https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/503071/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing and Moscow vowed deeper maritime and logistical cooperation to protect shipping lanes and energy supplies, as China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Nikolai Patrushev, chairman of the Russian Maritime Board in the Chinese capital on Monday. “China stands ready to work with Russia to align maritime strategies and leverage their complementary strengths to protect each other’s legitimate maritime interests,” Wang said, according to a foreign ministry statement released late on Monday. The two... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370690/china-russia-deepen-maritime-and-arctic-logistics-ties-secure-energy-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370690/china-russia-deepen-maritime-and-arctic-logistics-ties-secure-energy-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 07:00:07 +0000 Dewey Sim,Alyssa Chen Dewey Sim,Alyssa Chen China is likely to view the latest US dealings with Russia as “transactional”, according to observers, who said Beijing was likely to wait and see what the longer-term impact would be given the possibility that Donald Trump might abruptly change course again. The US president announced that under a deal with Vladimir Putin, Russia would “immediately” supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets. He wrote on social media that another 500,000 tonnes would follow in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370620/why-china-likely-be-cautious-about-recent-trump-putin-diesel-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370620/why-china-likely-be-cautious-about-recent-trump-putin-diesel-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Russia is looking to expand shipbuilding cooperation with China through technology partnerships and joint investment, visiting presidential aide and Maritime Board chairman Nikolai Patrushev said. Patrushev held talks in Beijing with Ke Jixin, Chinese vice-minister of industry and information technology, the Russian Maritime Board said in a statement on Saturday. It said the two sides discussed the possibility of Chinese shipbuilders becoming technology partners and equipment suppliers for new... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370497/putin-aide-looks-boost-russian-shipbuilding-ties-china-during-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370497/putin-aide-looks-boost-russian-shipbuilding-ties-china-during-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang An aide to Russia’s president arrived in China on Thursday for a visit that will be closely watched for signs of preparation for a possible trilateral summit with the US during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting next month. Nikolai Patrushev, who is also chairman of Russia’s Maritime Board, was set to hold talks with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday. Leading a delegation that included representatives from government... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370170/kremlin-aide-visits-china-amid-speculation-about-potential-xi-putin-trump-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370170/kremlin-aide-visits-china-amid-speculation-about-potential-xi-putin-trump-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:00:10 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese troops have taken part in a mass multinational exercise in Russia featuring new anti-drone and ground robot systems – drills that Russian state media said “applied lessons” from the Ukraine war. The troops were among more than 47,000 military personnel involved in the Tsentr-2026 – or Centre-2026 – drills in the central western Chelyabinsk region from Monday until Saturday. The Russian Ministry of Defence said the strategic command-and-staff exercise applied combat lessons from the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369657/chinese-troops-line-russias-tsentr-2026-exercise-military-ties-tighten?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369657/chinese-troops-line-russias-tsentr-2026-exercise-military-ties-tighten?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The US has conducted a non-nuclear underground experiment to enhance its ability to detect low-yield nuclear explosions that it explicitly linked with a test that Washington suspects China carried out in 2020 – an accusation Beijing denies. The US Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) conducted a “subsurface, non-nuclear chemical high-explosive” experiment at the Nevada National Security Site, which it said aimed to “increase the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369638/us-blast-simulation-targets-chinas-alleged-secret-nuclear-testing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369638/us-blast-simulation-targets-chinas-alleged-secret-nuclear-testing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:38:41 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The new US-Denmark-Greenland security agreement could narrow China’s room to engage in the Arctic – particularly in resource-rich Greenland – and potentially push Beijing closer to Russia, Chinese experts on the matter said. According to observers, the deal – signed on Tuesday – could have the broader effect of accelerating the securitisation of the Arctic and making Western Arctic states more cautious about cooperation with China. But it would be unlikely to significantly disrupt China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368889/why-us-deal-greenland-could-narrow-chinas-arctic-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368889/why-us-deal-greenland-could-narrow-chinas-arctic-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Zhengxu Wang Zhengxu Wang On September 12, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Brics summit in New