves – as Ryukyuan, Okinawan or Japanese? In light of geopolitical tensions and the Japanese government's recent rhetoric of linking a "Taiwan emergency" with the country's collective self-defense, what worries people on the Ryukyu Islands? In her I-Talk show, Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen talked to Jinshiro Motoyama (Motoyama), a prominent Okinawan native activist, over these issues.

In late January, the "Global Dialogue – China-EU Resonance" media and think tank forum, hosted by the Global Times (GT), was held in Brussels, Belgium. Ondrej Dostal (Dostal), a Czech member of the European Parliament, attended the forum and advocated for deeper China-EU cooperation. In an interview with GT reporter Wang Cong on the sidelines of the forum, Dostal shared his views on the current state of China-EU ties amid a volatile transatlantic relationship.

The crisis surrounding the US threat of a takeover of Greenland continues to exacerbate. US, Danish and Greenlandic officials met on January 28 to discuss a new framework deal regarding Greenland. Thousands of people in Greenland and Denmark have protested against the US takeover plan recently. How do Greenlanders view this escalating takeover rhetoric and what has changed in their daily lives since this self-governing island, with around 57,000 inhabitants, became the center of global attention? Global Times (GT) reporters Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi interviewed Greenlandic politician and co-founder of the territory's liberal Cooperation Party, Tillie Martinussen (Martinussen), to understand how local residents perceive this rapidly changing geopolitical landscape.

I see Starmer's visit as a historic opportunity for both the UK and China. China is an unavoidable reality. It is a weakness to believe one can simply ignore China. The visit shows that the UK is willing and able to step up, practice diplomacy and have difficult but necessary conversations, says former member of the House of Commons of the UK.

Should Japan pursue nuclear possession, its decades of efforts toward nuclear abolition would be undone, and the shock to the global non-proliferation regime would be immense, says Japanese nuclear expert

The Chinese worldview is not individualistic – it understands people as relational beings embedded in families and communities. The concept of national rejuvenation focuses on improving the livelihoods of families.

Carney and his government must understand that the options are not the US or China, but that Canada can have good relations with the US and China simultaneously.

PM Carney's upcoming trip to China may not bring drastic changes, but the meeting itself will be valuable and steer the two countries in the right direction: Canadian scholar Radhika Desai

While governance models cannot be mechanically transplanted from one context to another, the CPC's eight-point decision offers valuable lessons. The eight-point decision can serve as an eye-opener for countries struggling with weak party governance.

The US is the country in the world least aligned with the UN Charter. I do not believe the US will dominate the Americas. If it tries, a lot of violence will result. Most of the rest of the world will resist the US attempt at hegemony, US scholar Jeffrey Sachs told the Global Times.

South Korea and China must identify structures and sectors for economic cooperation that allow for mutual sustainability, coexistence and prosperity. Lee's visit serves as a vital opportunity to explore these possibilities.

US foreign policy works through wars, covert regime-change operations, economic sanctions and other hostile actions, all of which are in violation of the spirit of the UN Charter and international law, said renowned US scholar Jeffrey Sachs in a written interview with the Global Times over US latest actions against Venezuela on Monday.

The aim of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's China visit is not only to repair ties, but to place the China-South Korea ties on a more predictable and sustainable footing, one that can manage differences while expanding space for practical cooperation, says a South Korean scholar.

South Korea and China, as neighboring states, share numerous common interests and connections. Both states have significant opportunities to enhance their bilateral relationship, fostering a more constructive and healthier dynamic compared to their interactions with other nations, says a South Korean scholar, commenting on President Lee Lee Jae-myung's visit to China.

Co-authoring a Global South story is not to erect new walls but to open windows to ensure the stories of China-Africa collaboration, African innovation and shared aspirations are told with the nuance, respect and volume they deserve. They can move from being objects of a narrative to being its authors, crafting a story of the Global South that is finally multidimensional, authentic and owned by its people.

China's technological progress evokes a "cool" impression because it embodies a transformative leap that blends cutting-edge innovation with practical, everyday applicability, providing flexible alternatives to the historical dominance of Western technologies.

