Dialogue

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has pleaded not guilty to all charges in a U.S. federal court in New York, marking his first public appearance since being seized by U.S. forces over the weekend. At the same time, just miles away, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting, where dozens of countries condemned the U.S. military action against Venezuela as a violation of international law and a "crime of aggression." So what is behind the forcible seizure of a sitting head of state? What does this episode tell us about the direction of U.S. power and influence in the Western Hemisphere as we head into 2026? And what impact could it have on the global order and the international community at large?

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is in Beijing this week on his first visit to China since taking office. Beijing and Seoul have described the trip as an opportunity to reset ties and elevate their Strategic Cooperative Partnership at a time of unprecedented global transformation. With geopolitical tensions rising, trade protectionism returning, and Washington watching closely, the stakes of this visit extend beyond bilateral symbolism. Can the two sides rebuild momentum after years of strain? What outcomes should we expect form President Lee's meetings in China? And how far can South Korea pursue strategic autonomy while balancing relations between Beijing and Washington?

As China moves forward with its 15th Five-Year Plan, building a strong domestic market has become a key pillar of its development journey. From expanding domestic demand and upgrading industries to advancing a high-standard opening up, China is shaping a vast and more dynamic market.

Experts share their views on how technology-driven innovation fuels China's high-quality development.

On the last day of 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a New Year's message to the country where he touched on remarkable moments and events of the past 12 months and gave his vision of the year to come. What were the key points of his New Year speech? What were his impressions of China's progress and challenges over the past year? And what shall we look forward to in the coming years?

China's PLA Eastern Theater Command has launched a large-scale joint exercise around Taiwan, code-named "Justice Mission 2025", involving air, sea, ground and missile forces. Beijing says the operation is aimed at deterring "Taiwan independence" forces and warning against external interference as tensions rise following a reported $11.1 billion U.S. arms package for Taiwan. What exactly is being rehearsed in this drill? What is the message being sent? And with political temperature rising on all sides, what are the practical guardrails that still keep the Taiwan Strait from sliding into crisis?

Japan's cabinet has approved a record-high military budget for fiscal year 2026, topping nine trillion yen, a 9.4-percent increase from the previous year. The spending plan prioritizes enhanced strike capabilities, expanded coastal deployments with new vessels and drones, and broader military modernization. Are these measures purely defensive adjustments or do they signal the early stages of a deeper strategic transformation? What does Japan's evolving military posture mean for its neighbors?

After nearly four years of conflict, diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine appear to be intensifying. Over the weekend, parallel meetings were held in Miami, bringing together U.S., Ukrainian, and European officials, while Washington also engaged Russia separately. Can diplomacy gain traction while the war continues on the ground? Is a lasting peace still out of reach?

The United States has intensified pressure on Venezuela through a major naval buildup and interception of crude oil shipments. What is Washington's endgame in Venezuela? What lies behind this intensifying pressure?

On December 18, 1978, China set reform and opening-up in motion at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee. Forty-seven years later, another major milestone is occurring. Hainan Province begins island-wide special customs operations, the final step in activating China's first free trade port. Experts explain why the move is important for China's opening-up drive and what new opportunities the free trade port will bring for China and the rest of the world.

This week, China pushed back against remarks by the British Foreign Secretary regarding the recent conviction of Jimmy Lai. Lai was found guilty of violating China's National Security Law over his role in the 2019 violent unrest in Hong Kong. Beijing rejected the characterization of the verdict as a "politically motivated prosecution," saying the British side is interfering in China's internal affairs and deliberately mislabeling a criminal case as a political one. Why are some Western governments so quick to label a criminal judgment as "political"? More fundamentally, who gets to define justice in Hong Kong—its courts operating under the law, or external actors applying their own political standards?

Hong Kong's High Court has found media tycoon Jimmy Lai guilty on multiple charges, including conspiring to collude with external forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials. This marks the first case under Hong Kong's National Security Law involving the crime of collusion with foreign forces, making it a landmark verdict with legal and political implications for the city. What do we know about the ruling, and why does it matter for the city's security and stability? In the second half of the program, we'll turn to Japan where we examine Tokyo's plan for a record-high defense budget in 2026 and the ongoing tensions in China-Japan relations.

The annual Central Economic Work Conference has just concluded in Beijing with Chinese leaders deciding priorities for the economic work in 2026, the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. The message is clear: China is to boost consumption and build a robust domestic market to deal with external challenges. Meanwhile, institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank have raised their growth forecasts for China, underscoring the country's expanding global footprint. What can we learn from this key economic meeting? What do these signals reveal about China's next stage of development? How will local reforms, consumer spending, innovation and continued opening-up shape the economic landscape at home and abroad?

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has just wrapped up a two-day visit to China, the first such trip since Berlin's new government took office and one that comes amid an unusually active wave of European diplomacy in Beijing. During his meetings with senior Chinese officials, Wadephul discussed trade, investment, supply chain stability, rare-earth management and industrial cooperation. He also emphasized that "direct engagement with China" has become irreplaceable for Germany and Europe. What does this visit reveal about the current state of China–Germany relations? What issues now sit at the heart of the bilateral agenda? And as more European leaders travel to China, what can we expect from the next stage of China-EU engagement?

Hong Kong has just held its 8th-term Legislative Council election, the citywide vote that takes place every four years to choose all 90 members of the legislature. This year's election drew extra attention as it unfolded just days after the deadly fire in the district of Tai Po. Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee has already placed post-fire recovery and follow-up work at the top of the new legislature's agenda. What do the results of the election tell us about the development of high-quality democracy in Hong Kong? How will the new legislature work with the HKSAR government to build a safer and more resilient city? And how can the local government best seize the opportunities brought by China's high-quality growth?

Analysts share their perspectives on issues such as efforts to bring Chinese literature to a wider global audience and the role of literature in shaping the world's understanding of China.

China-Japan relations have worsened after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that any conflict in the Taiwan Strait would be a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan - a legal phrase that implies Japan could intervene militarily if fighting breaks out over Taiwan. Beijing has denounced the remark as a severe violation of the one-China principle and gross interference in China's internal affairs. How has the Japanese Prime Minister triggered such a storm? What does it reveal about Japan's shifting security posture? And where might this confrontation lead?

The Communist Party of China has released a blueprint outlining the country's development path through 2030. Known as the 15th Five-Year Plan, it sets the course for China's growth and offers the world a window into its next phase of modernization. What will this next stage of growth look like? And how will China deal with rising protectionism, boost domestic demand, and manage local government debt while speeding up technological innovation to strengthen its self-reliance?

The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, commonly known as COP30, has kicked off in Brazil's Amazon city of Belem. The UN has warned that the world has failed to meet the goals set in the 2015 Paris agreement, limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre industrial levels, and is now calling for immediate action. In September, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China's 2035 climate pledges to further strengthen the country's climate response. Will COP30 achieve substantial results? Is it still possible to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century? What does China's commitment to a green transition mean for the world? Can the Paris agreement remain strong despite U.S. withdrawal?

China's commitment to high-standard opening up continues to evolve amid major domestic transformation and a fast-changing global landscape. What will China's next stage of opening up look like as it rolls out a new Five-Year Plan? How will the drive further strengthen China's economic foundation in the years ahead? What steps can make foreign businesses feel truly at home in China?