Delhi. In their talks, Xi said China approached the relationship “from a strategic and long-term perspective”. He called for an objective and rational “strategic” perception. That means the two sides should treat each other as partners rather than rivals, and as opportunities rather than threats. In Chinese official and diplomatic language, the term “strategic” is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3367441/what-china-really-means-when-it-says-its-being-strategic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3367441/what-china-really-means-when-it-says-its-being-strategic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US President Donald Trump on Friday signed a new sanctions bill into law that targets Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India – just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Washington for a state visit. The White House issued a brief statement, saying that the President had “signed into law” the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” which “authorises and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia and extends existing sanctions on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3368079/trump-signs-bill-targeting-chinas-russia-energy-imports-days-xis-us-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3368079/trump-signs-bill-targeting-chinas-russia-energy-imports-days-xis-us-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 22:50:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth China on Thursday pushed back against a new US sanctions bill targeting Russia that could also have a major impact on Beijing, a major Russian energy importer. The US Congress on Wednesday passed the bill to strengthen sanctions on Moscow by targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India – just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump. “China carries out economic and trade cooperation with countries on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3367782/us-congress-passes-bill-targeting-russias-leading-energy-buyers-china-and-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3367782/us-congress-passes-bill-targeting-russias-leading-energy-buyers-china-and-india?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:50:16 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China and Russia’s negotiations regarding the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline have stalled, according to multiple sources who have knowledge of the issue, as both sides cannot bridge a big gap over gas price expectations. “China hopes to secure a price comparable to Russia’s subsidised residential rate, around US$50/thousand cubic metres, or at least the domestic industrial rate of about US$120-130/thousand cubic metres,” said one source, who asked for anonymity due to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366888/power-siberia-2-pipeline-talks-stall-over-china-russia-price-dispute-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3366888/power-siberia-2-pipeline-talks-stall-over-china-russia-price-dispute-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Sep 2026 11:00:06 +0000 Carol Yang,Cao Jiaxuan Carol Yang,Cao Jiaxuan As Beijing and Moscow double down on the Arctic shipping route, Europe is hitting the brakes. Despite being the main destination for goods along the route and accounting for most of the world’s shipping giants, Europe opposes the commercialisation of Arctic transits, wary of fragile polar ecosystems and navigational risks amid rising anxiety over Russia and China’s closer polar collaboration. “In Europe, cooperation between China and Russia on container shipping is often viewed as another... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366324/why-eu-giving-arctic-shipping-cold-shoulder-china-and-russia-push-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366324/why-eu-giving-arctic-shipping-cold-shoulder-china-and-russia-push-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has issued its first dedicated declaration on nuclear safety and security, condemning attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities and outlining practical cooperation, amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme and wider questions of global nuclear governance. The document was adopted on Tuesday at the bloc’s 25th anniversary summit in Bishkek by leaders of all 10 member states – China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366108/sco-takes-landmark-stand-nuclear-security-iran-comes-under-renewed-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366108/sco-takes-landmark-stand-nuclear-security-iran-comes-under-renewed-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:00:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A senior Russian aide suggested on Tuesday that Chinese President Xi Jinping, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could hold a trilateral meeting at the next Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit. Leaders of the 21-member grouping are scheduled to meet in Shenzhen, the Chinese economic powerhouse in southern China, on November 18 and 19, setting up the possibility of Xi and Trump meeting four times this year. Asked on Russian state television about ⁠the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366039/xi-trump-and-putin-may-hold-trilateral-meeting-next-apec-forum-kremlin-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366039/xi-trump-and-putin-may-hold-trilateral-meeting-next-apec-forum-kremlin-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:53:01 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation should take on a bigger global role in technology and security, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday, describing the Eurasian bloc as having vast potential. At the SCO’s summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Xi said the