China has shared, and is ready to further share, its successes of the past 40 years with the rest of the world. China today is more confident and willing to say, “We are able to do this.” That's cool, said South African sinologist.

China is increasingly emerging as an open, accessible, and dynamic ecosystem where young people around the world can experience and appreciate its growing “cool factor.”

I think a lot of the world needs to start understanding China. China is so large and has so many people that there are many unique experiences you can have within China.

Chinese people have suffered so much – there have been civil wars and instances of foreign aggression. In light of so much historical hardship it has suffered, this shows me that the Chinese people are extremely resilient, and strive to take history as a mirror in order to build a better future.

Even if it is disgraceful for Japan, historical truth of the Nanjing Massacre cannot be altered. Nothing is stronger than facts, says Japanese history expert Hisashi Inoue.

On December 13, 1937, while the Japanese invaders captured Nanjing and carried out one of the deadliest mass killings in human history, John Magee, an American missionary who had been living in Nanjing since 1912, started to use his camera to film those brutal and inhuman incidents perpetrated by the Japanese troops.

Politicians who subordinate partisan gains risk losing party primaries to more hard-line challengers. So, until voters change, or until we change our electoral system to make general elections more competitive for more politicians, this polarization is likely inescapable.

The CPC's greatest strength lies in its strong ideological cohesion and its ability to translate grand visions into concrete actions that tangibly benefit the people. This unity and capacity for execution enable the CPC to accomplish major undertakings.

European leaders' China visits are the visible signal of ongoing talks; they show not only respect, but above all the desire to build trust, said an German investor.

President Xi Jinping held talks on Thursday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a state visit to China from Wednesday to Friday, in Beijing. Macron's visit to China comes at a crucial moment, as the global governance system needs to be rethought.

Beat Schneider (Schneider), emeritus professor at the Bern University of the Arts in Switzerland, recently shared his impressions of China over the decades in an interview with the Global Times (GT). Schneider told the reporter that the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and China's institutional advantages have enabled rapid development of the country's productive forces in a short period, and that Europe should enhance cooperation with China in global governance to promote positive reform of the international order.

The future trajectory of China-US relations hinges on structural factors of strategic engagement, but it also depends on whether the two societies can rebuild trust and consensus. In this context, people-to-people exchanges serve as a vital link for fostering mutual understanding between the Chinese and American peoples.

At a crucial juncture where global challenges and opportunities coexist, holding the visit in a bilateral format reflects France's commitment to independent diplomacy and advances the China-France relationship, injecting certainty into an international landscape marked by uncertainty.

In the 17th article of the "Translators' Voices" column, GT interviewed Ao Manyun, Swahili-language translator of Volume I of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China and director of the Tanzania Research Center at the Communication University of China.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi absolutely should apologize for her remarks. We are demanding a retraction of her remarks, says a Japanese peace activist.

When we look at American politics, it's roughly a puppet show. It's a lot of political theater. And you have to, at some point, start asking the question: Are there conversations happening behind closed doors with individuals that the American public doesn't even get to see, who are writing the scripts that the puppets end up acting out? says a US scholar.

South Africa and China can deepen collaboration in critical minerals, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing. By leveraging China's investment capacity with South Africa's regional leadership, we can accelerate industrialization across the continent. Under the G20 framework, this synergy will become a catalyst for Africa's integration into global value chains, says B20 South Africa Sherpa.

The 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is being held in Belém, Brazil, where government officials, business delegates and experts from around the world have gathered to discuss priority actions to address climate change. Global Times (GT) reporter Qian Jiayin interviewed Nick Mabey (Mabey), CEO & Co-Founder of the independent climate think tank E3G, who said that Europe and China can cooperate more closely to better support global climate action.

China acts as both a domestic transition powerhouse and a global enabler in climate action. China can help connect ambition with action, convert global frameworks into country-level delivery, and anchor the “COP of Implementation” in real-world deployment, says UN resident coordinator.

