https://www.scmp.com/rss/324745/feed China and India have a long history of troubles along their 3,488 kilometre undemarcated border that includes a war in 1962 and a number of more recent clashes such as the Doklam stand-off in 2017. The current "Line of Actual Control" that forms the effective border between the two countries dates back to boundaries drawn up before India's independence in 1947 and has been the subject of numerous rounds of talks and agreements. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Nayan Seth Nayan Seth In December 2010, on the final day of his three-day India visit, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao offered a metaphorical vision for bilateral ties, suggesting that “the dragon and the elephant should tango”. The analogy – dragon for China, elephant for India – had already circulated in Western academic and media circles as a comparative frame. With Wen’s remark, it formally entered China’s diplomatic lexicon. Over the past 15 years, through cycles of border tensions and uneasy resets, China’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352233/why-does-china-portray-india-elephant-decoding-politics-animal-analogy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352233/why-does-china-portray-india-elephant-decoding-politics-animal-analogy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:24 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi India has reportedly signed a deal to buy Russian missiles that target support aircraft as its arch-rival Pakistan and China continue to integrate their aerial weapons profiles. Russia has cleared the export of around 300 R-37M ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles in a US$1.2 billion deal, according to media reports. Malaysia-based news platform Defence Security Asia said deliveries of the missiles could begin within 12 to 18 months. India is also developing its own Astra Mk 2 and Mk 3 missiles,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351452/could-russian-missiles-help-india-counter-its-arch-rivals-chinese-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3351452/could-russian-missiles-help-india-counter-its-arch-rivals-chinese-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 04:00:15 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju A cautious reset in India-China relations is taking root, according to analysts, with the two rivals increasingly walling off their border disputes from expanding cooperation on trade, security and multilateral diplomacy. The clearest marker yet came last week in New Delhi, where the two sides held their first-ever bilateral consultations focused exclusively on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Eurasian security bloc that also includes Russia, Iran, Pakistan and four Central Asian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350732/india-and-china-wall-border-rows-focus-trade-and-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350732/india-and-china-wall-border-rows-focus-trade-and-security?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:12:46 +0000 Wendy Wu Wendy Wu China should support India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, a prominent US economist has suggested, saying the two Asian powers could overcome historical grievances and political distrust to inject stability into the world. “China’s real interest is true, stable multipolarity,” Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs told a seminar in Beijing on Friday, urging India not to become a pawn in a US game to hold China back. “I believe that China should, after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347428/china-india-and-why-jeffrey-sachs-says-us-needs-make-un-great-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347428/china-india-and-why-jeffrey-sachs-says-us-needs-make-un-great-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 13:00:10 +0000 Ambuj Sahu Ambuj Sahu In April 2020, as the world struggled with the Covid-19 pandemic and soldiers from India and China moved towards a large-scale border stand-off, New Delhi amended its foreign direct investment (FDI) policy to require prior government approval for all investments from countries sharing a land border with India – a measure directed at China. Nearly six years on, India has changed its FDI policy again. It is a significant move for India-China relations. During the pandemic, the FDI regulation... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346614/indias-reopening-chinese-investment-reflects-strategic-pragmatism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3346614/indias-reopening-chinese-investment-reflects-strategic-pragmatism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong By the second half of the 21st century, the Sino-Indian relationship will become the world’s most significant geopolitical relationship, dislodging even the complex China-US cooperative rivalry. By 2050, the world’s three largest economies are likely to comprise some combination of China, India and the United States. PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts this exact order – with the US having the highest per capita income but the smallest population. Both Asian powerhouses enjoy significant theoretical... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346270/boosting-china-india-ties-should-be-pillar-hong-kongs-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346270/boosting-china-india-ties-should-be-pillar-hong-kongs-five-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang India has relaxed curbs on Chinese investments in certain sectors to attract more foreign capital, as Beijing and New Delhi continue to gradually repair their economic relationship after years of tense relations. In a cabinet statement released on Tuesday, New Delhi introduced a fast-track approval mechanism for investments from land-bordering countries – including China. The move amends a previous restriction that had mandated government scrutiny for all such capital inflows. Under the new... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346213/india-opens-door-more-chinese-investment-after-6-year-freeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346213/india-opens-door-more-chinese-investment-after-6-year-freeze?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:34:17 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China plans to further strengthen its strategic transport network in sensitive border regions over the next five years to fortify and better project power along its remote frontiers amid rising geopolitical uncertainty. One project involves building a 394km (245-mile) highway linking the northern and southern sides of the rugged Tianshan Mountains in far-western Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to the draft 15th five-year plan released last week. The route will run parallel to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346094/how-china-plans-greater-power-projection-xinjiang-and-tibet-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346094/how-china-plans-greater-power-projection-xinjiang-and-tibet-over-next-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:10:04 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma India and China opened a new round of strategic dialogue as US tariffs on their exports spur the two Asian giants to broaden global trade ties and move beyond past disputes. Both countries “uphold the strategic perception that China and India are cooperative partners instead of rivals”, China’s foreign ministry said in a statement after Tuesday’s meeting in New Delhi between Executive Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. “China and India should deepen mutual... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3343183/china-india-find-common-cause-push-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/article/3343183/china-india-find-common-cause-push-multipolar-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:07:47 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Senior diplomats from China and India met in New Delhi on Tuesday for what Beijing described as a new round of strategic dialogue, emphasising the need to view each other as partners rather than competitors amid shifting global dynamics. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri hosted China’s Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, who was in the country for the Brics Sherpa Meeting from February 8 to 10. The two sides’ readouts of the meeting, however, revealed a persistent gap in how the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343113/china-and-india-seek-reset-talks-old-fault-lines-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343113/china-and-india-seek-reset-talks-old-fault-lines-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:16:30 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India plans to lift long-standing restrictions on Chinese companies bidding for government contracts, a move officials say is aimed at easing shortages and project delays as relations with Beijing show tentative signs of stabilising. The proposal, first reported by Reuters, would roll back curbs, imposed after the two countries’ deadly 2020 border clash in the Galwan Valley, that effectively shut Chinese firms out of a vast segment of India’s public procurement market. In October 2024, India and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339772/india-proposes-reopening-government-bidding-chinese-firms-ties-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3339772/india-proposes-reopening-government-bidding-chinese-firms-ties-thaw?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:00:21 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen One of China’s newest main battle tanks, the Type 99B, is an upgraded model designed to perform better in high-altitude and cold weather operations, according to state media – suggesting it could be sent to the Himalayan border with India. The tank is the latest of the Type 99 armoured vehicles and was among the military hardware unveiled during China’s huge Victory Day parade in Beijing in September. State broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that the upgraded model has a raft of new features.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336467/chinese-main-battle-tank-upgraded-high-altitudes-could-be-sent-border-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336467/chinese-main-battle-tank-upgraded-high-altitudes-could-be-sent-border-india?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:00:30 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Beijing has rejected claims that Chinese authorities detained and harassed an Indian national born in a disputed border region, after the traveller alleged that she was held for more than 18 hours while transiting through Shanghai. On Sunday, a woman who identified herself as Pem Wang Thongdok said on social media that she had been “held” against her will at a Shanghai airport on Friday. She said she had been travelling from London to Japan via Shanghai. According to the post, Chinese border... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334121/china-denies-harassing-indian-woman-born-disputed-border-region-over-invalid-passport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334121/china-denies-harassing-indian-woman-born-disputed-border-region-over-invalid-passport?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:25:32 +0000 Aparna Divya Aparna Divya In recent months, India-China relations have returned to normality after a long decade of confrontation. With the resumption of direct flights after five years, recent corps commander-level talks, the reopening of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route, the relaxation of barriers on hi-tech supplies and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping exchanging pleasantries at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, a quiet detente is under way. This cooperation could... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332286/can-china-and-india-turn-tactical-calm-strategic-moderation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332286/can-china-and-india-turn-tactical-calm-strategic-moderation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:30:11 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian In a fast and furious year of devastating wars and high-stakes diplomacy, the historic meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands out as a potential harbinger of a new global order. In his first visit to China in seven years, Modi agreed with Xi that Asia’s two powers should be “partners” rather than “rivals”, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin. Modi stressed that “their differences should not turn into... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3328544/why-india-hedging-its-bets-another-china-charm-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3328544/why-india-hedging-its-bets-another-china-charm-offensive?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan India and China, recently seen moving towards rapprochement after years of strained ties, held separate meetings with Global South countries on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week, highlighting a quiet rivalry for leadership of the developing world. The world’s two most-populous countries had been expected to present a united front as global trade and multilateralism face increasing headwinds under US President Donald Trump’s second term. Instead, their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3326737/india-and-china-vie-global-south-leadership-un-gatherings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3326737/india-and-china-vie-global-south-leadership-un-gatherings?