The Point with Liu Xin

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?

The UN Climate Change Conference, COP30, kicks off on Monday in Belém, Brazil. This milestone event marks three decades of United Nations climate negotiations and the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, highlighting a pivotal moment for global climate action. At this critical juncture, China released a white paper to share its approaches, actions, and experience in addressing climate change. Yet, with the U.S. government absent from the conference and Europe's resolve showing signs of wavering, the road ahead remains full of challenges. Ten years on, how well have the goals of the Paris Agreement been implemented? What obstacles and bottlenecks does global climate governance still face? What are China's key positions and actions in the global fight against climate change?

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations and the system built around it, and yet, this international order has been undergoing tremendous pressure tests. Against this backdrop, the international community has been looking for consensus and finding ways to deal with the growing uncertainties. And China, most recently, proposed the Global Governance Initiative. The Initiative emphasizes sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, people-centered development, and focuses on real results and pragmatism. What role can the media play? Can the media help in filling the deficit in global governance? In what ways can we achieve more with united effort?

The China International Import Expo returns to Shanghai for its eighth installment. Taking place from November 5 to 10, the annual expo has generated a total of tentative revenues of 500 billion USD, and this year is set to be the biggest one ever. How has this relatively young expo become one of the major highlights on the international business calendar? Why does it continue to gain influence each year, and what does this reveal about China's commitment to expanding high-level opening up, and what is its impact on global trade?

Promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and building an Asia-Pacific community: That's the message Chinese President Xi Jinping sent to the world on Friday during a speech at the first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea. What specifically did President Xi say during the informal leaders' meeting? What exactly was achieved during the meeting between President Xi and President Trump? How will all this impact the region and the wider global economy?

Connect, Innovate, Prosper. This is the theme of the upcoming APEC summit later this week in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea. Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump will both attend and deliver keynote speeches to the 21-member economies that make up half of the world's trade and 60 percent of the world's GDP. What is expected to come out of the 32nd APEC Leaders' Meeting? With much speculation about what will happen on the sidelines between China and the United States, could APEC become a platform for facilitating strategic diplomacy among the world's largest powers?

As the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee concluded on Thursday, the curtain over China's 15th Five-Year Plan is gradually being lifted. Serving as a critical link between the past and the future, this five-year period aims to reinforce foundational strengths and advance China toward basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035. What signals did the plenary session send? What might the next five years hold for China and the world?

The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is convening its fourth plenary session to set the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, the national blueprint through to 2030. Although details are yet to be released, signals have been sent that fostering "new quality productive forces" will be the strategic focus. Ahead of the meeting, the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs published 8 articles in China's leading newspaper, the People's Daily, with "technological innovation" being a keyword. Why such emphasis on technological innovation? And how will this impact China's economy and beyond?

As China approaches the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan, all eyes are on the new blueprint that's being drawn up to guide the nation's next five years. From the first edition to the upcoming 15th cycle, these documents have informed China's socio-economic development for more than seventy years. How did it all start? How has the system not only survived but thrived in China? What can the next five-year plan mean for you?

"Don't worry about China, it will all be fine." This is U.S. President Donald Trump's latest message after his threat of imposing 100% tariffs on China on Friday sent markets into meltdown. In response to Trump's tariff threat, China has said it "does not want a trade war but is not afraid of one," vowing to take resolute countermeasures if the tariff hikes go ahead. What fueled these latest escalations by the U.S.? How to understand China's firm responses, which China calls passive or legitimate defense? How could things play out ahead of next month's APEC summit in South Korea?

On Oct. 3, the United States released detailed payment guidelines for hiked port fees on vessels linked to China, which are set to take effect next week. This is the result of a so-called 301 Investigation and report by the Office of the United States Trade Representative, which accuses China of "unreasonable" targeting for dominance in the maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors. What specific charges will be imposed on Chinese-made ships? Are these moves really about boosting U.S. competitiveness? What impact might these measures have on the global shipping industry and trade?

On September 23, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a lengthy speech to the UN General Assembly, during which he blasted the UN as a failure. His remarks were a stark contrast from those delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Li hailed the UN as the world's "most universal, representative, and authoritative intergovernmental organization and plays an irreplaceable, key role in global governance." Given the sea of differences between the two major countries in their views and visions, how can we move forward in an inclusive and cooperative manner? What can members do to revitalize the UN to make sure it can still fulfill its purpose 80 years after its founding?

An ancient city of stones and bricks has revitalized through openness and connectivity in the heart of the Eurasian continent. Western headlines would have you believe that the region is reeling under surveillance and suppression, and people are unhappy. But what's conveniently missing from those narratives are real stories from people on the ground, those with firsthand experiences. In 2024, Xinjiang welcomed nearly 300 million arrivals, with 5 million from overseas, marking a 55% increase compared with the previous year. What exactly is attracting all these visitors? What is Xinjiang really like today? And where is it headed going forward?