An injured man is wheeled into a Nairobi hospital on September 21, after masked gunmen stormed the Westgate Mall (XINHUA/AFP)

Terrorism Remains Rampant

The terrorism situation is looking increasingly grim across the world. In 2013, the world was shocked by a number of horrific terror attacks. The Boston Marathon saw the detonation of roadside bombs on April 15, killing three people and injuring over 200. The Boston bombing was the first serious terrorist attack against civilian targets in the United States since the September 11 attacks in 2011.

In Kenya, Somali al-Shabaab militants assaulted the Westgate Mall in Nairobi on September 21. The shopping mall terror attack led to the deaths of 72 people during a four-day siege, ending in the terrorists eventually being defeated by Kenyan security forces. The incident reminded the world that it must review counterterrorism measures in order to overcome transnational security challenges.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces troops stage their annual military parade in Saitama Prefecture on October 27 (MA PING)

Right-Leaning Japan Arouses Concern

Over the past year, the Japanese Government has adhered to a hard-line stance toward its territorial dispute with China over the Diaoyu Islands, refusing to repair bilateral relations damaged by Tokyo's "nationalization" of some of the islands in September 2012. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's right-leaning actions and statements, such as attempting to revise Japan's war-renouncing Constitution, donating to the Yasukuni Shrine, where war criminals are honored alongside fallen soldiers, and beefing up the country's military muscle stoked concern in the region and beyond.

Viewers in Seoul watch a TV news program about North Korea's third nuclear test on February 12 (XINHUA)

Nuclear Test Shocks the Korean Peninsula

North Korea announced that it had successfully conducted its third underground nuclear test on February 12. After the UN Security Council passed a resolution on March 7 condemning the test, Pyongyang issued a series of strong statements including declaring a "state of war" with South Korea, heightening tensions on the peninsula.