The IOMed is a fully independent and international organization, says Secretary-General Teresa Cheng

Sanae Takaichi's remarks need to be corrected as soon as possible. But if she firmly refuses to retract the relevant comments, that would be truly troubling – after all, when the prime minister thinks and speaks in this way, it is the citizens who suffer. The Japanese people never want this, yet such remarks have emerged, which is truly regrettable, says a Japanese scholar

Today, as we speak of building a “Marco Polo of the new era,” this legacy should guide our approach to global engagement. New-era “Marco Polos” should navigate between cultures. Encouraging such ex-changes means creating open platforms for joint research, educational partnerships and artistic col-laboration. When people experience each other's societies firsthand, stereotypes give way to under-standing, and mutual trust takes root.

What I actually saw in Xizang was a region of tangible development – modern infrastructure blending with preserved cultural traditions and clear improvements in local livelihoods. This stands in stark contrast to the distorted picture painted by some Western outlets, says former UK MP.

The state visit by Spanish King Felipe VI to the People's Republic of China from Monday to Thursday marks a significant milestone in the trajectory of China-Spain relations.

What can we expect from the GGI? Erik Solheim (Solheim), former under-secretary-general of the UN and former executive director of the UN Environment Programme, shared his views with Global Times (GT) reporter Li Aixin in an exclusive interview.

Global Times reporter Chen Qingqing interviewed Rahim R. Hakimov, deputy speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan and Serik Orazgaliyev, an associate professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at Nazarbayev University - to talk about the current stage of China-Central Asia cooperation, future development focuses and their views on the recently China-proposed Global Governance Initiative.

By intertwining their digital futures and green ambitions, China and ASEAN are not only advancing mutual prosperity but also offering the Global South an inspiring model of pragmatic cooperation, inclusive growth and shared destiny.

Global Times (GT) reporter Zhang Ao interviewed John W.H. Denton AO (Denton), secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) who participated in this year's APEC meetings, about the outcome of the gathering as well as China's role in advancing regional economy.

In an interview with the Global Times (GT), Kim Heung-kyu (Kim), director of the US-China Policy Institute at Ajou University, shared his insights on the future direction of China-South Korea relations.

In an interview with Global Times (GT) reporters Xing Xiaojing and Wang Wenwen, Jaemin Lee (Lee), a professor from the School of Law, Seoul National University, said that the unique strength of the APEC lies in these diplomatic events and gatherings where members' leaders and businesspeople can get together to candidly discuss various topics of practical importance.

In an era marked by challenges in global climate governance, the concept of a "Beautiful China" exemplifies both political resolve and institutional innovation. Its global relevance lies not in functioning as a prescriptive model, but in demonstrating that sustainability can be institutionalized as a principle of statecraft.

The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held this week in Gyeongju, South Korea. All 21 economies will come together to discuss pathways to the Asia-Pacific region's shared prosperity.

From Turkey's perspective, rather than fostering ties with those who spread fabricated Western narratives that harm bilateral relations, it is far more valuable to strengthen trade with partners who come to know and see China for themselves: president of the Turkish Chinese Friendship Foundation

We have seen how the spirit of anti-colonial solidarity that once defined China-Africa relations continues to shape the trajectory of today's multipolar world. We have witnessed the way the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation now operates as a form of multilateralism, reinforcing the work of the UN through its practical implementation capacity and inclusive, participatory character.

On her I-Talk show, Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen spoke with David Adler (Adler), co-general coordinator of Progressive International, who recently participated in the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla. He spent five days in Israel's desert prison – one of more than 500 activists sailing to Gaza who were detained by Israeli forces.

From the 14th Five-Year Plan to the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, China has demonstrated remarkable strategic resolve and policy continuity. The unique strategy of "leveraging local conditions to develop new quality productive forces" has pioneered a pragmatic approach, maximizing endogenous driving forces, deeply integrating cutting-edge science and technology with local characteristics, and forming a solid and sustainable growth engine.

The general guidelines of the eight-point decision hold universal relevance, as they could help address sensitive challenges faced by political parties worldwide, says Brazilian scholar Marcos Cordeiro Pires.

China is being more faithful to the actual rules of the system than those who created them, which makes every Western violation of its own standards stand out in sharp relief.

Action-oriented support embodies this philosophy, which is why China's approach is seen as more reliable and effective.

