As the central route’s starting point in the Trans-Asian Railway Network, the China-Laos Railway has become a vital link for economic integration and cultural exchange between China and Southeast Asia. The railway has fostered a multi-dimensional connectivity framework integrating logistics, facilitating trade, promoting industrial clusters and enhancing soft connectivity, which challenges the traditional “centre-periphery” model and redefining development cooperation within the Global South.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) offers a key opportunity for China to drive regional development and accelerate high-level opening and modernisation of inland areas. As China’s major aviation logistics hub, Zhengzhou Airport Experimental Zone (ZAEZ) stands to benefit from these new development opportunities. This paper explores ZAEZ’s open development practices under the RCEP from spatial, institutional and industrial perspectives.

The post-Cold War era has witnessed the emergence of continually evolving relational networks in the Asia-Pacific, including—but not limited to—the US network of alliances and partnerships, China’s network of strategic partnerships and ASEAN’s network of dialogue partnerships. This article adopts a network-centric approach to examine the dynamics of US–China competition in the Asia-Pacific. It argues that these overlapping relational networks both constrain the behaviour of network members and provide them with the flexibility to navigate the US–China strategic competition and shape the evolution of regional order.

The overall development of Southeast Asia has been affected by the great power competition between China and the United States in recent years. Against the backdrop of ongoing trade frictions and the intensifying strategic competition between the two countries, Southeast Asia’s strategic position has become more prominent than ever. China recognises the need to not only build more stable and mutually beneficial trade relations, but also develop comprehensive economic relations with countries in the region. In this context, all parties should attempt to establish a new model of triangular trade relationship.

This article analyses the China policies of the new administrations in the United States and Japan. With Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the new administration of Ishiba Shigeru in Japan, Sino–US–Japan relations face renewed tensions and shifting dynamics. This article examines the evolving security, economic and diplomatic strategies, highlighting China’s efforts to stabilise relations omnidirectionally while preparing for confrontation against the United States. It underscores the structural nature of the Sino–US rivalry and Japan’s autonomous yet allied position with the United States.

China’s new energy environment conducive to the research, development and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is crucial for regional economic development. This article examines the burgeoning EV industry, highlighting China’s dominance in EV production and the challenges posed by regulatory disparities, infrastructure limitations and competition. China’s policy recommendations include technology sharing, industrial collaboration, and leveraging international capital to enhance China–ASEAN cooperation and lead in sustainable transportation.

The Middle East is important to China as a major source of energy, a key node in its Belt and Road Initiative and an emerging venue for US-China rivalry. China’s deepening involvement in the Middle East can be divided into three dimensions: economic, strategic and cultural. China is careful not to become mired in Middle Eastern politics and regional countries generally welcome China’s growing engagement. China’s expanding footprint in the region may intensify US-China rivalry.

This article discusses the rationale for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and conducts an empirical analysis utilising a revised gravity model linking connective infrastructure constructed under the auspices of the BRI with global trade in the 2010–22 period. The authors’ empirical analysis shows that BRI connective infrastructure projects are beneficial to both the export and import countries. After controlling for all other factors, the existence of connective infrastructure in the export country is associated with a 25% increase in its export value, with a significant reduction in the transport costs.

The Digital Silk Road involves China in the construction of digital information and communications technology infrastructure to meet the development needs of developing countries while helping leading Chinese technology companies to become global champions. However, it has also caused China to become entangled in issues of individual privacy, national security and political values with Western countries.