With the progress of science and technology and the development of economy and society, the driving factors affecting the evolution of geopolitical situation have changed significantly. Firstly, advances in information technology and the birth of high- speed transportation means have changed traditional geographical relations and regional connection. Distance influence is less than before. Secondly, individuals, non-governmental organizations and other relatively weak geopolitical gamers' play a more important role by means of the information technology and the Internet. Thirdly, on the background of economic globalization, the economic interests of the status has a higher position in national strategies, geopolitical conflict logic is being replaced with geo- economic competition logic; Fourthly, new factors, such as climate change, new energy and low-carbon economy, impact on geopolitical situation are increasing significantly; Fifthly, carbon emission rights and human rights, so called virtual resources, have become a new geopolitical competitive object. Geopolitical studies have expanded to social, cultural, emotional and gender issues. Under the action of the driving forces, some new trends of geopolitical development and research emerged: (1) Geopolitical studies pay more attention to global issues and research perspective is shifting from the view of nation to the view of humanity. The traditional concept of state sovereignty is seriously being challenged. (2) Competition objects expand from physical resources of land, energy, mineral resources and offshore strategic channels to the information rights, carbon emission rights and other relative virtual resources. (3) Renewable and unconventional energy, like liquid bio-fuels and shale gas will play a very important role in future geopolitical evolution, and the Arctic is the new focus of geopolitical competition. (4) By criticizing traditional geopolitics, the research content expands to the so- called "low politics" issues, such as culture, gender and emotion. Integration of geopolitics and geo- economy, geo- culture is becoming a trend. (5) Research methods of geopolitics are from qualitative analysis, semi- quantitative model to quantitative model. (6) With the growth of political and military power, China has become an important force to change the global geopolitical pattern, which brings opportunities for the geopolitical study, especially for the Chinese studies.