China pursues an independent and peaceful foreign policy, along with a defensive national defense policy.

Multilateralism is based on the idea that there are no superior or inferior peoples. Therefore, all countries can make positive contributions to the world´s future. I see the GGI as a laudable attempt by China to empower countries of the Global South in the process of reforming global governance.

What is needed is a program of education to raise awareness of China's contribution and to convey the scale of the war, which lasted a long time during WWII.

The GGI's core vision is to adapt global rules and institutions to the 21st century, where developing countries have a more important role in global affairs.

From the demand side, the world needs a stable, reasonable, and just global governance system. From the supply side, we now have the GGI.

China's confidence and determination to propose the Global Governance Initiative are rooted in its historical experience, cultural heritage, development achievements and systematic advantages. The GGI is expected to enhance global peace, stability, security and development while promoting fairness, equality and cooperation in international relations.

Sovereign equality remains scarce due to power asymmetries and historical inequities in international institutions.

Forgetting the history of war and the immense human suffering it caused increases the risk of a country drifting once again toward armed conflict.

We consider China a huge opportunity – a huge opportunity for cooperation. I think Europe can benefit a lot from working together with China, says Hungarian FM

It is highly symbolic that this initiative was voiced precisely during the SCO meetings, a unique platform where countries with diverse political systems and civilizational trajectories meet at the same table.

As the GGI is gaining traction with more countries coming on-board, it is envisaged that the privileged minority which has been holding sway in global matters for far too long will gradually have its clout eroded, thus paving way for the potential emergence of a more egalitarian order.

A strong and healthy relationship between China and India is critical for stability and prosperity in Asia. Only their cooperation can truly make it an “Asian Century”.

India and China's collective role in promoting the common denominator of growth should drive their engagement in the Global South.

From the perspectives of infrastructure, education, ecology, livelihoods and religion, five scholars offer their vivid firsthand insights in Xizang Autonomous Region that help the world better understand China's governance approach in the region and discover the story of Xizang in the new era.

India should, and is, perfectly able to play an important role in the SCO. In the current international situation, it would be beneficial to India: Russian scholar

US climate scientists who believe that climate change is a major problem are very distressed by what's happening in the US, a US climate change law professor told @WenwenWang1127 in her #ITalk show. "The US is not a reliable negotiating partner, and certainly doesn't want to act on climate change."

One of the most distinctive obstacles to historical reconciliation in East Asia is the phenomenon of victimhood nationalism in Japan. The “the only country to have suffered from atomic bombings during war” narrative, for instance, operated as a screen memory to obscure the Japanese war atrocities toward neighboring Asians: South Korean scholar

China is developing at a remarkable pace, and I was astonished to learn how Xinjiang has changed during the past two decades: British travel agency head

China's three global initiatives absolutely correspond to that approach, and especially the GCI; opening a true dialogue of civilizations can awaken the minds and hearts of people to arrive at a new epoch in the history of mankind, where we become truly human.

The residents of Taiwan island long for peace and will do everything possible to prevent war.

China is taking the lead in demonstrating how much stronger we are when we work together.

The US and other countries can learn from the technical advances made in China in the development of green energy production.

In the 10th article of the "Translators' Voices" column, Global Times (GT) reporter Wang Wenwen interviewed Dr. Khosraw Ubaidy (Ubaidy), who was a member of the editorial committee of translators of the Dari edition of the book series Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.

It's really just a matter of how well our political processes are set up to get this kind of infrastructure built as quickly and efficiently as possible for taxpayers and residents of the state.

In China, I saw a city designed around the needs of its citizens – technically advanced, intelligently structured – and that kind of urban planning could genuinely enrich the often piecemeal, incoherent and not particularly citizen-friendly city planning we see in Europe.

The reason I decided to make the film about the Dalfram dispute was to produce something for peace, and my main goal was to tell this story so that nothing like this would ever happen again. I think we need to take a lesson from that. We need to really understand how to make peace between countries, says an Australian filmmaker

The Global Times talked to Ulrike Guérot, a Berlin-based German political thinker, about the recently concluded China-EU Summit and her vision for the future of this bilateral relationship.