The year 2013 has witnessed positive developments in some hot spot regional issues, which is clear proof that major powers in the world have enhanced their coordination and pragmatic cooperation on international issues, said an opinion piece in People's Daily on Monday.

This summer, the chaotic situation in Syria almost went from bad to worse. Luckily, the United States and Russia reached an agreement on Syria's chemical weapons issue, and the situation took a turn for the better. Now various countries and the United Nations are making moves to dispose of Syria's deadly weapons.

Positive signs have also emerged in the Iranian nuclear issue. After years of enmity, the relationship between the US and Iran has begun to thaw, and Iran and the P5+1 countries (Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany) have reached a preliminary agreement on the issue.

In the economic sector, after marathon negotiations, the World Trade Organization finally achieved a breakthrough with a package consisting of 10 documents in the areas of trade facilitation, agriculture and development.

All these positive signs show countries around the world have recognized the pressing need to resolve the major issues the world is facing today.

To a great extent, the future direction of the world order hinges on the trend of globalization. Whether to continue to dwell on the old geopolitical politics or adopt a broader vision to realize global peace and stability is a question that should have only one answer.

But although some small- and medium-sized countries have pursued a more balanced regional security framework to sustain stable development, some countries have tried to make rules in world economic cooperation frameworks to better suit their national interests through adjustments in their political and economic policies.

Amid these trends, one tendency in particular should make us alert. Some have tried to maintain their leading role in world affairs through reorganization of old powers in the name of equilibrium of power, which will only trigger an even more serious imbalance in world order.

How the system of international relations can be adapted more smoothly to the momentum of globalization and the trend toward a multipolar world is a question for people around the world to ponder in 2014 and beyond.

(China Daily 12/31/2013 page8)