In 2024, two major forces shaped the global security landscape: first, drastic domestic political changes in many countries and regions driven by elections, partisan struggles, wars, and conflicts, which affected their domestic and foreign strategic choices; second, the interconnection between conflicts and crises in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia‑Pacific. Major‑power relations, especially China‑US relations, remained peaceful, yet Washington's zero‑sum strategic thinking and practices undermined the long‑term stability of major‑power relations.

In Northeast Asia, the security architecture underwent profound adjustments. Confrontation on the Korean Peninsula grew more complex, and Japan took substantial steps toward building a "capable‑of‑war nation." Military and security cooperation among the US, Japan, and South Korea, domestic political changes in the three countries, and the spillover effects of the Russia‑Ukraine conflict have introduced considerable uncertainties to regional security. China serves as a stabilizing force for security in Northeast Asia and plays an important role in promoting regional economic prosperity and safeguarding regional security.

In Southeast Asia, the overall security situation remained relatively stable, yet many long-standing issues persisted. Domestic instability and mounting internal security challenges in some countries further led to the spillover of security risks and opportunistic behavior. Against the backdrop of major-power competition and geopolitical crises, ASEAN has sought to play a leading role, and the regional order in Southeast Asia is undergoing profound evolution. The South China Sea issue has maintained the momentum of ''competition without confrontation,'' and some progress has been made in regional security cooperation. The domestic-international nexus emerged as a defining feature of the regional security landscape in 2024.

In South Asia, the overall security environment remained stable, but localized turbulence intensified. India stepped up its major-power diplomacy by engaging both the United States and Russia simultaneously, while its interventions in neighboring countries stirred up anti-India sentiment. Pakistan suffered from political turmoil, economic recession, and frequent terrorist attacks, resulting in a deteriorating security situation. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy has backed India to isolate Pakistan, escalating regional tensions. The spillover of Hindu majoritarianism has challenged multiculturalism, and border disputes along with cultural interventions have deepened mutual distrust. Geopolitical competition in the region is set to grow increasingly complex and unpredictable.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has entered a stalemate on the battlefield, with Russia holding a relative military advantage. The risk of escalation remains high as the conflict expands geographically and involves more countries, creating further linkages with conflicts in the Middle East and security challenges in the Asia-Pacific. The strategic and battlefield lessons drawn by various parties have also fueled arms races in other regions. Following Trump's election, there has been greater focus on exploring possibilities for a peaceful resolution, yet no plan has emerged that balances the interests of all parties, effectively manages the conflict, and achieves lasting peace.

In the Middle East, the conflict in the Gaza Strip has become a focal point of cases before international judicial bodies. At the same time, the conflict has spilled over into the broader region. Israel's strikes against Iran and its operations across the ''seven fronts'' have sparked new international legal disputes over issues including international humanitarian law, the right to use force, the prohibition on the forcible annexation of territory, the validity of UN Security Council resolutions, and statehood, presenting novel practices in international law.

In the field of climate security, global carbon emissions reached a new high in 2024, which is set to become the hottest year on record. The frequency of extreme weather events continued to rise. As a ''risk multiplier,'' climate change has exacerbated humanitarian crises, food insecurity, and social inequality. In 2025, climate governance will continue to face challenges such as a widening governance deficit and political instability, with formidable obstacles to international cooperation. Although international climate action remains on track, the outlook is not optimistic. Going forward, all countries must elevate climate change to a core political issue, advance energy transitions, and enhance climate resilience to address the increasingly severe climate security challenges.

In the field of tech security, tech security became more deeply embedded in the global landscape, regional situations, and multiple dimensions of political and social governance in 2024, emerging as a key force driving transformation and restructuring. Especially in artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles, communications and cybersecurity, and other technological sectors, the boundary between military and civilian applications has become increasingly blurred. The security dimension of technology has grown more prominent. Emerging technologies, national capabilities, industrial chains, markets, and other elements have become further integrated within the framework of security issues. Effective global security governance has yet to take shape, and there is a possibility of two competing technological systems emerging on a global scale.