Myanmar’s government is superficially liberalizing to court the favor of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Now it needs to stop dragging its feet and make these strides in earnest.

China’s involvement in bailing out the EU may inadvertently spark competition between states for investments and ultimately divide EU policy.

Though his retirement has caused some upset among Tibetans, a closer examination of the circumstances will reveal that the Dalai Lama’s choice is in fact a bold political move, and that it will serve to advance the Tibetan fight for autonomy.

Pakistan has undergone decades of tumult and is now on a trajectory toward disaster following the assassinations of two high-ranking reformers. Given Pakistan’s status as a nuclear power and a NATO ally, the U.S. must step up its efforts to maintain stability in the country.

Every year, thousands of indignant Japanese youth stage peaceful protests in Tokyo to demand that Russia forfeit the Japanese-claimed islands. This year, tension escalated further when Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, together with Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, attended the protests to witness the burning of a Russian flag.

In February of this year, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi initiated a tour of five African countries by signing a $7.6 million aid grant to Zimbabwe.

South Korean President Lee-Myung Bak optimistically said that he had “high expectations for the expected outcome of the Summit.” However, quantitative easing alone essentially doomed the entire Conference.

At the UN Climate Change Conference, the US and several other nations pledged increased aid to developing countries to help tackle environmental issues. As the wealthier nations begin to determine where aid will be distributed, it is clear that the US should direct climate change mitigation aid towards India.

At this moment of diplomatic flux, the United States may have an opportunity to push Chinese policy towards North Korea in a more responsible direction. China’s immense leverage over Pyongyang in the form of food, energy, and other aid could be transformed into an asset in halting Korea’s belligerence and proliferation.

With a dose of royalty sense, Thais would hopefully be able to look beyond the color of their shirts and towards their country’s best long-term interests.