The Point with Liu Xin

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday called on China and Canada to advance the building of a new strategic partnership with a sense of responsibility toward history, the people, and the world, when he met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney is currently in China on a four-day visit, the first by a Canadian prime minister in eight years, meeting both President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Ottawa has called the trip "consequential and historic" as Canada looks to reduce its reliance on the United States and strengthen ties with China. What signals does this visit send for the future of China-Canada relations? Can both sides ease tensions over tariffs and trade disputes? And will this visit pave the way for deeper cooperation in key areas such as trade, technology, and environmental policy?

U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Iranian demonstrators to keep protesting, promising that "help is on the way," while warning that any country doing business with Iran will face a 25 percent tariff on trade with the United States. Tehran, however, says the situation is under control. Iranian officials insist that communication channels with Washington remain open, while the country prepares for either dialogue or war. So what's really happening on the ground in Iran? What are the root causes of the protests? And how do ordinary Iranians view the U.S. offer of "help"?

When it comes to international dispute settlement, cities like The Hague, Geneva, and Singapore usually top the list. Now, there's a new name to add: Hong Kong. In October, the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) was officially inaugurated there, the world's first intergovernmental legal body dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation. Proposed by 19 countries including China, IOMed is already up and running. How will mediation here be different? And can it meet the expectations of developing countries?

President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung has made a state visit to China, the first by a ROK leader since 2017. Beijing says the trip advances the China–ROK strategic cooperative partnership, while Lee has called the restoration of ties his government's "greatest accomplishment" so far. For decades, Seoul has balanced U.S. security alignment with deep economic ties to China. Since taking office last June, Lee has begun questioning that long-standing formula, and this China visit suggests the rethink has gone further. What does this signal for the future of China–ROK relations, and what lessons does it hold for countries navigating intensifying great-power competition?

President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores are reportedly facing serious charges in New York, while U.S. President Donald Trump has issued stark warnings to Venezuela's leadership. How far will the U.S. go to protect its sphere of influence in the Western Hemisphere? And what will be the geopolitical repercussions for Latin America?

What defined China's story in 2025? Which moments truly mattered, and which trends are shaping the year ahead? In this special year-end edition of The Point, host Liu Xin is joined by leading thinkers to reflect on China's trajectory in 2025, its role in a changing world, and what lies ahead in 2026.

Days after the announcement of the largest U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, the Chinese People's Liberation Army launched 'Justice Mission 2025' – the latest sophisticated military drills around Taiwan, as a stern warning to the separatist forces and external interference. Are these drills justified deterrence or sheer aggression, as often labeled by certain foreign critics? Has China abandoned its effort to seek peaceful development of cross-Strait ties? How to read U.S. President Donald Trump's real Taiwan policy?

Competing territorial claims, overlapping maritime zones, resource competition, and intensifying major-power rivalry are reshaping how countries interact at sea. In this episode of the special series Managing Maritime Disputes: Regional Practices and International Experience, experts examine how different regions manage maritime tensions through dialogue, regional mechanisms, and international adjudication, and what practical lessons can help prevent disputes from escalating.

From territorial disputes to resource competition and major-power rivalry, tensions at sea are on the rise worldwide. But conflict isn't the only option and is not inevitable. In many regions, countries have found practical ways to manage differences, shelve disputes, and pursue peaceful coexistence through dialogue and cooperation. In Part One of our special series "Managing Maritime Disputes: Regional Practices and International Experience", we take a closer look at real-world examples that show how maritime disputes can be handled constructively.

Nothing says "peace" quite like building a technology bloc. Pax Silica is said to be Washington's "flagship effort on AI and security initiative," which was unveiled at its inaugural summit on December 11, bringing together the U.S., Japan, the Republic of Korea, the UK, Australia, Israel, Singapore, the UAE, and the Netherlands, with others also in the room. What does "Pax Silica" mean? Well, "pax" is Latin for peace while "Silica" refers to silicon. Put together, it sounds like a gift to global coordination, a positive-sum partnership, as the U.S. puts it, which is not about isolating others. But is that really the case?

Over the past 15 years, Cameron's "Avatar" series has built a vast and devoted audience in China. Three years after "Avatar: The Way of Water", Cameron is back with his longest-ever work. Audiences are once again stepping into Pandora, this time, to experience something new, something deeper. Why does the Avatar story continue to resonate across cultures and generations?

As 2025 draws to a close, the National Bureau of Statistics of China has released economic data for the month of November, with indices pointing to a sustained "steady development momentum with progress". But a recent Wall Street Journal analysis, based largely on the same official data, argues that China's growth momentum has weakened across the board, that consumer demand is faltering, and exports are now doing most of the heavy lifting for the world's second-largest economy. Which story is closer to reality? Is China's economy stabilizing, or as some Western media outlets claim, quietly losing steam?

On December 18th, China's Hainan Province will officially launch its island-wide special customs operations. What does this move mean in China's pursuit of high-standard opening-up? What tangible opportunities will it bring to local residents, entrepreneurs, and international investors? How will it shape Hainan's economic and social development, as well as its cooperation with the Chinese mainland and neighboring regions?

On Dec. 18, the island-wide special customs operation of Hainan Free Trade Port, or FTP, will be officially launched, giving outside investors the most open access to China's economy to date. Sweeping trade and tax liberalization policies will be in place to boost investment, trade, and industrial development on China's southernmost tropical island. What sets the Hainan FTP apart? What opportunities will Hainan bring to international investors, consumers, and business people in general?

At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Beijing on Wednesday for a three-day state visit, which reciprocates Xi's state visit to France last year on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. What brings Macron to China this time? What outcomes is the French President hoping to achieve? How might this visit shape not only China–France relations, but the broader international landscape?

In this special edition of The Point, world-renowned leftist scholar, writer, and historian Vijay Prashad talks about the rising Global South on the sidelines of a forum dedicated to the subject held in Shanghai.

Are Okinawans, or Ryukyuans, indigenous people of Japan? For decades, the local people of Okinawa, in southern Japan, have been advocating for their human rights as indigenous peoples, yet the Japanese government has failed to recognize them as such, against repeated calls from the local people, countries around the world and the United Nations. What's the story?

Remilitarization under the guise of self-defense? Japan has been pushing to break away from the pacifist constitution set up after WWII, while refusing to renounce its militarist past. It is expected that the right-wing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may visit a notorious shrine honoring Japanese war dead, including Class-A war criminals. This would exacerbate an already strained relationship following her refusal to retract a dangerous remark about Taiwan on November 7 in parliament. How has Japan been inching towards realizing its remilitarization ambitions? Why does Japan consider Taiwan to be crucial to its own survival? Could the current tensions escalate into more than just a war of words?

On November 7, during a parliamentary debate, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, implying the possibility of Japan's armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait. This has sparked a wave of unprecedented reactions from China, including stern diplomatic protests and live-fire drills at sea. The situation shows no sign of easing as Takaichi has refused to retract her remarks so far. What exactly did she say? Why is China so angry? Has China overreacted, as some suggested?

Over the last few days, the economic and trade agreements reached between China and the U.S. in Kuala Lumpur last month have started to take effect. The U.S. has removed the 10% so-called Fentanyl tariff and suspended, for one year, the 24% reciprocal tariffs on Chinese goods, and China has reciprocated by adjusting its tariff countermeasures. Both sides have also suspended port fees against each other for one year. Will the truce hold? Do we need to manage our expectations? How to keep things on the right track?