Nearly 2000 representatives from over 60 countries and regions are gathering in southern China for the annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia. The theme of the four-day event in Hainan is, "Asia in a Changing World: Towards a Shared Future." What answers can Asian countries offer in an ever-changing and increasingly uncertain world? What efforts have China and other Asian countries made to boost multilateralism and promote openness?

Experts share their opinions on issues related to unhealthy or excessive competition, including its root causes, consequences and China's policies to address the phenomenon.

The European Commission has unveiled its White Paper on European Defense, which serves as a framework for the ReArm Europe plan. The bloc seeks to mobilize 800 billion euros to bolster defense autonomy by 2030. The plan signals a historical shift towards strategic sovereignty, but critical questions concerning internal divisions, ties with NATO, and Europe's capacity to address Ukraine’s urgent needs exist. Against the backdrop of U.S.-led negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, how might these initiatives redefine Europe's role as a security actor? What will be the immediate and long-term impacts on the situation in Ukraine? Can Europe ultimately form its own security framework without the participation of other nations?

Europe stands at a historic crossroads in its quest for true independence, as the U.S. engages with Russia over the Ukraine war—at Europe's expense. In response, the EU has proposed borrowing 150 billion euros for a major rearmament push, while Germany's parliament has approved a plan to inject up to 1 trillion euros into its military and infrastructure aiming to reduce reliance on Washington. With an opportunity to decouple from the U.S., can the EU rise to assert itself as an independent power? What will European autonomy look like in the coming years? And if true independence is achieved, what will be its global impact?

The director of "The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru" shares his perspectives on stories from the documentary. The film is about a tragedy during World War II when around 800 British prisoners of war died at sea after the Japanese ship they were on was torpedoed. Several hundred others were rescued after Chinese fishermen risked their lives to pull them from the shark-infested East China Sea.

Experts share their perspectives on the Taiwan leader's recent provocative rhetoric and its impact on cross-strait relations.

This year's "Two Sessions," the annual meetings of China's top legislature and its top political advisory body, have concluded in the country, with work of the past year reviewed and major targets made for the coming year. Journalists around the world come to Beijing every year to cover the political event. What did international journalists think of the "Two Sessions" this year? What topics were they most interested in? How do they walk the line between what they see on the ground and what Western audiences might expect?

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the ball is now in Russia's court amid the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Ukraine has accepted the U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. How will Russia respond to the ceasefire proposal? Is the deal a serious start for a process toward lasting peace and stability? How will the U.S. resumption of military assistance to Ukraine impact the situation?

The message from China's Two Sessions is clear: reshape the growth paradigm with new productivity, resist protectionism with high-level opening-up, and build consensus in the Global South by empowering development. What economic development goals did the Two Sessions convey? How should we view China’s solutions for development? How can the opportunities brought by China’s development, which is often regarded as a threat by the West, shed light and help drive global development?