https://www.scmp.com/rss/325432/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse War is now a possibility in Norway, by the prime minister’s own admission. The country, which borders Russia, has gone into “total defence” mode, preparing its population for the worst in light of the fighting in Ukraine. Dug beneath a peaceful park, the St. Hanshaugen air raid shelter, one of Oslo’s largest, can take in 1,100 people behind its heavy metal doors if ever the worst comes to pass. The air is chilly, the lights dim, and the toilets basic: it is far from cosy, but it is designed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354617/bordering-russia-norway-adopts-total-defence-mode-focus-civil-readiness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354617/bordering-russia-norway-adopts-total-defence-mode-focus-civil-readiness?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 07:52:32 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage France has committed €23 billion (US$26.7 billion) to Africa’s private sector in a bid to counter Chinese dominance and rebuild its influence on the continent. Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi earlier this month, President Emmanuel Macron pitched the investment as a “jolt” to reset relations, positioning Europe as a partner for Africa’s “strategic autonomy” as the geopolitical race with Beijing heats up. The move marks a major shift as Paris tries to win over anglophone countries... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354608/france-tries-reset-relations-africa-chinas-influence-looms-large?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354608/france-tries-reset-relations-africa-chinas-influence-looms-large?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 06:00:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A four-week United Nations conference reviewing the treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons ended on Friday without agreement as the United States and Iran sparred over Iran’s nuclear programme. Vietnam’s UN Ambassador Do Hung Viet, who chaired the conference, announced that there was no consensus among the 191 parties to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty on even a watered-down final document. He did not say which country or countries blocked a consensus. It was the third failure in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3354600/un-event-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-stumbles-us-and-iran-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3354600/un-event-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-stumbles-us-and-iran-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 02:09:56 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing in a much weaker position than he did more than four years ago, when he launched his invasion of Ukraine shortly after his last visit. US President Donald Trump left Beijing after much fanfare. However, he was criticised back at home for failing to deliver on any key aspect of American interests, such as committing China to pressuring Iran to end the war on US terms. His popular support is at a historic low. Putin, Trump and Chinese President... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354354/how-china-wins-avoiding-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354354/how-china-wins-avoiding-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Alice Li,Sylvia Ma,Kandy Wong Alice Li,Sylvia Ma,Kandy Wong In an era when technology seems to defy all limits, one age-old barrier has managed to endure: geography. As geopolitical turbulence continues to disrupt traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital shipping artery, especially for energy – the search for other fuel sources, and other means of transport, has shifted from a strategic luxury to an existential necessity. This need has become particularly acute for China, a major consumer of fossil fuels. Middle Eastern imports remain a significant... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3354560/putin-left-china-without-pipeline-deal-why-didnt-hormuz-crisis-open-valve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3354560/putin-left-china-without-pipeline-deal-why-didnt-hormuz-crisis-open-valve?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday ordered his military to prepare options to retaliate against Ukraine for what he described as a drone attack on a student dorm that killed six people and wounded dozens, with 15 still unaccounted for. Putin said the attack had struck the dorm in Starobilsk in Luhansk, a Russian-controlled region in eastern Ukraine. He said Kyiv’s military must have ‌known what it was targeting. Ukraine’s military denied the Russian accusations and said it had struck an... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3354586/putin-accuses-ukraine-deadly-attack-student-dorm-vows-retaliation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3354586/putin-accuses-ukraine-deadly-attack-student-dorm-vows-retaliation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 17:31:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France’s former prime minister Gabriel Attal said on Friday he would run for president next year when Emmanuel Macron steps down, becoming the second prominent centrist to challenge the far-right. “I can’t take this kind of French politics anymore, where it’s just 50 shades of managing decline,” said the 37-year-old, who was France’s youngest prime minister when he served in 2024. He announced his bid under a blazing sun in the southern village of Mur-de-Barrez – the kind of rural area where... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354577/frances-youngest-pm-attal-run-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354577/frances-youngest-pm-attal-run-president?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 14:27:15 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi China’s chief trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, urged Asia-Pacific economies to reject a zero-sum mentality, grow the economic pie together and divide it fairly, as trade representatives from the 21 members of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum convened in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou for a two-day ministerial meeting. “Apec economies vary in their stages of development, resource endowments and industrial structures, so it is completely normal for them to have different... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354559/chinas-top-trade-negotiator-urges-apec-grow-economic-pie-divide-it-fairly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354559/chinas-top-trade-negotiator-urges-apec-grow-economic-pie-divide-it-fairly?