group had shown “strong vitality” since its founding 25 years ago amid the “sobering lessons of the Cold War”. In a veiled reference to Washington’s system of military alliances, Xi said a key lesson from the bloc’s quarter of a century of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365957/xi-raises-universal-security-mission-sco-putin-modi-meet-kyrgyzstan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365957/xi-raises-universal-security-mission-sco-putin-modi-meet-kyrgyzstan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 07:32:21 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Liu Zhen Shi Jiangtao,Liu Zhen Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin both vowed to strengthen the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during their meeting on Monday, as the two countries seek to deepen strategic coordination amid mounting tensions with Washington and its allies. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Xi said the SCO has a mission to safeguard regional stability and promote regional development amid growing uncertainty and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365890/xi-putin-vow-deepen-strategic-ties-after-meeting-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365890/xi-putin-vow-deepen-strategic-ties-after-meeting-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:06:33 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou As conflicts around the world highlight the vulnerability of global shipping lanes, China and Russia are reportedly weighing the possibility of turning a vast river into an inland cargo route to the rest of the world. At the heart of this ambition is the 4,248km (2,640-mile) Irtysh River, which originates in China’s western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and runs through Kazakhstan before flowing into Russia’s Ob River and ending in the Arctic Ocean. To China, this river-to-sea shipping route... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365692/irtysh-river-choke-free-arctic-shipping-gateway-china-needs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365692/irtysh-river-choke-free-arctic-shipping-gateway-china-needs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss the Power of Siberia 2 project in a meeting in Bishkek on Monday, according to the Kremlin. The meeting in Kyrgyzstan’s capital will be their second face-to-face talks this year, following Putin’s trip to Beijing shortly after a visit there by US President Donald Trump. “The issue will be discussed bilaterally,” Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov was quoted as saying on Friday by Russian news agency... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365710/xi-putin-meet-bishkek-power-siberia-2-pipeline-talks-kremlin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365710/xi-putin-meet-bishkek-power-siberia-2-pipeline-talks-kremlin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China and Russia have signalled their willingness to boost the competitiveness of the Arctic shipping route, which is set to become more important as traditional routes between Asia and Europe remain vulnerable to disruption. Transport Minister Liu Wei and Alexey Likhachev, the director general of Rosatom – the Russian state nuclear company responsible for managing the Northern Sea Route – pledged in a video meeting on Thursday to strengthen cooperation on the route. Liu’s ministry said he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365612/china-and-russia-agree-boost-competitiveness-arctic-shipping-route?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3365612/china-and-russia-agree-boost-competitiveness-arctic-shipping-route?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong companies should accelerate their expansion into the Middle East, the Asean bloc and Central Asia to reduce their exposure to geopolitical risks, a lawmaker has said, as the US moved to disrupt immigrant-visa appointments worldwide. Jonathan Lamport, the representative for the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) in the Legislative Council, said the visa uncertainty reinforced the need for companies to broaden their overseas presence beyond traditional Western markets. “The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3365365/hong-kong-lawmaker-urges-firms-expand-middle-east-asean-amid-us-visa-pause?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3365365/hong-kong-lawmaker-urges-firms-expand-middle-east-asean-amid-us-visa-pause?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:12:22 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged China to play a “strong diplomatic role” to help end the war between Russia and Ukraine, bolstering his call by highlighting national day congratulations from Chinese President Xi Jinping. “We count on further cooperation and on China playing a strong diplomatic role in bringing Russia’s war against our country to an end,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on social media on Wednesday. “Peace can be our shared achievement.” In his posts, Zelensky... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365308/zelensky-urges-china-use-its-diplomatic-weight-end-ukraines-war-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365308/zelensky-urges-china-use-its-diplomatic-weight-end-ukraines-war-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Aug 2026 07:29:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters Six Chinese nationals were killed and nine ‌more are missing after a fire broke out at a gas chemical complex in Russia’s far eastern Amur region, the plant said on Wednesday. A total of seven people died and 152 people were treated for injuries, including 36 ⁠who were rushed to hospitals, the plant said on the Telegram ‌messaging app on Wednesday. The fire, which broke out on Tuesday, was extinguished, it added. An emergency services ‌plane had arrived to transport the injured to other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365253/industrial-fire-kills-3-including-2-chinese-citizens-russias-far-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365253/industrial-fire-kills-3-including-2-chinese-citizens-russias-far-east?