https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/318199/feed The latest news on diplomacy and diplomatic events in and relating to China. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The debate over ethnic identity in Xinjiang has triggered an online clash between Chinese and Turkish social media users. The row began earlier this month when a Turkish social media user recalled an encounter with a Uygur from Xinjiang, the region in China that is home to nearly 12 million mainly Muslim Turkic speakers. The user wrote that the woman did not look Chinese, but when asked whether she considered herself Turkic, the woman responded: “No, I’m Chinese.” The user also called on her to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372077/war-words-over-xinjiang-erupts-between-chinese-and-turkish-social-media-users https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372077/war-words-over-xinjiang-erupts-between-chinese-and-turkish-social-media-users Sun, 25 Oct 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Chinese President Xi Jinping outlined Beijing’s formula for tackling African conflicts and hot-button issues during a meeting this month with visiting Togolese leader Faure Gnassingbe, framing it around four principles linking peace to development. The principles focus on African-led security free from outside intervention; upholding sovereignty and UN Charter principles; rejecting force and sanctions and favouring ceasefires through dialogue; and focusing on both immediate security concerns and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372047/will-chinas-4-peace-principles-tackling-african-conflicts-work https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372047/will-chinas-4-peace-principles-tackling-african-conflicts-work Sun, 25 Oct 2026 04:00:22 +0000 Eve Qiao Eve Qiao Young Chinese people enjoy Japanese pop culture such as anime and music, but many draw a firm line at symbols of Japanese militarism. That line was tested recently at Moscow State University, where Chinese students confronted a classmate wearing Japan’s rising sun flag in class and called for his repatriation, state-run newspaper Global Times reported on Sunday. Many countries, including China, view the flag as a symbol of Japanese militarism and aggression. Japan’s Self-Defence Forces still use... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372036/fandom-vs-flag-why-young-chinese-embrace-japanese-pop-culture-reject-war-era-symbols https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372036/fandom-vs-flag-why-young-chinese-embrace-japanese-pop-culture-reject-war-era-symbols Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Protests across France were largely peaceful on Saturday, despite heightened tensions and sporadic clashes between protesters and the police, but authorities remained on high alert as night fell. The French Interior Ministry counted 410,000 people who hit the streets across the country on Saturday, down from the 550,000 who protested last weekend. The October 17 demonstrations descended into looting and the worst urban rioting France had seen in years. A total of 249 protests took place in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372031/france-high-alert-paris-march-begins-uneasy-calm https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372031/france-high-alert-paris-march-begins-uneasy-calm Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:17:24 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Amber Wang Khushboo Razdan,Amber Wang North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the Chinese border city of Dandong on Saturday, with both sides underlining their traditional friendship and calling to boost cooperation. The trip, Kim’s first visit to China in more than a year, comes ahead of next month’s Apec summit in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, where Donald Trump and other world leaders are expected to gather. He was welcomed and accompanied on his trip by Wang Huning, China’s fourth-ranked official, according to state... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372026/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-visits-chinese-border-city-dandong https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372026/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-visits-chinese-border-city-dandong Sat, 24 Oct 2026 11:08:27 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin When Grant Newsham, a retired US Marine colonel and security analyst, sat down for an interview that aired last month, he called China’s economic rise illusory and said there were “600 million Chinese at least who live on US$5 a day or less”. His remarks quickly drew online criticism as well as accusations that he was using outdated figures from 2020 while ignoring differences in purchasing power. Some commenters argued that uneven development was common across countries. Others questioned how... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371535/washington-misreading-beijing-decline-us-visits-china-sparks-concern https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371535/washington-misreading-beijing-decline-us-visits-china-sparks-concern Sat, 24 Oct 2026 10:03:53 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Just weeks before Donald Trump’s second trip to China this year and his third meeting with President Xi Jinping, whom he has called a “truly great” friend, his administration is intensifying its crackdown on Confucius Institutes – Beijing-backed centres that promote Chinese language and culture at universities abroad. Long viewed by critics as instruments of Beijing’s soft power and cultural diplomacy, the institutes are back in the crosshairs of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who says the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372023/systematically-dismantled-hegseths-new-offensive-against-chinas-confucius-institutes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372023/systematically-dismantled-hegseths-new-offensive-against-chinas-confucius-institutes Sat, 24 Oct 2026 09:20:03 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is challenging India’s long-held dominance of the African market for antimalarial drugs in 12 of the continent’s hardest-hit countries, according to a new study. Last year, Chinese exports of antimalarial drugs reached US$89.3 million, nearly matching India’s US$89.6 million, according to Indian market research company Sol Gravitas. The gap has closed significantly since 2021, when Indian exports stood at US$121 million compared with US$62.6 million for China. Separately, the study... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371997/how-competition-between-chinese-and-indian-firms-could-reshape-africas-drug-markets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371997/how-competition-between-chinese-and-indian-firms-could-reshape-africas-drug-markets Sat, 24 Oct 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Kevin Rudd, president of the Asia Society and a former Australian prime minister, described US-China strategic competition as full-on and multidimensional at a Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics event on Friday. “There is a full-blown strategic competition under way in every dimension of national political power and influence, militarily, economically, trade and investment and technology, in foreign policy, in ideology,” said Rudd, a noted China scholar. “It’s across the world,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371990/us-china-strategic-competition-keep-escalating-world-watches-rudd-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371990/us-china-strategic-competition-keep-escalating-world-watches-rudd-says Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:29:03 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Strategic competition between China and the US and its allies is intensifying across the Pacific islands, with both sides pursuing a growing range of security agreements to expand their influence, according to an interactive mapping tool released this week by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington think tank. The tool details 56 security arrangements among 14 Pacific island countries and the US, Australia, New Zealand, mainland China and Taiwan in a bid to map... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371989/us-allies-and-china-vie-influence-through-pacific-security-deals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371989/us-allies-and-china-vie-influence-through-pacific-security-deals Fri, 23 Oct 2026 22:27:23 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Beijing has “influence” over Moscow it should use to stop the war in Ukraine, and that a proposed summit meeting of the US, Chinese and Russian leaders must not lead to the division of his war-torn country. Speaking virtually at an event hosted by Washington-based Hudson Institute think tank, Zelensky said he did not know what would be discussed at the potential meeting between US President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371987/zelensky-hopes-beijing-can-use-influence-over-moscow-help-stop-ukraine-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371987/zelensky-hopes-beijing-can-use-influence-over-moscow-help-stop-ukraine-war Fri, 23 Oct 2026 20:51:17 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has unveiled a position paper on outer space governance, prioritising the prevention of space weaponisation while calling for a global framework to protect all nations’ legitimate rights beyond Earth. Addressing the inaugural Global Governance Forum near Beijing on Friday evening, Foreign Minister Wang Yi framed the document as one of eight key actions under Beijing’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) – an overarching vision introduced by President Xi Jinping in September last year. “We... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371975/china-warns-against-space-arms-race-urges-equal-rights-all-outer-space https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371975/china-warns-against-space-arms-race-urges-equal-rights-all-outer-space Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:22:26 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan The Philippines’ dual push for stronger “minilateral” defence links and a more robust Asean security role is dividing analysts, with one calling the move “opportunistic”. Some experts view Manila’s advocacy for the “Squad” alliance as a strategic opportunity to deepen core security partnerships while chairing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Others question how much actual weight is carried by this informal defence grouping – comprising the United States, the Philippines, Japan and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371952/opportunistic-experts-weigh-manilas-minilateral-agenda-ahead-trump-xi-meeting https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371952/opportunistic-experts-weigh-manilas-minilateral-agenda-ahead-trump-xi-meeting Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union may hit more Chinese industries with quotas or tariffs before further negotiations with Beijing, the bloc’s trade chief said on Friday, naming plastics as a sector in which investigations are advanced. Maros Sefcovic said that when the bloc needs to move quickly to protect its industries, it will consider safeguards, which allow emergency measures to curb surges in imports, instead of engaging in longer negotiations. “We clearly will have to put it in order, prioritise, and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371962/france-certain-united-front-germany-pushed-china-hybrid-car-deal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371962/france-certain-united-front-germany-pushed-china-hybrid-car-deal Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Caroline Lin Caroline Lin Internet users in China are watching the protests in France with a mix of geopolitical cynicism, domestic pride and sadness at the damage to French landmarks. The protests started in September, when students and teachers in southeastern Paris rallied against deteriorating school conditions. Those specific grievances quickly escalated into nationwide protests at the rising cost of living and declining public services. What began as peaceful marches has since dissolved into violence, with rioters... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371813/what-do-protests-france-look-china-internet-users-weigh https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371813/what-do-protests-france-look-china-internet-users-weigh Fri, 23 Oct 2026 04:00:30 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Chinese state media has called for a Japanese telecoms firm to apologise to China over a huge wildfire in neighbouring Mongolia, as diplomatic tensions run high between Beijing and Tokyo. The grassland fire broke out on October 8 and burned about 80 per cent of a nature reserve on the Mongolia-China border. According to Japanese media reports, the company, KDDI, has acknowledged that the fire was linked to activities involving its majority-owned subsidiary MobiCom – the largest mobile network... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371856/chinese-state-media-takes-aim-japanese-firm-kddi-over-mongolia-wildfire https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371856/chinese-state-media-takes-aim-japanese-firm-kddi-over-mongolia-wildfire Fri, 23 Oct 2026 02:57:23 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The Asia Society announced on Thursday that it had marked out territory on the Washington policy landscape with the purchase of a US$17.5 million building that will give it a permanent spot alongside other US capital think tanks dating back more than a century, striving for influence. The 70-year-old institution, founded by the grandson of oil mogul John D. Rockefeller, has focused more on public policy in recent years, in addition to its traditional focus on arts, culture and education, under... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371837/asia-society-announces-new-permanent-home-historic-washington-building https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371837/asia-society-announces-new-permanent-home-historic-washington-building Thu, 22 Oct 2026 23:05:58 +0000 Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan Nayan Seth,Khushboo Razdan The Philippine ambassador to the United States signalled possible meetings of the “Squad” bloc ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Manila, as Washington confirmed that the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue would hold its first leaders’ summit in more than two years on the sidelines of the regional talks. An informal defence grouping, the “Squad” forms part of a US-led regional strategy to counter China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. It comprises the US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3371804/quad-confirmed-manila-envoy-signals-likely-squad-talks-trump-xi-summit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3371804/quad-confirmed-manila-envoy-signals-likely-squad-talks-trump-xi-summit Thu, 22 Oct 2026 15:00:05 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Less than two weeks after Brussels and Beijing struck a surprise deal to avert an escalating trade dispute, their fragile rapprochement has descended into a battle over who blinked first. In Brussels and Berlin, officials are emboldened by what they consider proof that collective EU pressure can force Chinese concessions. Rather than resting on their laurels, they are cooking up a fresh batch of trade restrictions. Beijing, on the other hand, has bristled at the idea that it can be strong-armed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371807/who-blinked-first-fragile-eu-china-trade-peace-sparks-new-war-words https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371807/who-blinked-first-fragile-eu-china-trade-peace-sparks-new-war-words Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:18 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang In its first formal statement with a Red Sea nation on the fallout from the US-Iran war, China said in a joint communique with Djibouti that it backs “constructive efforts” to ensure international shipping lanes are safe and open. The statement on Thursday was released a day after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Djiboutian counterpart Abdoulkader Houssein Omar met in Beijing. “The two sides emphasised the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371811/china-urges-opening-bab-al-mandeb-first-joint-statement-regional-nation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371811/china-urges-opening-bab-al-mandeb-first-joint-statement-regional-nation Thu, 22 Oct 2026 11:39:20 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Social unrest in France is not deterring some Chinese students from pursuing studies there – at least for now. Despite nationwide demonstrations over the rising cost of living and declining public services escalating into violence over the weekend, prospective applicants said they remained committed to their academic plans. A 30-year-old woman from Guangdong province who gave only her family name as Wang said she had obtained a student visa and planned to proceed with a language programme in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371783/chinese-students-stand-france-study-plans-despite-widespread-civil-unrest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371783/chinese-students-stand-france-study-plans-despite-widespread-civil-unrest Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:21:10 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen The social unrest roiling France is being closely watched for a possible spillover effect beyond the country’s borders that could reshape European