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 12:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Substance for Putin, ‘face’ for Trump as China, Russia deepen strategic alliance Days after US President Donald Trump’s visit framed around managing risks, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3354444/leaders-xi-putin-meet-over-tea-rare-earth-find-northeast-china-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3354444/leaders-xi-putin-meet-over-tea-rare-earth-find-northeast-china-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 04:34:12 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela A leading Chinese university has given a Russian banker sanctioned by the United States a prestigious honorary academic title, soon after they signed a partnership agreement on innovative development. German (also known as Herman) Gref, CEO and chairman of Russia’s Sberbank, has been given the title of “distinguished visiting professor” by Tsinghua University, according to Russian state news agency Ria on Tuesday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Gref was part of the delegation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3354420/chinas-tsinghua-university-honours-german-gref-russian-banker-sanctioned-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3354420/chinas-tsinghua-university-honours-german-gref-russian-banker-sanctioned-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Fan Hou,Haining Gao Fan Hou,Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3354445/china-russia-energy-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3354445/china-russia-energy-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 01:37:07 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Former US ambassador to China Max Baucus has described the latest US-China summit as ushering in a new phase of wary “constructive stability”, with both sides focused more on preventing crises rather than building trust or meaningfully resetting their relationship. In an interview on Wednesday, Baucus said last week’s Beijing summit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump served as a guard rail to prevent breakdown and escalation, while revealing the limits of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354418/we-really-do-not-trust-each-other-former-us-envoy-foresees-wary-new-phase-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354418/we-really-do-not-trust-each-other-former-us-envoy-foresees-wary-new-phase-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 01:00:20 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial President Xi Jinping has pivoted from hosting a summit with US President Donald Trump to another, just days later, with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was a landmark moment in head-of-state diplomacy, a guiding strategic principle of foreign relations under Xi’s leadership. His summit with Putin was seen by some in the West as sequential to his meetings with Trump. That is far from the reality. China does not see a stabilised relationship with Russia – among the three major powers – only... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3354384/xi-putin-summit-no-less-important-xi-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3354384/xi-putin-summit-no-less-important-xi-trump-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado One day after the United States brought criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro over the 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio portrayed Cuba as both a growing national security threat tied to China and Russia and a candidate for a negotiated political transition. The comments came amid renewed friction between Washington and Beijing over Cuba after China criticised the US charges against Castro and accused... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354434/us-casts-cuba-china-linked-security-threat-while-still-pushing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354434/us-casts-cuba-china-linked-security-threat-while-still-pushing-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 21:16:06 +0000 Laura Zhou,Vanessa Cai Laura Zhou,Vanessa Cai Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit this week offered China another opportunity to showcase its diplomatic weight after hosting US President Donald Trump. But behind the display of solidarity and trust, the packed trip appeared to yield few concrete gains for Moscow – notably no deals on the closely watched Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project. Still, Chinese observers said the trip reflected the shared push by Beijing and Moscow for a multipolar world order, even as economic and strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354422/china-and-russia-unite-world-order-putin-departs-without-concrete-gains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354422/china-and-russia-unite-world-order-putin-departs-without-concrete-gains?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Bob Savic Bob Savic Beijing is increasingly seen as key to securing international stability and economic opportunities, a status which both Washington and Moscow are converging on. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent foreign policy interactions with the leaders of the United States and Russia highlight China’s rising strategic position – acting as a significant player in global affairs, from the conflict in Ukraine to the volatile situation with Iran. Xi’s relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354326/russia-us-increasingly-see-china-anchor-peace-and-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3354326/russia-us-increasingly-see-china-anchor-peace-and-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 12:30:05 +0000 SCMP SCMP The presidents of the United States and Russia visited Beijing on separate trips in May to meet with President Xi Jinping. The South China Morning Post produced extensive coverage of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin’s summit meetings in Beijing. Here are some of the highlights of our coverage, showing you what happened, what it means, and what’s next. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. The Xi-Trump summit is over. What comes next in the US-China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354339/xis-back-back-meetings-trump-and-putin-beijing-everything-you-need-know?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354339/xis-back-back-meetings-trump-and-putin-beijing-everything-you-need-know?