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:32:45 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China has outlined plans to build a massive road link snaking along the country’s land borders and coastlines – an ambitious project that could boost incomes in a string of remote regions, but also provoke geopolitical and ecological risks. The project is framed as an effort to boost economic development, social stability and national unity, with the more than 25,000km (15,500-mile) route set to run through several regions with large ethnic-minority populations – including Tibet and the Xinjiang... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364884/china-building-vast-national-ring-road-circling-countrys-borderlands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3364884/china-building-vast-national-ring-road-circling-countrys-borderlands?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Emma Ma Emma Ma As the Iran war spills over into the Red Sea – a crucial chokepoint for Asia-Europe trade – China has marked a milestone by launching its first regular service through the Arctic’s Northern Sea Route (NSR), a development welcomed by Russia. The route, which runs along Russia’s northern Arctic coast, slashes travel time compared with alternative paths. A journey from Ningbo city on China’s southeast coast to Felixstowe in the United Kingdom takes just 20 days – about half the time required for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3364426/polar-pivot-china-debuts-regular-arctic-shipping-service-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3364426/polar-pivot-china-debuts-regular-arctic-shipping-service-iran-war-drags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2026 14:00:09 +0000 Junjie Wang,Haining Gao Junjie Wang,Haining Gao – https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364393/china-led-sco-counterweight-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364393/china-led-sco-counterweight-west?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:00:13 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Since Chinese container ships began plying the Northern Sea Route three years ago, the Arctic shipping lane has gained global importance. Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea later that year disrupted traffic through the Suez Canal – the fastest route between Europe and Asia – in what was the most serious conflict-driven disruption since the Arab-Israeli war nearly six decades earlier. The 5,600km (3,480-mile) Northern Sea Route spans Russia’s Arctic coast, from the Barents Sea to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3364278/why-arctic-sea-route-has-become-so-important-china-and-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/politics/article/3364278/why-arctic-sea-route-has-become-so-important-china-and-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Albee Zhang Albee Zhang Vladimir Putin’s unprecedented visit to the disputed southern Kuril Islands signals a broader joint effort by Moscow and Beijing to pressure Japan, according to analysts. They said the coordinated push aimed to target Tokyo over a range of friction points, including Western sanctions on Russia and Japan’s stance on Taiwan. The Russian president paid a symbolic visit to the Kurils – a volcanic chain north of Hokkaido that Japan calls the Northern Territories – on Thursday, just ahead of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3364100/what-does-first-visit-kuril-islands-vladimir-putin-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/article/3364100/what-does-first-visit-kuril-islands-vladimir-putin-mean-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:42:55 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China and Russia are becoming more ambitious in their military cooperation, with a joint patrol around Japan sending a message to Tokyo and the United States, according to analysts. Three Chinese naval vessels and a Russian Navy corvette left Qingdao in China on July 13, passing through the western Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea, as part of a 17-day joint patrol. Then on Sunday and Monday, three Chinese naval vessels – Type 055 and Type 052D... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363143/their-warships-encircle-japan-what-signals-are-china-and-russia-sending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3363143/their-warships-encircle-japan-what-signals-are-china-and-russia-sending?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Aug 2026 06:41:13 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The EU has watered down its latest round of sanctions on Moscow after concluding that banning Greek companies from transporting Russian gas to third countries could hand strategically important shipping assets to China. To remove a Greek veto against the 21st package of measures aimed at hobbling Russia’s war machine, the bloc’s member states agreed to allow EU operators to continue transporting Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to third countries for one year. Officials explained that China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361643/eu-waters-down-russia-sanctions-over-fears-china-could-seize-key-lng-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361643/eu-waters-down-russia-sanctions-over-fears-china-could-seize-key-lng-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:56:19 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Plans for a fifth cross-border railway linking China and Russia are taking shape as regional officials move to further cement trade and broader collaboration while geopolitical volatility pushes the two countries closer together. Last week, the government of the northernmost province bordering Russia – Heilongjiang – issued a tender notice for the feasibility study and preliminary design of a new cross-border railway. The line aims to connect the Chinese city of Heihe with Blagoveshchensk, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3361346/china-russia-plan-fifth-rail-link-keep-trade-chugging-along-harsh-winter-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3361346/china-russia-plan-fifth-rail-link-keep-trade-chugging-along-harsh-winter-months?