politics, Chinese analysts said. The crisis is a major stress test for French politicians as they navigate deep-seated economic and societal tensions in the run-up to the country’s presidential election in April next year, according to the analysts. A critical question was whether the riots would subside quickly or escalate into prolonged instability,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371674/why-chinese-pundits-say-frances-riots-could-reshape-european-politics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371674/why-chinese-pundits-say-frances-riots-could-reshape-european-politics Thu, 22 Oct 2026 04:00:42 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China on Wednesday condemned an arrest warrant issued in the US state of Florida for former Cuban president Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian planes, accusing the United States of using the courts to pressure Havana. Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning was asked about the warrant by the state-run Global Times at a regular briefing in Beijing. She referred to the 95-year-old as “comrade Raul Castro”, a “venerated” leader held in high international esteem. Mao said China opposed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371697/comrade-raul-beijing-defends-cubas-ex-leader-over-florida-murder-warrant https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371697/comrade-raul-beijing-defends-cubas-ex-leader-over-florida-murder-warrant Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:02:27 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China has allowed the Philippines to resupply a grounded warship on a disputed South China Sea reef, the coastguard said on Wednesday, as tension remains high over the Chinese ambassador’s controversial comment. The Philippines delivered necessities to its warship BRP Sierra Madre grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal on Wednesday, “with permission from the Chinese side”, the China Coast Guard said in a statement. “The China Coast Guard conducted confirmation checks and maintained full supervision... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371693/china-says-it-allowed-philippines-resupply-warship-amid-diplomatic-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371693/china-says-it-allowed-philippines-resupply-warship-amid-diplomatic-tensions Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:57:34 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Just two weeks before the US midterm elections, Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he did not believe America would maintain its lead over China in frontier AI indefinitely, describing restrictions on advanced chips as Washington’s key leverage. “I don’t believe for one second that we’re going to maintain a lead over Chinese frontier models forever. But we should for as long as we can,” said Himes at a Brookings Institution event in Washington. “And the one... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371692/top-democrat-says-chip-restrictions-are-key-lever-us-ai-edge-over-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371692/top-democrat-says-chip-restrictions-are-key-lever-us-ai-edge-over-china Wed, 21 Oct 2026 20:36:57 +0000 Han Li,Zhang Tong Han Li,Zhang Tong Virginia Tech is accelerating the closure of a joint undergraduate programme with China’s Xidian University, bringing forward the end of a partnership that it had previously planned to keep running until 2029, according to a university spokesperson and a copy of an official letter reviewed by the South China Morning Post. This decision comes as the Pentagon’s push to tighten oversight of US universities’ research ties with China has led to more than 80 termination-related actions across 30... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371690/us-colleges-scale-back-cooperation-chinese-institutions-after-pentagons-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371690/us-colleges-scale-back-cooperation-chinese-institutions-after-pentagons-push Wed, 21 Oct 2026 19:38:29 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Europe should work with Beijing to develop shipping through the Arctic rather than trying to advance its transatlantic security alliance by framing China as a threat linked to Russia. That was the assessment of Chinese analysts following the release of the European Union’s Arctic policy on Tuesday. In addition to identifying Russia as its main threat, the policy warns of Beijing’s growing strategic ambitions in the European Arctic through its deepening alignment with Moscow. “With our new... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371670/china-russia-allied-arctic-threat-europe-or-potential-polar-partner https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371670/china-russia-allied-arctic-threat-europe-or-potential-polar-partner Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:00:14 +0000 Albert Bakhtizin Albert Bakhtizin As turbulence grows in many countries, it is tempting to ask if there is a global hegemon that can sort everything out fairly. US President Donald Trump has threatened that his country would not defend Nato allies if they failed to spend enough on their defence. Together with new trade barriers, his words suggest that the US is scaling back its ambitions for global leadership and concentrating more on its own region. Our latest projections of national strength for 2027 take into account... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371409/can-china-turn-national-power-world-leadership https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371409/can-china-turn-national-power-world-leadership Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Ruairidh J. Brown Ruairidh J. Brown Getting relations with China right is widely seen as Britain’s epoch-defining challenge. It is also one it is woefully unprepared to face. So concluded a recent audit by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which highlighted that top negotiators lacked basic Chinese language skills. More critically, it exposed a deeper deficit: a poor grasp of China spanning political elites and the public alike. This is rooted in a desk-bound classroom sinology rather than a nuanced appreciation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371392/burnhams-britain-can-learn-trump-engaging-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371392/burnhams-britain-can-learn-trump-engaging-china Wed, 21 Oct 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Zhang Tong Lucy Quaggin,Zhang Tong The United States is lulling itself into a “sense of false security” over its military rivalry with China, according to a Republican senator who called for more spending on modern warfare systems and closer cooperation with allies. Speaking at the Hudson Institute after a recent trip to Japan and South Korea, Dave McCormick, a Pennsylvania senator and West Point graduate, claimed up to 90 per cent of US defence spending funded decades-old equipment and technologies. “We convince ourselves; we... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371555/china-close-matching-us-spending-new-way-war-republican-senator-warns https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371555/china-close-matching-us-spending-new-way-war-republican-senator-warns Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:12:30 +0000 Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan Dewey Sim,Khushboo Razdan While US President Donald Trump has said he is open to sitting down with Chinese and Russian counterparts Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the Apec summit, it remains far from certain that the three leaders will actually meet in a few weeks. Observers said much would depend on whether the countries could agree on an agenda, with one expert describing this as a “critical lever”. Russia was set to gain most if the trilateral meeting took place, experts said, as the summit would be a potent symbol... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371544/will-xi-trump-putin-meet-apec-first-they-must-agree-agenda https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371544/will-xi-trump-putin-meet-apec-first-they-must-agree-agenda Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:00:07 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan A Chinese student who draped himself in the Japanese rising sun flag in a Russian university classroom has been expelled and asked to leave the country, according to state-run newspaper Global Times. The flag was used by the Japanese military during its imperial expansion and is still used by Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force. It remains a symbol of Japanese militarism and aggression in China and other parts of Asia. Moscow State University made the decision after the student was criticised by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371475/student-sent-back-china-over-japanese-rising-sun-flag-incident-russia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371475/student-sent-back-china-over-japanese-rising-sun-flag-incident-russia Tue, 20 Oct 2026 07:00:58 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has lodged a formal representation with the UK after British border authorities subjected Chinese citizens to extended questioning and seizures of personal electronic devices, including mobile phones. According to a statement from China’s embassy in Britain, multiple Chinese nationals – including trade delegates, tourists and people visiting relatives – have experienced long delays, as well as questioning by Border Force officers and confiscation of phones and other devices. The embassy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371459/china-protests-uk-border-searches-phone-seizures-amid-growing-espionage-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371459/china-protests-uk-border-searches-phone-seizures-amid-growing-espionage-tensions Tue, 20 Oct 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong The US State Department announced on Monday that it was imposing sweeping sanctions under the Protecting American Intellectual Property Act (PAIPA) on five Chinese entities suspected of stealing trade secrets from American companies. The targets include Shanghai Zhisuan Technology, founded by former Google software engineer Ding Linwei, venture capital firm MiraclePlus and three related entities. Ding was convicted of seven counts of trade secret theft in January. A federal judge subsequently... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371434/us-sanctions-5-chinese-entities-over-ex-google-engineers-ai-trade-secrets-theft https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371434/us-sanctions-5-chinese-entities-over-ex-google-engineers-ai-trade-secrets-theft Mon, 19 Oct 2026 22:36:07 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth The US and China are racing to secure concrete investment deals ahead of their leaders’ meeting in Shenzhen next month, even as both sides engage in a contest over leverage in extending their broad trade agreement. Multiple sources told the South China Morning Post that intense negotiations would continue in coming weeks, with Washington and Beijing still facing hurdles to finalising a complex package of institutional frameworks and economic agreements. The sources, who spoke on condition of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371413/us-china-negotiators-race-nail-down-concrete-deals-shenzhen-apec-looms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371413/us-china-negotiators-race-nail-down-concrete-deals-shenzhen-apec-looms Mon, 19 Oct 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Asian-Americans are laser-focused on the economy and healthcare costs and increasingly disenchanted with US President Donald Trump and his Republican Party leading into the highly consequential November 3 midterm elections, according to a survey released on Monday. While the