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 17:11:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters Security forces patrolled the streets on Thursday in India’s Himalayan region of Ladakh, where a curfew was clamped in some areas a day after four people were killed in violent protests demanding statehood for the federal territory and job quotas. Television images showed troop patrols amid shops and businesses closed during the curfew and a protest call against the deaths from the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which represents political, social and trade groups in the region. “I demand a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3326735/4-killed-indias-ladakh-statehood-protests-turn-violent-near-china-border?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3326735/4-killed-indias-ladakh-statehood-protests-turn-violent-near-china-border?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 15:13:28 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan China’s recent high-profile diplomatic activity, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and the Victory Day parade in Beijing in the same week, conveyed more than international headlines suggested. Although much of the media spotlight focused on the optics of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, I think the real story centres on pragmatic engagement, regional reassurance and the realignment of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325907/focusing-pageantry-west-misses-point-chinas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325907/focusing-pageantry-west-misses-point-chinas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Abishur Prakash Abishur Prakash Earlier this month, Anthropic, the American artificial intelligence company, entered the US-China fight. It barred companies from using its AI services if they were more than 50 per cent owned by Chinese entities. This was a double punch – China’s access to American technology hit another obstacle, and the global business world was prodded again to reject Chinese investment. Just a few months ago, Anthropic’s move would have knocked the wind out of China. But the recent Shanghai Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325174/chinas-moment-rewire-world-arriving-what-will-it-do?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325174/chinas-moment-rewire-world-arriving-what-will-it-do?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 22:30:08 +0000 Orange Wang,Wendy Wu Orange Wang,Wendy Wu Zheng Yongnian is a leading political scientist and government adviser in China. His academic work is mainly about contemporary politics, the country’s transformation and external relations. In his second in-depth interview with the Post, Zheng discusses AI governance and how China can consolidate its narrative amid growing geopolitical risks. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. For many years, you have called for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325111/zheng-yongnian-why-china-must-look-beyond-west-build-better-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325111/zheng-yongnian-why-china-must-look-beyond-west-build-better-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 22:00:15 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to India on Thursday pushed back on fears that New Delhi was drifting towards China, pledging to draw India closer to the US, open its markets to American goods and end Russian oil purchases, while telling senators that India and China had little in common and were unlikely to forge closer ties. “While we might have our moments of hiccups right now, we are on the track of resolving that. Our relationship with the Indian government … is much... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325259/just-hiccups-trumps-india-nominee-pledges-pull-new-delhi-away-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325259/just-hiccups-trumps-india-nominee-pledges-pull-new-delhi-away-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 21:11:08 +0000 Debasish Roy Chowdhury Debasish Roy Chowdhury China and India are having a bit of a moment. Five years after a fatal confrontation on their unresolved border pushed relations over the edge, the two sides are rushing towards a detente. They are restoring peace along the border, reversing trade and investment curbs, easing visa restrictions to promote business and tourism, resuming direct flights and orchestrating a flurry of high-level official visits to formalise the thaw. This weekend, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting China... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323704/china-and-india-love-time-cholera?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323704/china-and-india-love-time-cholera?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 06:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday signalled a further warming of ties with Beijing, urging the two Asian giants to collaborate in shaping a multipolar world, even as New Delhi remains wary of China’s growing military might and tries to finesse its own recent estrangement from the White House. “Stable, predictable and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, the two largest nations on Earth, can have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity,” he told... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3323730/modi-says-close-ties-between-india-and-china-are-crucial-multipolar-asia-and-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3323730/modi-says-close-ties-between-india-and-china-are-crucial-multipolar-asia-and-world?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 18:08:04 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, the world is watching closely. Modi’s visit will be a historic opportunity to usher in a new era of cooperation between two ancient civilisations whose populations account for just under 35 per cent of humanity, representing the world’s second- and soon-to-be third-largest economies. During Modi’s recent meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both seemed to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322841/how-modis-visit-china-can-reshape-asias-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322841/how-modis-visit-china-can-reshape-asias-future?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Neville Lai,Wai-Hong Tang Neville Lai,Wai-Hong Tang The evolving dynamics between China and India, the world’s most populous nations and rising economic powers, are at a critical juncture. Recent developments have shown encouraging signs in bilateral relations, with both sides expressing a willingness to re-engage constructively. Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently visited New Delhi, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. This has renewed the momentum of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322748/china-must-accept-india-looking-after-itself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3322748/china-must-accept-india-looking-after-itself?