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 10:30:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China has rejected Japanese reports that a PLA Navy ship conducted a live-fire drill within its exclusive economic zone on the weekend, saying Tokyo’s claims to the zone are illegal. Japan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that the People’s Liberation Army vessel was one of three conducting exercises with a Russian navy ship in the Pacific on Sunday. It said that at one point the Chinese ship conducted a live-fire drill about 180km (112 miles) southwest of Okinotori Island and within Japan’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361291/japan-says-chinese-and-russian-warships-held-live-fire-drills-within-its-eez?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3361291/japan-says-chinese-and-russian-warships-held-live-fire-drills-within-its-eez?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2026 04:00:20 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Igor Patrick Teresa Elena Frontado,Igor Patrick The United States has accused China of operating three intelligence-gathering facilities in Cuba and sharply expanding its personnel on the island, portraying Havana as a strategic platform for Beijing to monitor American military activity. A State Department report released on Monday said China maintained a “persistent intelligence-gathering presence” in Cuba, whose location gives Beijing potential access to electronic communications, military installations and maritime activity in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361264/us-claims-3-china-linked-spy-sites-cuba-monitoring-american-military-activity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361264/us-claims-3-china-linked-spy-sites-cuba-monitoring-american-military-activity?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:32:46 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic China and Russia are not formal allies, but their ties have grown significantly closer in recent years. The two countries have been “comprehensive strategic partners of coordination for a new era” since 2019, often sharing the goal of countering Western dominance in the international arena. But which nation holds the upper hand in this relationship? Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, commenting on an article in The Wall Street Journal on relations between Moscow and Beijing, said on July 14 that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3360649/can-russia-and-china-ever-have-truly-equal-relationship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3360649/can-russia-and-china-ever-have-truly-equal-relationship?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:30:04 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin The United States’ nominee for director of national intelligence told lawmakers on Wednesday he could be “extremely helpful” in shaping economic strategy with China during a confirmation hearing that framed Beijing as a leading economic and geopolitical challenge. Jay Clayton, the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, appeared before the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on his nomination, where he was questioned on several key intelligence issues. When pressed on the top three threats... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3360726/trump-intelligence-pick-play-helpful-role-agreeing-economic-strategy-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3360726/trump-intelligence-pick-play-helpful-role-agreeing-economic-strategy-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2026 20:14:57 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union has accused China – along with Russia – of trying to “reshape the global order in line with their interests” and “fostering a return to a sphere-of-influence logic”, in an explosive new position paper that contains some of the bloc’s strongest ever official criticism of Beijing. The paper, which was adopted by the EU’s 27 foreign ministers on Monday without any announcement, accuses Beijing of being both a “key enabler” and “crucial enabler” of Russia’s war on Ukraine,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3360723/eu-accuses-china-seeking-reshape-global-order-stark-new-strategy-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3360723/eu-accuses-china-seeking-reshape-global-order-stark-new-strategy-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:46:00 +0000 Hao Nan Hao Nan On July 6, a Chinese strategic nuclear submarine fired a missile carrying a training dummy warhead into a designated area of the Pacific. Beijing described the launch as routine, said relevant countries had been notified and insisted that it targeted no state. The regional reaction was immediate, with Australia, Japan, the United States and Pacific nations raising concerns around insufficient notification and the politics of nuclear-free zones. Those reactions matter because they show how far... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3360326/chinas-missile-test-reveals-fragile-state-world-nuclear-governance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3360326/chinas-missile-test-reveals-fragile-state-world-nuclear-governance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jul 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang Chinese and Russian military personnel will be put through their submarine rescue paces in naval exercises this week, with Beijing hoping to gain operational experience from its strategic partner as competition heats up beneath the seas. The Joint Sea-2026 exercise between the two navies began in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Monday, underscoring deepening military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow since the annual drills were launched in 2012. The exercise coincided with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359880/china-eyes-russian-naval-expertise-yellow-sea-submarine-rescue-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359880/china-eyes-russian-naval-expertise-yellow-sea-submarine-rescue-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:16:35 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Nato and its Indo-Pacific partners have pledged to expand cooperation in defence industry and advanced technology as the transatlantic security alliance boosts its military build-up in the face of deepening Russia-China ties. Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday met with top officials from the Indo-Pacific Four (IP4) partner nations – Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea – on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Ankara. The talks featured South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359861/nato-indo-pacific-4-pledge-defence-tech-boost-deeper-china-russia-ties-spark-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359861/nato-indo-pacific-4-pledge-defence-tech-boost-deeper-china-russia-ties-spark-alarm?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:10:28 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Nato cannot be “naive” about China’s military development, as the Indo-Pacific and European theatres are becoming “more intertwined”, evident in Beijing’s support for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, Nato’s secretary general has said. During a pre-summit press conference on Monday, a day before the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte responded to questions about a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine firing a test missile into the Pacific. Rutte said that Nato... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3359642/nato-cant-be-naive-about-china-it-ramps-military-might-rutte-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3359642/nato-cant-be-naive-about-china-it-ramps-military-might-rutte-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:06:52 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Russian naval vessels arrived in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Sunday ahead of joint maritime drills. They include the Varyag, a Slava-class guided-missile “carrier-killer” cruiser, as well as the Ufa, a diesel-electric attack submarine, the naval arm of the People’s Liberation Army Northern Theatre Command wrote on social media on Sunday. A welcome ceremony was held at the dock to greet the Russian forces, who starting on Monday, will be taking part in the annual Joint Sea... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359479/russian-warships-dock-chinese-port-ahead-joint-sea-exercises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3359479/russian-warships-dock-chinese-port-ahead-joint-sea-exercises?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jul 2026 10:53:22 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The Nato summit beginning on Tuesday in Turkey is expected to be low-key as European members track their progress towards increased defence spending goals and Beijing watches intently from afar. Low-key, that is, with one major caveat. Will the get-along US President Donald Trump show up, or the raging Trump who slammed the alliance, questioned its purpose and threatened repeatedly to take his military and head home? Early indications suggested it would be the raging one. “The United States... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3359228/which-trump-will-show-nato-summit-odds-are-it-will-be-fuming-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3359228/which-trump-will-show-nato-summit-odds-are-it-will-be-fuming-one?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:38:16 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China can provide “all-round” support for Ukraine’s post-war industrial recovery, Beijing’s envoy to Kyiv said while reaffirming his country’s commitment to pushing for a ceasefire and a political settlement for a conflict in its fifth year. The remarks were made by China’s ambassador to Ukraine, Ma Shengkun, in an article published by the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Tuesday, marking the 15th anniversary of the start of the China-Ukraine strategic partnership. Ma said China’s history of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3359167/china-can-help-ukraine-recover-war-and-advance-industry-ambassador-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3359167/china-can-help-ukraine-recover-war-and-advance-industry-ambassador-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:00:08 +0000 dpa dpa Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has visited Russia and then China following a series of public exchanges with Ukraine, meeting President Xi Jinping in Beijing and Russian President Vladimir Putin at his Valdai residence. Lukashenko told Xi that being in China was for him “like coming home”, Belarusian journalists accompanying the delegation reported on Monday. Xi said China supported Belarus in preserving its state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, according