(W.E. Talk) Experts look to 2026: Seizing opportunities amid crises, forging ahead after breakthroughs

What direction will the international landscape take in 2026? In the West, far-right groups are on the rise, while in Japan, extremist politicians are attempting to revive militarism and the U.S. has adopted aggressive expansionist behavior in Latin America, said Benjamin Norton, founder of the Geopolitical Economy Report, in a recent exclusive interview with China News Network.

The hegemonic mentality that seeks to provoke conflict around the world and impose hegemony seriously violates international law and the UN Charter. By 2026, the world may witness more conflicts, warned the U.S. foreign policy expert.

Su Hao, founding director of Center for Strategy and Peace Studies from China Foreign Affairs University, also stated that some nations with right-leaning tendencies are exhibiting unilateralism, trade protectionism, and even militaristic ideologies, bringing great uncertainty to the world.

However, Su Hao, also associate dean of the Institute of Global Governance and Development of Renmin University of China, expressed his belief that by 2026, significant changes may occur in international relations, including in the international political economy. In his view, the world can seek opportunities within challenges to achieve a ”metamorphosis,” which is breaking the old patterns so that the contours of a new international order can gradually take shape. (Gan Tian, Guan Na, Zhao Li)