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Beijing’s top envoy in New Delhi on Thursday expressed strong support for India, citing the steep US tariffs imposed against the country, and called for “teamwork” and “collaboration” between the world’s two most populous nations in standing up to the “bully”. “US imposed tariffs of up to 50 per cent on India. China firmly opposes it. Silence only emboldens the bully. China will firmly stand with India, uphold the multilateral trading system,” Ambassador Xu Feihong said. He said tariffs and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322715/beijing-stands-firm-new-delhi-against-bully-us-chinese-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322715/beijing-stands-firm-new-delhi-against-bully-us-chinese-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 19:54:22 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday for the final leg of a South Asia tour, as China takes advantage of US trade tensions to boost relations and economic ties in the region. Wang earlier visited Afghanistan and India, where he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The Modi discussion fostered a thawing of relations between the world’s two most populous nations amid the imposition of 50 per cent US tariffs on India. “Stable, predictable,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3322637/china-india-thaw-leaves-us-sidelines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3322637/china-india-thaw-leaves-us-sidelines?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 09:00:42 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen From a new border agreement to resuming direct flights and deepening economic cooperation, China and India appear to be entering a new diplomatic chapter following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s first visit to New Delhi in three years. There could be a further thaw in ties when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi travels to Tianjin at the end of the month – his first trip to China in seven years – for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, when he could also meet Chinese leader Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322621/china-and-india-are-rebuilding-relations-will-it-be-cold-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322621/china-and-india-are-rebuilding-relations-will-it-be-cold-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 07:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial India and China have come a long way towards mending ties that took a sharp turn for the worse with a deadly clash on their shared border five years ago. The nations took important steps towards restoring their relationship this week during a visit to New Delhi by Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang and his Indian hosts addressed urgent issues that have kept the world’s two most populous countries at odds at a critical time. Beijing and New Delhi both face a daunting trade war with the United States.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322519/china-india-ties-are-warming-rapidly-heat-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3322519/china-india-ties-are-warming-rapidly-heat-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China’s top diplomat pointed to progress on border talks and an agreement to reopen various dialogue channels when he met India’s prime minister in New Delhi on Tuesday. As the two countries make cautious efforts to improve relations, Wang Yi told Narendra Modi that he and Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval had reached a consensus on regular management and control to maintain peace in border areas. They also agreed to “properly handle” sensitive points and advance delimitation talks in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322471/china-india-talks-narendra-modi-praises-stable-predictable-constructive-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322471/china-india-talks-narendra-modi-praises-stable-predictable-constructive-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 06:22:20 +0000 Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China at the end of the month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. His comments, made during talks on the two countries’ border dispute with Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday, came in the wake of a series of reports in Indian media that the visit would go ahead. It will be Modi’s first trip to China in seven years and raises expectations he will meet Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322411/china-confirms-indian-prime-minister-narendra-modi-will-visit-end-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322411/china-confirms-indian-prime-minister-narendra-modi-will-visit-end-month?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:09:23 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China and India should see each other as “partners and opportunities” and offer the world “much-needed certainty and stability”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during his first visit to India in three years amid recovering bilateral ties. Speaking to his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in New Delhi on Monday, Wang said that both countries should “put each other’s precious resources into development and revitalisation”. “China and India should explore the right path of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322353/chinas-wang-yi-appeals-shared-vision-partnership-and-opportunity-india-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322353/chinas-wang-yi-appeals-shared-vision-partnership-and-opportunity-india-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 07:56:23 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China is preparing for a military parade next month to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, with the People’s Liberation Army expected to showcase its latest line-up of land-based weapons systems. One of the systems playing a crucial role in Chinese ground forces is the Type 99A main battle tank (MBT), which incorporates multiple advanced technologies to enhance survivability and firing capability. While China continues to focus on modernising its navy and air force,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320318/type-99a-chinas-most-advanced-tank-delivers-firepower-agility-and-survivability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320318/type-99a-chinas-most-advanced-tank-delivers-firepower-agility-and-survivability?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 01:00:08 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong “I shall consider myself fortunate if, through this visit, China comes nearer to India and India to China – for no political or commercial purpose, but for disinterested human love and for nothing else.” These words were uttered by Rabindranath Tagore, one of India’s most legendary poets, on his 1924 visit to China. A century later, the Sino-Indian relationship stands at an inflection point. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to visit China for the first time in seven years, to attend... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3321577/china-and-india-may-be-same-page-can-they-start-new-chapter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3321577/china-and-india-may-be-same-page-can-they-start-new-chapter?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Aug 2025 12:30:37 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Beijing should be vigilant about India’s recent moves to strengthen infrastructure in a disputed border area while setting its own pace for China’s development efforts in the region, observers say. Indian newspaper The Tribune reported last month that the country’s only land access to the Galwan Valley – known as the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) Road – was undergoing a major upgrade to accommodate tanks and specialised trucks capable of carrying long-range missiles. The road, which was... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321305/china-urged-keep-eye-border-india-upgrades-road-move-tanks-and-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321305/china-urged-keep-eye-border-india-upgrades-road-move-tanks-and-missiles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Aug 2025 10:00:13 +0000 Orange Wang,Dewey Sim Orange Wang,Dewey Sim Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China later this month, according to media reports, as the thaw between the two countries gathers pace at a time when New Delhi’s relations with the Washington have been hit by growing trade tensions. Modi will visit between August 31 and September 1 for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the northern city of Tianjin, according to multiple Indian outlets. Ties between the two Asian giants have seen a steady improvement in recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321120/indian-prime-minister-modi-set-first-china-trip-7-years-amid-trump-tariff-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321120/indian-prime-minister-modi-set-first-china-trip-7-years-amid-trump-tariff-row?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:00:12 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen A historian has called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend China’s Victory Day parade in September. However, analysts believe this is highly unlikely. Vijay Prashad, director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, a network of research institutes in the Global South, said he strongly suggested that Modi attend the parade in Beijing on September 3 and commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with China and Russia. “[China, India, and Russia] can hold a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320536/will-indias-modi-attend-chinas-world-war-ii-victory-parade-what-would-it-mean-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320536/will-indias-modi-attend-chinas-world-war-ii-victory-parade-what-would-it-mean-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 04:00:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji When Indian pilgrims set foot in Tibet again this summer, their arrival heralded a new beginning for India and China, five years after a deadly Himalayan clash plunged the two bitter rivals into a diplomatic deep freeze. But with the machinery of engagement whirring once more amid flaring global trade wars and shifting strategic alliances, hopes have sprung anew that Asia’s two largest economies might finally move past the years of suspicion and silence. Late last month, New Delhi resumed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320481/all-out-thaw-can-india-and-china-unfreeze-icy-ties-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320481/all-out-thaw-can-india-and-china-unfreeze-icy-ties-last?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial When Premier Li Qiang broke ground for the construction of the Yarlung Tsangpo mega-dam, he marked the start of one of the most extraordinary infrastructure projects in world history. Located in Medog, a remote county on the Tibetan Plateau, the super-dam could produce, when completed, three times the output of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze and will play a decisive role in China’s commitment to become carbon-neutral by 2060. It will be a big part of the renewable energy mix that includes... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3319833/transparency-key-easing-regional-concerns-over-tibet-mega-dam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3319833/transparency-key-easing-regional-concerns-over-tibet-mega-dam?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen China has officially broken ground on what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Tibetan Plateau. The dam is being built on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Medog – a remote yet geopolitically significant county close to the disputed border with India. As well as becoming a major energy source, the dam is a key element in Beijing’s plans to develop the region and strengthen its border security. However, it could also aggravate tensions with India as a result of a long-running border... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319485/what-do-we-know-about-site-chinas-mega-dam-tibet-and-what-its-significance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319485/what-do-we-know-about-site-chinas-mega-dam-tibet-and-what-its-significance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 22:00:20 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang China hopes to speed up work on a trans-Himalayan network project to connect it with Nepal, a development that may raise concerns from regional rival India. On a three-day trip to Nepal, Chen Xiaodong, the head of China International Development Cooperation Agency, said China was willing to further align development strategies with Nepal and accelerate the construction of a trans-Himalayan network. “[We] should implement more projects in areas such as agriculture, new energy, health and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319399/china-seeks-boost-trans-himalayan-project-amid-contest-india-win-over-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319399/china-seeks-boost-trans-himalayan-project-amid-contest-india-win-over-nepal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 06:59:26 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju India’s acquisition of the latest variant of US-made Apache attack helicopters is a key step towards bolstering its ability to fight on two fronts against Pakistan and China, but experts are divided on whether the ageing aircraft can remain battleworthy over the long term. On Tuesday, the Indian army took delivery of the first three AH-64E Apache helicopters, with plans to induct them into its attack aviation wing based in the state of Rajasthan. Three more units are expected to arrive by the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319329/new-apaches-india-are-us-helicopters-battle-ready-future-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319329/new-apaches-india-are-us-helicopters-battle-ready-future-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 02:30:09 +0000 Riaz Khokhar Riaz Khokhar Indian think tank NITI Aayog recently made a striking recommendation to ease the near-total restrictions on Chinese investment imposed during the 2020 border crisis. It suggested that Chinese companies be allowed to acquire up to a 24 per cent stake in Indian firms without any vetting. If implemented, it would represent a significant U-turn on New Delhi’s part. Since 2020, India has required screening for all investments from neighbouring countries, effectively targeting China. With the backing... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3319144/why-economic-ties-are-missing-ingredient-china-india-detente?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3319144/why-economic-ties-are-missing-ingredient-china-india-detente?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Aparna Divya Aparna Divya The recent handshake between Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing is more than a symbolic gesture. It reflects a cautious attempt to compensate for years of silence between the two Asian giants. As Jaishankar’s first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, it can be seen as an inflection point in India-China relations. There was a flurry of China-India re-engagement following the 2024 border agreement, which allowed for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3318952/china-and-india-perform-balancing-act-breakthrough-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3318952/china-and-india-perform-balancing-act-breakthrough-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Kawala Xie Kawala Xie Last month’s Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence meeting served not only as a curtain-raiser for the bloc’s summit in the autumn, but also as a test of Beijing’s broader ambition to promote a Global South-empowered multipolar world order. Like Brics – the grouping of developing countries established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – the Global South-oriented SCO is a showcase for China’s home-ground diplomacy. Beijing has increasingly relied on these platforms to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317031/can-india-block-chinas-leadership-global-south-based-alliances-sco?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317031/can-india-block-chinas-leadership-global-south-based-alliances-sco?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 22:00:12 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China and India have agreed to work towards the resumption of direct flights and take other moves to boost exchanges as the latest steps in their efforts to stabilise relations. The measures were announced after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held talks with Chinese foreign vice-minister Sun Weidong, who was on a two-day visit to India. New Delhi’s statement released on Friday said the two sides had reviewed developments since their last meeting in January and “agreed to continue to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314365/china-and-india-work-bring-back-direct-flights-latest-drive-stabilise-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314365/china-and-india-work-bring-back-direct-flights-latest-drive-stabilise-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:47:11 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Russia’s fresh bid to revive a strategic triangle with China and India as a counterbalance to the Western-led international order faces headwinds given the deep-seated distrust between the two Asian powers, according to observers. However, United States President Donald Trump and his aggressive and unpredictable policies could be the catalyst to bring the three together, one analyst says. The assessment was made as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov objected to what he described as Nato’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3313146/russia-moves-again-join-china-and-india-despite-trust-issues-border-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3313146/russia-moves-again-join-china-and-india-despite-trust-issues-border-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 06:00:22 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Riding high on the combat success of China’s weapons systems, state broadcaster CCTV has rolled out a two-part documentary on the development of the J-10 fighter jet to inspire “young people to love the party and country”. The Legend of the J-10, which shows how the Chinese air force played catch-up to develop the jet, started showing on Wednesday on National Memory, a daily programme about the history of the Communist Party and China’s development. The broadcast comes just days after China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311358/chinese-state-tv-tells-j-10-origin-story-pakistan-proclaims-fighter-jets-feats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311358/chinese-state-tv-tells-j-10-origin-story-pakistan-proclaims-fighter-jets-feats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 08:04:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen India’s new Prachand combat helicopter would be “a walkover” for China’s Z-10 attack counterpart, a Chinese military magazine has claimed, dismissing the aircraft New Delhi might use in high-altitude operations against its neighbours. In March, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved an order for 156 of the helicopters in a contract worth more than US$7.3 billion, with an eye to operations at 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) and above. Those altitudes would cover areas along the unresolved Himalayan... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3310887/unable-compete-chinese-dismiss-indias-prachand-combat-helicopter-against-local-z-10?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3310887/unable-compete-chinese-dismiss-indias-prachand-combat-helicopter-against-local-z-10?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2025 06:58:34 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han More than half of mainland Chinese citizens oppose the use of force to unify with Taiwan under any circumstances, according to a survey released on Wednesday. The study, designed jointly by the Atlanta-based Carter Center and Emory University, found that 55.1 per cent of respondents agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that “the Taiwan problem should not be resolved using force under any circumstances”, while 24.5 per cent disagreed or somewhat disagreed. A fifth of respondents were... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3308606/most-mainland-chinese-citizens-oppose-use-force-unify-taiwan-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3308606/most-mainland-chinese-citizens-oppose-use-force-unify-taiwan-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Apr 2025 21:30:12 +0000