to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358804/belarus-lukashenko-courts-moscow-and-beijing-ukraine-tensions-simmer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3358804/belarus-lukashenko-courts-moscow-and-beijing-ukraine-tensions-simmer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:28:35 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng During the daily lunch service earlier this month, shelves in one delicatessen-style Guangzhou eatery were lined with black bread, sausages and pickled vegetables – hardly the mainstay of Chinese cuisine. But customers were coming and going at Katusha Restaurant, a 22-year-old establishment. Some discussed travel plans, others spoke about business opportunities with Chinese factories. Like the food, the customers were Russians, a nationality that has become more visible in Guangdong because of a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3357730/russian-arrivals-hit-record-highs-guangzhou-amid-extended-visa-free-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3357730/russian-arrivals-hit-record-highs-guangzhou-amid-extended-visa-free-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:00:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Chinese ambassador to the United States Xie Feng on Wednesday proposed to increase the limit of tariff-free goods under the newly created US-China Board of Trade from the existing US$30 billion to US$300 billion – a 10-fold rise in non-sensitive trade covered by the mechanism. Addressing a gathering at the US-China Business Council gala in Washington, Xie said he shared the view of “many friends from American businesses” that the tariff-free basket was “far from big enough”. “I cannot agree... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357501/chinas-us-envoy-calls-10-fold-rise-tariff-free-trade-under-joint-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357501/chinas-us-envoy-calls-10-fold-rise-tariff-free-trade-under-joint-board?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jun 2026 03:59:21 +0000 Hao Nan Hao Nan The Russia-India-China (RIC) dialogue is back in the diplomatic conversation. It has not formally restarted, and no summit is on the horizon. But the signals are here. In 2025, Moscow again pushed for reviving the RIC format. India said any meeting would have to be arranged in a “mutually convenient manner”, a cautious but open formula. China said it was willing to maintain communication with Russia and India on trilateral cooperation. This month, Russian President Vladimir Putin again spoke... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3356827/dont-count-russia-india-china-triangle-out-just-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3356827/dont-count-russia-india-china-triangle-out-just-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on Monday that the bloc has verified reports that China’s military has been “training Russian military personnel to fight in Ukraine”, a development that could deepen tensions between the two sides. Kallas, speaking after chairing a meeting of the EU’s 27 foreign ministers in Luxembourg, said that the EU was “carefully assessing the implications” of the assessment, adding that the ministers had agreed to sanction several Chinese entities... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357208/eu-says-china-trained-russian-troops-bloc-weighs-tougher-stance-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357208/eu-says-china-trained-russian-troops-bloc-weighs-tougher-stance-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:41:47 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Not long ago, China was the villain of choice in much of India’s public discourse. The 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, in which both sides lost soldiers in hand-to-hand combat over their disputed Himalayan border, changed Indian public sentiment almost overnight. From WeChat to TikTok, Chinese apps disappeared from Indian app stores. Investment rules tightened. Television debates grew more jingoistic after arch-rival Pakistan used Chinese-supplied jets and missiles in a three-day conflict with India... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357048/bollywood-drops-beijing-villain-russia-china-india-axis-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357048/bollywood-drops-beijing-villain-russia-china-india-axis-next?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Even Western pundits grudgingly admitted the summit between President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was a success. Both sides, according to Bloomberg, “appear to have walked away with what they wanted”. Given China’s rising pre-eminence while avoiding any damaging war, it’s no surprise that Xi had the upper hand in his recent meetings with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. But with Kim, the stakes for Beijing were just as high, in light of Tokyo’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3356697/kim-jong-un-turns-out-be-cleverest-them-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3356697/kim-jong-un-turns-out-be-cleverest-them-all?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Pyongyang on Monday for a two-day visit, his first to North Korea since 2019. North Korea leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju gave Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan a warm welcome at the airport, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Xi was later given a grand welcome ceremony at Kim Il-sung Square. As the largest public square in the heart of Pyongyang, it serves as North Korea’s primary venue for massive military parades, state rallies and major... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356296/chinas-xi-jinping-arrives-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356296/chinas-xi-jinping-arrives-north-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jun 2026 03:17:25 +0000