general trend among Asian-American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) mirrors the broader US electorate, the minority community’s views are frequently more pronounced, seen in part because they have been the object of more raids,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3371430/asian-americans-trust-trump-fading-economic-woes-increase-survey-finds https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/politics/article/3371430/asian-americans-trust-trump-fading-economic-woes-increase-survey-finds Mon, 19 Oct 2026 21:26:43 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump said on Monday he was open to a three-way meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to China next month, with nuclear weapons on the agenda. “We would have it to talk about nuclear weapons and denuclearisation,” Trump told reporters outside the White House before travelling to Kansas. “If President Xi wants to have it, I’d have it.” Trump said the proposed meeting was his suggestion and linked it to his November... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371428/trump-says-hes-open-xi-putin-meeting-china-nuclear-talks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/article/3371428/trump-says-hes-open-xi-putin-meeting-china-nuclear-talks Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:20:55 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Honduran migration officials have summoned or placed under review 41 Chinese nationals after inspecting shops in the capital and a hospital being built by a state-owned contractor from China in the south of the country. Teams from the National Migration Institute, working with police and intelligence officers, interviewed 86 Chinese citizens at 54 shops in Comayaguela, Tegucigalpa’s twin city and main commercial district, and told 25 of them to report for further document checks. Migration... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371425/honduras-targets-chinese-shops-and-state-builder-president-sits-taiwan-pledge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371425/honduras-targets-chinese-shops-and-state-builder-president-sits-taiwan-pledge Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:43:05 +0000 Han Li Han Li The US State Department has added a “wrongful detention” warning to its travel advisory for China, alerting Americans to the risk of being detained arbitrarily under Chinese law. On Monday, the official China travel advisory added the “D” risk indicator for wrongful detention, while maintaining the country’s overall advisory level at Level 2, or “Exercise Increased Caution”. The advisory urges Americans travelling to mainland China to exercise caution due to the “arbitrary enforcement of local... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371422/us-adds-wrongful-detention-warning-americans-travelling-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371422/us-adds-wrongful-detention-warning-americans-travelling-china Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:16:04 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Beijing’s ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan has denied making threats after he was summoned over his recent comments that China could “easily win” a war between the two countries. Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Jing on Monday to express “serious concern and strong objections” over his “provocative and unacceptable” language. Lazaro added that he had aggravated an already sensitive situation and undermined efforts to build mutual understanding between the two countries,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371399/chinese-ambassador-denies-threatening-philippines-after-saying-war-may-prove-easy-win https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371399/chinese-ambassador-denies-threatening-philippines-after-saying-war-may-prove-easy-win Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:43:05 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The People’s Liberation Army has criticised a Chinese student who reportedly wore the Japanese rising sun flag in a classroom at a Russian university, accusing him of whitewashing Japanese militarism. The flag, which is still used by the Self-Defence Forces, is widely seen as a symbol of Japanese militarism and aggression in many countries, including China. “Regardless of which country or campus one is in, advocating for militarism is an explicit offence against human conscience and is held in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371379/pla-hits-out-chinese-student-accused-wearing-japanese-rising-sun-flag-classroom https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371379/pla-hits-out-chinese-student-accused-wearing-japanese-rising-sun-flag-classroom Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:07:34 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage About 300km (186 miles) south of Dar es Salaam and near the ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani, the fishing town of Kilwa Masoko has a new port designed to accommodate fishing vessels far larger than the boats that have long worked this stretch of Tanzania’s coast. The fishing port had passed its completion inspection, China’s ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said last week, while hailing it Tanzania’s first large-scale modern fishing harbour. Designed to land 60,000 tonnes of fish a year, it aims to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371347/how-us110-million-fishing-harbour-tanzania-serves-chinas-food-and-security-goals https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371347/how-us110-million-fishing-harbour-tanzania-serves-chinas-food-and-security-goals Mon, 19 Oct 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Katie Zacharia may have lasted just five days as the White House press secretary but still managed to set off a diplomatic incident with China. In an interview with a conservative commentator on Thursday, Zacharia referred to China as a place that “doesn’t even have proper toilets”. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning responded a day later with a smile and a brief, pointed invitation. “We welcome her to visit China more often when she has the opportunity,” said Mao, a veteran... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371317/katie-zacharia-and-mao-ning-study-contrasts-us-and-china-media-strategies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371317/katie-zacharia-and-mao-ning-study-contrasts-us-and-china-media-strategies Sun, 18 Oct 2026 13:30:09 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage By the time the Chinese navy hospital ship had docked in the Guinean capital Conakry earlier this month, patients were already queuing for free consultations. The queues in front of the Auspicious Ark were so long that some people were told to come back the next day, according to Guinean media reports. The ship, operated by the PLA Navy, offers a range of medical services wherever it stops, including surgery to treat cataracts, appendicitis and hernias as well as gynaecological care. On this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China has condemned Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for sending a ritual offering to Tokyo’s war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, a move that threatens to further strain ties between the neighbours. At the start of Yasukuni’s three-day autumn festival on Saturday, Takaichi sent a ritual tree-stand offering to the shrine in her capacity as prime minister, although she did not visit in person. Minoru Kiuchi, minister in charge of economic growth strategy, visited the controversial site the same day,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371294/china-slams-japans-takaichi-over-yasukuni-ritual-offering-warns-remilitarisation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371294/china-slams-japans-takaichi-over-yasukuni-ritual-offering-warns-remilitarisation Sun, 18 Oct 2026 07:58:01 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for deeper cooperation with Uzbekistan in areas such as minerals and artificial intelligence (AI) as Beijing vies with Washington for influence in Central Asia. Li told President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Saturday that Beijing was ready to strengthen strategic communication and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan. He urged the two countries to step up cooperation in energy, minerals, finance and connectivity, and deepen collaboration in fields... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371285/china-moves-cement-ties-uzbekistan-amid-tussle-us-central-asian-influence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371285/china-moves-cement-ties-uzbekistan-amid-tussle-us-central-asian-influence Sun, 18 Oct 2026 05:12:38 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen In Kazakhstan’s futuristic capital Astana, car dealer Auyez Kabdygali is planning a big change to his business as he switches from importing European cars to Chinese electric vehicles. Kabdygali says there is increasing demand for Chinese EVs both from locals and Russian customers due to their competitive price and quality. His grandfather is among the converts – he has an order in for a BYD Han, the carmaker’s flagship model, and plans to collect it from a terminal on the border with China and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371232/beyond-evs-and-perception-how-china-gaining-ground-central-asia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371232/beyond-evs-and-perception-how-china-gaining-ground-central-asia Sat, 17 Oct 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang China’s embassy in Thailand has warned citizens to carefully plan their trips and pay extra attention to transport security following a string of high-profile kidnappings targeting Chinese nationals. Online influencers and artists were also advised to remain vigilant against high-paying job scams operating in Thailand in the latest such warning issued on Friday. There have been a number of high-profile incidents in recent months in which online celebrities and travellers were kidnapped in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371266/chinas-embassy-issues-fresh-thailand-travel-warning-over-kidnappings-job-scams https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371266/chinas-embassy-issues-fresh-thailand-travel-warning-over-kidnappings-job-scams Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Donald Trump was apparently captivated by the “beautiful” roses in the garden of the Communist Party’s leadership compound when he visited Beijing in May. It was a relaxed moment between the US and Chinese leaders – otherwise locked in disputes ranging from trade to technology and Taiwan – that led to a new opportunity for gift diplomacy between the rival powers. Strolling around the former imperial garden at Zhongnanhai with Xi Jinping, Trump was so taken with a China rose variety in bloom that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371233/coming-roses-how-trump-planted-new-seed-chinese-gift-diplomacy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371233/coming-roses-how-trump-planted-new-seed-chinese-gift-diplomacy Sat, 17 Oct 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian China and the Philippines recently traded accusations over the medical evacuation of a Philippine serviceman from a grounded naval vessel in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident has sparked renewed worries about potential armed skirmishes in a global artery of trade. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was also quick to emphasise the economic dimensions of a major conflict. After a decade of rapid economic growth, the Philippines is facing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3370775/philippines-china-free-manufacturing-strategy-high-risk-bet Sat, 17 Oct 2026 01:30:09 +0000