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 08:00:31 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China and Russia released a joint statement on Thursday in the wake of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin a day earlier, during which the two leaders signed an agreement to boost strategic ties and a separate declaration to push for a multipolar global order and witnessed the sealing of more than 20 agreements on cooperation in areas including energy, trade and science and technology. China-Russia Joint Statement by scmp https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354349/china-russia-joint-statement-xi-putin-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354349/china-russia-joint-statement-xi-putin-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 07:43:49 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Chinese leader Xi Jinping could visit North Korea as early as next week, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Thursday. The trip would follow Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Pyongyang last month, as long-standing ties between the two sides grow warmer. “We have obtained intelligence indicating that President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea soon,” the Yonhap report said, citing a government source. Another government official told Yonhap that Xi might visit North Korea later this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354299/chinas-xi-jinping-expected-visit-north-korea-early-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354299/chinas-xi-jinping-expected-visit-north-korea-early-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 02:15:44 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Singapore’s plan to trial weaponised unmanned drones has put a spotlight on Southeast Asia’s fast-growing interest in systems that can track and strike at targets without putting operators directly in harm’s way. But as countries race to upgrade their drone and counter-drone capabilities, analysts say regulation, transparency and confidence-building will be crucial to prevent accidents or miscalculations that could fuel regional tensions. Singapore announced on Thursday that it would start... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354246/singapores-weaponised-drone-trial-spotlights-regional-rush-unmanned-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3354246/singapores-weaponised-drone-trial-spotlights-regional-rush-unmanned-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US special envoy to Greenland, the Arctic island coveted by President Donald Trump, said on Wednesday that Washington needs to rebuild its presence in the Danish autonomous territory. At the height of the Cold War, Washington had 17 military facilities in Greenland, but closed them over the years and currently has just one – the Pituffik base in the north of the island. Trump has repeatedly argued the US needs to control Greenland because of national security concerns, claiming that if it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354290/us-needs-put-its-footprint-back-greenland-trump-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354290/us-needs-put-its-footprint-back-greenland-trump-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 21:48:02 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage of Xi and Putin’s meeting in Beijing. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Xi and Putin’s united front – from tigers to trade: the summit takeaways Putin’s trip to Beijing came only days after US President Donald Trump’s closely watched visit to the Chinese capital, the back-to-back summits highlighting the strong trust between Beijing and Moscow and China’s ability to manage ties with the two major... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354289/xi-putin-meeting-everything-you-need-know-first-day-talks-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354289/xi-putin-meeting-everything-you-need-know-first-day-talks-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 20:15:54 +0000 Josephine Ma,Fan Chen Josephine Ma,Fan Chen Days after US President Donald Trump’s visit framed around managing risks, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin reached a raft of agreements and pledged deeper cooperation as they met in Beijing. An analyst in China captured the stark contrast between the two visits as a clear choice between pomp and pragmatism. “Over these 30 years, our relations, tempered by wind and rain, have risen to ever new heights, following the dictates of the times,” Xi said after the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354282/substance-putin-face-trump-china-russia-deepen-alliance-counter-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354282/substance-putin-face-trump-china-russia-deepen-alliance-counter-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 15:34:59 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China and Russia issued strong warnings over the US Golden Dome missile defence system and military deployments in the region in their latest joint statement, just days after a summit between Beijing and Washington aimed at stabilising Sino-American ties. The two countries accused the United States of posing “a clear threat to strategic stability” through its Golden Dome project in a joint statement issued after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s summit on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354271/china-and-russia-warn-us-golden-dome-poses-clear-threat-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3354271/china-and-russia-warn-us-golden-dome-poses-clear-threat-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The UK moved to loosen its Russian sanctions in a controversial move aimed at preventing shortages of diesel and jet fuel, as the war in Iran eats into global oil buffers. The move highlights how Britain has become more reliant on fuel imports than other major European nations, and has prompted political backlash over the government’s commitment to support Ukraine. The European Union is not currently planning a similar measure, according to people with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354264/fuel-thirsty-uk-relaxes-russian-sanctions-leaving-ukrainians-feeling-very-let-down?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354264/fuel-thirsty-uk-relaxes-russian-sanctions-leaving-ukrainians-feeling-very-let-down?