
The Dalai Lama problem has been in the way of an EU-China "strategic partnership" for a long time, and there continues to be miscalculations on both sides about each other's stand on this issue.

Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Franco Frattini, outlined the priorities of the G8 under the Italian Presidency, arguing that there is a need for a review of international structures.

With Chinese economic growth rates decelerating beyond even the most pessimistic predictions and a leadership succession in three or four years, the CCP is more concerned about quelling internal unrest than engaging with the United States on pressing global issues.

Chinese citizens are using the internet as a source of social discourse at exponential rates. It is unclear whether this growing phenomenon will result in “cyber-ocracy” or “cyber-tarianism”.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s choice of Asia for her first overseas trip signals that President Obama is likely to take a more active approach toward the region than his predecessor.

U.S. Secretary of State Clinton must make a case for China to play a greater role in stabilizing Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is an opportunity for China to prove it is a responsible stakeholder.

The nuclear non-proliferation regime, so vital to maintaining international peace and security, is under increasing threat, particularly from countries that deliberately violate their non-proliferation obligations. Clarifying the technical and statutory basis by which the IAEA exposes non-compliance is one immediate way the non-proliferation regime can be strengthened.

In the past three decades, China’s legal system has undergone significant reform. Although a recent study shows improvement, China’s legal reform remains a work in progress.

The IAEA places importance on a state's intentions, something which its investigatory arm does not and cannot assess. The effect of emphasizing intent is to cause discussions about enforcement that descend into irresolvable arguments about ambiguous activities, thus reducing the chances of decisive action and, in turn, reducing the credibility and effectiveness of the nonproliferation regime.

China's GDP growth fell to 6.8% in the fourth quarter of 2008, raising concerns that its economy may be headed for a downturn.