Politics

Commentator William He explains why while China appears to be at the forefront of AI development, it is almost impossible for it to create a true ChatGPT of its own. At best, it might come up with “ChatGPT with Chinese characteristics”, with perhaps just enough caveats and exceptions to defeat its purpose.

Philippine academic Renato Cruz De Castro discusses the prospect of a trilateral Japan-US-Philippines defence pact and the US's building of informal trilateral networks in the Asia Pacific to safeguard its interests against China. However, he notes that there are practical issues to be resolved before a formal agreement can materialise.

Chinese academic Peng Nian looks at the US expanding its access to new military bases in the Philippines, which China is particularly concerned with. He says that while the Philippines want to find a sweet spot in navigating China-US competition, it must be extra vigilant in dealing with security cooperation with the US in the South China Sea so as not to aggravate China-Philippines relations.

Over the past few days, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi has been on a tour of Europe, where he met some European leaders and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan takes a look at Wang’s goodwill diplomacy towards European countries and harsh criticism of the US. What do they indicate of future China-US and China-Europe relations?

Closer Japan-Philippines security cooperation announced during Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos’ visit to Japan this month augurs closer trilateral US-Japan-Philippines cooperation in defending each of their interests against China, says Japanese academic Masafumi Iida.

As the world marks one year of the war in Ukraine this month, commentator Jin Jian Guo looks at how the global situation has changed in that time, within the European continent and in the world at large. It is clear that in various aspects, Russia is not in a promising position, and China, as a pole that challenges the American order, will face significant obstacles.

Even as China and the US continue to bicker over the Chinese balloon that was shot down after entering US airspace, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi’s visit to Europe is on track, including his attendance at the Munich Security Conference in Germany and a possible meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Zaobao’s correspondent Yang Danxu looks at whether this trip could finally turn the page on the matter and refocus US-China priorities.

Tensions in China-US relations are increasing, with the Taiwan Strait issue central to the antagonism between the two major powers. Chinese academic Guo Bingyun assesses four models from history that the US may adopt in the event of an armed reunification, and why these approaches may or may not be effective.

Japanese academic Masaaki Yatsuzuka finds China’s explanations and criticism of the US in the aftermath of the balloon incident unpersuasive, more so in light of its military-civilian fusion strategy.