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 11:20:10 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela Cooperation between China and Russia on science and technology could help stop US isolation and allow the international science community to “return to normalcy” amid geopolitical tensions, according to experts in the US and Russia. It could also offer the world an alternative model of scientific collaboration and signal a shift in the scientific “centre of gravity” from the West to the East. As the leaders of China and Russia met in Beijing, experts said they hoped the summit would provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3354254/how-china-and-russia-could-team-shift-global-science-centre-gravity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3354254/how-china-and-russia-could-team-shift-global-science-centre-gravity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 10:11:04 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin made little progress on long-delayed plans to to build a new gas pipeline between the two countries at a presidential summit in Beijing. There was still no “clear timeline” and “there are still some details to be worked out”, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media. The two countries had reached a “basic understanding”, including on “the route and how it will be built”, he said. Putin arrived in Beijing for his 25th visit amid... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3354239/xi-putin-summit-leaves-gas-pipeline-plan-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3354239/xi-putin-summit-leaves-gas-pipeline-plan-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 09:18:39 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Russian President Vladimir Putin met Chinese engineer Peng Pai on Wednesday, over a quarter century after a chance encounter during his first presidential visit to China, when Peng was 12 years old. Putin, who arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day visit, received Peng at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. According to a Kremlin statement, Putin praised Peng’s decision to study in Russia, saying it was “very pleasing” to him and that he hoped he had found a welcoming environment there. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354224/how-vladimir-putins-chance-encounter-chinese-boy-beijing-shaped-lifes-path?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354224/how-vladimir-putins-chance-encounter-chinese-boy-beijing-shaped-lifes-path?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 08:21:22 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu While China’s oil and gas imports from Gulf nations plunged in April amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis during the US-Israeli war on Iran, shipments from Russia have provided Beijing with a partial buffer for its growing economy. Russia’s crude shipments to China rose 11.3 per cent year on year to nearly 9 million tonnes in April, according to Chinese customs data released on Wednesday. But market conditions have also shifted. Much of the discount on Russian oil and gas – long a source of cheap... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354219/china-turns-russian-oil-gulf-supply-drops-it-too-expensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354219/china-turns-russian-oil-gulf-supply-drops-it-too-expensive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 07:51:57 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang When Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday evening for a two-day state visit, he once again returned to his “second home” at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a royal garden that has hosted dignitaries including Richard Nixon, Boris Yeltsin and Kim Jong-un. Diaoyutai is a familiar setting for Putin, who has visited China more than 20 times and personally met President Xi Jinping on more than 40 occasions since 2013, according to state news agency Xinhua. He usually resides... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354201/what-political-weight-diaoyutai-guesthouse-where-putin-staying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3354201/what-political-weight-diaoyutai-guesthouse-where-putin-staying?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 07:00:51 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China has rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 25th visit to the country, underscoring a frequency of head-of-state diplomacy that far outpaces its engagement with the United States. Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a two-day state visit, less than a week after US President Donald Trump wrapped up his own closely watched trip to China. This marks the first time China has hosted the leaders of Russia and the US in the same month outside a multilateral... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354134/red-carpet-putin-why-china-russia-ties-outpace-beijings-engagement-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354134/red-carpet-putin-why-china-russia-ties-outpace-beijings-engagement-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 01:00:13 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US Vice-President J.D. Vance said on Tuesday that diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran had made “good progress”, but warned that the US military was “locked and loaded” to restart its campaign against Iran if negotiations collapsed. “A lot of good progress is being made, but we’re just going to keep on working at it, and eventually we’ll either hit a deal or we won’t,” Vance said during a White House press briefing. “We are not going to have a deal that allows the Iranians to have a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354154/vance-says-iran-talks-making-good-progress-us-forces-remain-locked-and-loaded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354154/vance-says-iran-talks-making-good-progress-us-forces-remain-locked-and-loaded?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 23:28:42 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial After the pomp and ceremony of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing last week – his first in nearly 10 years – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s summit with President Xi Jinping on Wednesday may seem underwhelming. But it is not because Beijing attaches less importance to the relationship. It reflects mutual trust between the two, and the fact that Putin has been an annual visitor for the past 10 years except for two Covid-19 pandemic years. As a result, he has forged a strong rapport... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3354077/energy-will-be-high-xi-putin-summit-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3354077/energy-will-be-high-xi-putin-summit-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi Last week, US President Donald Trump landed in China aiming to secure the kind of blockbuster trade deals he championed nine years ago – spanning everything from soybeans to aircraft and energy. By the time he departed, it was clear that reality would fall far short of expectations. Despite Trump hailing a “fantastic deal”, China did not announce the massive buying spree that many had anticipated. Now, just days after Trump’s exit, Russian President Vladimir Putin is arriving in China with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354114/putin-pushing-blockbuster-oil-and-gas-deal-china-will-he-get-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354114/putin-pushing-blockbuster-oil-and-gas-deal-china-will-he-get-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United States is expected to unseal criminal charges against former Cuban leader Raul Castro on Wednesday in a move that could further deepen tensions between Washington and Havana and inject new strain into an already volatile regional relationship. Multiple US media outlets, citing US Justice Department sources, have reported that federal prosecutors in Miami are preparing an indictment tied to Cuba’s 1996 shooting down of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based exile group... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354149/us-plans-charge-raul-castro-increases-trump-administrations-pressure-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3354149/us-plans-charge-raul-castro-increases-trump-administrations-pressure-cuba?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 20:03:59 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday night for a visit aimed at deepening the two sides’ comprehensive partnership, four days after the Chinese capital hosted US President Donald Trump. This is the Russian leader’s 25th visit to China. Putin was given a formal red-carpet reception at the airport, where he shared a warm handshake with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. A military guard of honour stood to attention, and teenagers waved Chinese and Russian flags to welcome... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354142/russian-leader-vladimir-putin-arrives-china-just-days-after-donald-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354142/russian-leader-vladimir-putin-arrives-china-just-days-after-donald-trumps-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 15:17:55 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft China will actively participate in settling international conflicts and improve mechanisms to resolve them, a Chinese diplomat has said, stressing that the recently established mediation body in Hong Kong will help bolster the international rule of law. Speaking separately at the Global Prosperity Summit in Hong Kong on Tuesday, local political heavyweight Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee proposed establishing an Apec think tank council to foster collaboration ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s economic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3354081/china-will-actively-help-resolve-international-conflicts-ex-diplomat-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3354081/china-will-actively-help-resolve-international-conflicts-ex-diplomat-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 07:44:11 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia’s relationship with China had reached “a truly unprecedented level”, pledging mutual support on core interests including sovereignty and national unity just hours before his arrival in Beijing. During his two-day trip, coming just days after US President Donald Trump’s state visit ended, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to discuss economic cooperation as well as “key international and regional issues”, according to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354074/putin-hails-unprecedented-ties-ahead-china-visit-hot-trumps-heels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354074/putin-hails-unprecedented-ties-ahead-china-visit-hot-trumps-heels?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 07:06:48 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Few relationships among world leaders have been portrayed as personally as that between President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Xi, who rarely publicly reveals much about his personal life or emotions, once described Putin as his “best and most intimate friend”. Over the years, their rapport has been defined not only by summits and state visits, but also a growing catalogue of highly personal rituals involving food, birthday celebrations, sports events, boat rides and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354045/vodka-bullet-train-and-boat-rides-how-xi-and-putin-built-personal-rapport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3354045/vodka-bullet-train-and-boat-rides-how-xi-and-putin-built-personal-rapport?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Frank Tang,Sylvia Ma Frank Tang,Sylvia Ma Mainland Chinese investors shed their holdings of US Treasury bills in March, joining many overseas institutions and central banks amid uncertainties over the US-Israel war on Iran. Such reductions in Treasury holdings reflected mounting doubts in global markets, analysts said, as the escalating war in Iran fuelled concerns over inflation, energy prices and fiscal pressures, driving Treasury yields higher and overshadowing the likelihood of interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve. In... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354028/china-joins-global-sell-us-treasuries-march-iran-war-prompts-panic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3354028/china-joins-global-sell-us-treasuries-march-iran-war-prompts-panic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 23:19:39 +0000 Adriel Kasonta Adriel Kasonta When Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing this week, just days after US President Donald Trump departed, following his summit with President Xi Jinping, the choreography will not be merely diplomatic. It will be show of “civilisational theatre”. For years, analysts framed China as a power caught awkwardly between a revanchist Russia and an increasingly hostile United States. That interpretation now looks obsolete. Beijing is no longer balancing between rival poles; it is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353855/how-china-becoming-gravitational-centre-global-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3353855/how-china-becoming-gravitational-centre-global-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Cuba’s leader warned on Monday of a “bloodbath” in the event of an American attack, while the US Treasury sanctioned Cuba’s main intelligence agency and top leaders as tensions spiked between the arch-foes. President Miguel Diaz-Canel stressed Cuba’s right to defend itself a day after US news site Axios reported that Havana had obtained over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and is considering using them against US targets. The report, which quoted US intelligence officials, came amid... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354025/cuba-warns-bloodbath-if-us-attacks-washington-adds-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354025/cuba-warns-bloodbath-if-us-attacks-washington-adds-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 20:51:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Treasury on Monday extended by 30 days its sanctions waiver for Russian oil cargoes already at sea, as global energy prices continue to surge due to the Iran war. The latest “temporary 30-day general license” will “provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temporarily access Russian oil currently stranded at sea,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a social media post. Monday’s announcement is the second time US authorities have extended the temporary measure, which is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354021/bessent-grants-30-day-extension-russian-oil-tankers-iran-war-squeezes-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354021/bessent-grants-30-day-extension-russian-oil-tankers-iran-war-squeezes-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 18:47:03 +0000 Reuters Reuters Belarus said on Monday its armed forces had begun training exercises involving Russian nuclear weapons, in a move that drew strong condemnation from Ukraine. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko agreed in 2023 – a year after Russia’s ‌invasion of Ukraine – to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear that Moscow retains control of their use. “During the training, in cooperation with the Russian side, it is planned to practise the delivery of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3354016/belarus-holds-drills-russian-nuclear-weapons-drawing-criticism-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3354016/belarus-holds-drills-russian-nuclear-weapons-drawing-criticism-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 16:31:45 +0000 Orange Wang,Victoria Bela Orange Wang,Victoria Bela US President Donald Trump might now “more clearly” understand that the US “cannot defeat China” but that it must instead engage a stronger Beijing, according to a prominent Chinese political scientist. Zheng Yongnian, an adviser to the Chinese government, also noted that Beijing had taken a “central position” in trilateral ties between China, the United States and Russia. Beijing and Moscow both confirmed on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would visit China on Tuesday and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353996/unbeatable-china-beijing-global-focal-point-russia-pins-hopes-putin-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353996/unbeatable-china-beijing-global-focal-point-russia-pins-hopes-putin-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 15:00:06 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen China is stepping up economic engagement with Russia by hosting the 10th edition of a major bilateral expo ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected trip to Beijing this week – just days after his American counterpart, Donald Trump, visited there last week. The back-to-back visits to the Chinese capital by two of the world’s most influential leaders highlight an uptick in diplomatic activity as Beijing seeks to stabilise relations with Washington while deepening coordination with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353980/china-and-russia-hold-trade-expo-putin-and-trump-visits-draw-global-attention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3353980/china-and-russia-hold-trade-expo-putin-and-trump-visits-draw-global-attention?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on top military officials to bolster front-line units and turn the southern border into an “impregnable fortress”, state media reported on Monday. Kim gave the instruction at a meeting on Sunday where a photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed him presiding over commanding military officers wearing full-dress uniform. The North Korean leader told the military officials that a “great change” would be made in an effort to deter war and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353919/north-korea-turn-southern-border-impregnable-fortress-against-arch-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353919/north-korea-turn-southern-border-impregnable-fortress-against-arch-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 03:37:50 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Japanese airlines’ lucrative European routes could become a victim of simmering tensions between China and Japan because access to airspace is a potential lever for Beijing, aviation professionals have warned. However, they said outright closure of Chinese airspace remained unlikely because it would snarl regional air traffic and embroil Chinese carriers. Aviation observers in China have recently discussed the likelihood of Beijing restricting or forbidding Japanese carriers from overflying the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353718/could-china-limit-japanese-airlines-access-its-airspace-ties-sour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3353718/could-china-limit-japanese-airlines-access-its-airspace-ties-sour?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 01:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang The deadlock over the Strait of Hormuz was one of the key issues discussed during the summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping last week. As the impasse continues, here is where things stand. Iran prepares new transit mechanism Tehran is moving to formalise its control over the strait with a “professional mechanism” to regulate shipping. “The necessary fees will be collected for the specialised services provided under this mechanism,” Ebrahim Azizi, the head of the Iranian parliament’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353882/how-does-strait-hormuz-stand-look-wake-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353882/how-does-strait-hormuz-stand-look-wake-trump-xi-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norway’s interior security service, PST, said on Sunday a Chinese man had been arrested in the country’s north for spying, just weeks after a Chinese woman was arrested suspected of spying on satellite data. The suspect was arrested on Friday by the Nordland police district, Eirik Veum, PST’s media spokesman, told Agence France-Presse. Veum said the man was suspected of “attempted illegal intelligence activities in Nordland”, but declined to provide further details on the nature of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353902/norway-arrests-chinese-man-spying-interior-security-service-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353902/norway-arrests-chinese-man-spying-interior-security-service-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 19:21:42 +0000