This year, we've raised our gaze, noting leadership shifts in Cambodia and Thailand, with Indonesia poised for an electoral change.

Space Exploration Success: India's ISRO scored a stellar win with Chandrayaan-3's lunar landing, marking India the fourth country to achieve this feat, and showcasing its cost-effective space program prowess.

K-Pop Stars Shine: Blackpink had a banner year, earning global recognition for environmental advocacy, topping charts with "Born Pink," and securing an influential deal with YG Entertainment. Their global impact mirrors Michelle Yeoh's historic Best Actress Oscar win.

US-China Relations: A Roller Coaster Year: Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping's face-to-face during APEC signaled progress amid a tense year marked by geopolitical confrontations, but showed potential for diplomatic "panda-plomacy."

China's Real Estate Woes Deepen: The crippling property market crisis threatened the aspirations of the middle class, with giants like Evergrande and Country Garden struggling, igniting widespread concern and rare mortgage boycotts.

Most Neglected in Asia: The year's most pressing problems fell upon displaced individuals in Myanmar and Afghan refugees, whose plights were overshadowed by global events, despite an alarming escalation in hostilities and deepening humanitarian crises.

Authors Curtis Chin, a former US ambassador and analyst Jose B. Collazo invite you to consider ways to contribute to alleviating these adversities moving forward.