https://www.scmp.com/rss/503071/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Russia can help China and other nations weather energy supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. “Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen”, Lavrov told reporters in response to a question about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that Chinese-Russian ties are “unshakeable in the face of any storms”. Lavrov confirmed that Russian... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:49:50 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Amid escalating turmoil in the Middle East and mounting global uncertainty, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged China and Russia to elevate their strategic partnership to new heights by deepening “all-round cooperation” and reinvigorating the authority of the United Nations. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Beijing on Wednesday, he cast the growing bilateral relationship as a stabilising force in a volatile world, rooted in history, driven by strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350167/strong-china-russia-relations-are-stabilising-force-turbulent-landscape-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350167/strong-china-russia-relations-are-stabilising-force-turbulent-landscape-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:01:36 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Russia and China’s top envoys met in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss the Iran war, Ukraine and Taiwan as Beijing stepped up its Iran war diplomacy and tensions with Washington increased. In a jab at Washington and US President Donald Trump that did not mention either by name, a Chinese readout of the meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov noted that the world is increasingly marked by turmoil and instability. The two top diplomats also discussed plans... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350099/top-russian-and-chinese-envoys-meet-beijing-discuss-iran-ukraine-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350099/top-russian-and-chinese-envoys-meet-beijing-discuss-iran-ukraine-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:59:47 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Igor Patrick Teresa Elena Frontado,Igor Patrick China and Russia expressed support for Cuba’s embattled government amid mounting pressure from the United States, as Moscow’s deputy foreign minister concluded a visit to Havana and Beijing signalled its willingness to step up diplomatic backing for the island. “China is willing to work with the international community to firmly support Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, and opposing external interference,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday. “The US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3349715/china-russia-rally-behind-cuba-us-squeezes-havana-deepening-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3349715/china-russia-rally-behind-cuba-us-squeezes-havana-deepening-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:30:44 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Russia is seeking to leverage a global natural gas supply crunch to lure energy-starved South Asia into purchasing shipments from its US-sanctioned facilities, according to people familiar with the matter. The shipments were being offered at a 40 per cent discount to spot prices last week via little-known intermediary companies based in China and Russia, said the people, who asked not to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. The sellers said that they could provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349479/russia-tempts-energy-starved-south-asia-40-discounts-us-sanctioned-lng?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3349479/russia-tempts-energy-starved-south-asia-40-discounts-us-sanctioned-lng?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:37:09 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China is expanding its agricultural trade with Ukraine with further opening of its wheat flour market, a move that underscores its pragmatism and balanced diplomacy as it also increases energy imports from Russia. On Monday, China’s ambassador to Ukraine, Ma Shengkun, signed a protocol with Ukrainian officials regarding inspection, quarantine and sanitary requirements for the export of Ukrainian wheat flour to China, the embassy in Kyiv said in a social media post . The agreement would broaden... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349256/beyond-russian-oil-china-also-increases-appetite-ukrainian-wheat-flour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349256/beyond-russian-oil-china-also-increases-appetite-ukrainian-wheat-flour?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Amber Wang,Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou Vladimir Putin is expected to visit China soon after Donald Trump’s trip in May in a diplomatic double-header that would be the first time Beijing has hosted the leaders of the US and Russia in the same month outside a multilateral event. According to Chinese analysts, the back-to-back visits highlight Beijing’s strategic effort to manage relations with both major powers amid rising global turbulence. Trump’s long-planned trip to Beijing was expected to take place from May 14 to 15, the White... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348148/what-does-it-mean-china-if-donald-trump-and-vladimir-putin-visit-back-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s airlines are expected to add nearly 2,900 more China-Europe flights to their summer schedules compared with last year, analysts said, as the US-Israel war on Iran hands them an even greater competitive advantage over other global carriers. Unlike many Western airlines, Chinese carriers can fly directly through Russian airspace to Europe rather than taking a lengthy detour, allowing them to offer quicker flights, save on fuel and avoid sending planes over the Middle East. The number of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347994/chinas-airlines-add-2900-flights-europe-russia-access-pays-dividends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347994/chinas-airlines-add-2900-flights-europe-russia-access-pays-dividends?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The scramble in Asia to secure Russian energy supplies – coupled with the temporary lifting of US sanctions – in the wake of the war in Iran has created a growing sense that Moscow might prove the main winner from the conflict. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin told a meeting of oil and gas suppliers that they should use the “additional revenues” generated by the spike in energy prices as a result of the war and the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Putin has also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347967/russia-really-shaping-biggest-winner-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347967/russia-really-shaping-biggest-winner-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen There is little chance the US could bring China to the table on any nuclear arms control agreements in the short term, despite upcoming leaders’ meetings this year, experts said on Tuesday, as the Trump administration pushes for a trilateral deal including China after the previous US-Russia treaty expired last month. There is “no shortage of good ideas” for how the upcoming summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping could move the world towards ending a nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347775/us-unlikely-get-china-join-new-nuclear-arms-control-agreement-say-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:02:23 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang As heightened conflict in the Middle East disrupts global shipping, China and Russia are considering deeper cooperation on logistics – including use of the Arctic shipping route – to secure a more resilient supply chain. At the inaugural China-Russia Logistics Business Forum held in Moscow on Monday, officials and business leaders discussed bolstering transport and infrastructure ties, calling such cooperation essential as geopolitical tensions reshape global supply chains, Chinese state news... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346894/china-russia-discuss-boosting-transport-links-middle-east-conflict-disrupts-shipping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346894/china-russia-discuss-boosting-transport-links-middle-east-conflict-disrupts-shipping?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China has included two pipelines transporting natural gas from Russia in the draft of its new five-year plan, raising market debate on whether the Power of Siberia 2 – a closely watched project viewed as symbolic of bilateral relations – could be on the fast track for construction. Along with language on two other pipelines, the draft said China would “advance preparatory work for the central route of the China-Russia natural gas pipeline” in the next five years, which some market observers... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345920/more-gas-russia-china-flags-new-pipeline-links-amid-iran-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345920/more-gas-russia-china-flags-new-pipeline-links-amid-iran-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:01:15 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Foreign Minister Wang Yi faced global media on Sunday morning to outline Beijing’s positions on key issues, ranging from the expanding crisis in Iran to China’s deepening dispute with Japan. The annual briefing, held as part of the annual “two sessions”, came as China sought to project its leadership and influence amid mounting global instability and manage its strategic rivalry with the US. This year, the top Chinese diplomat fielded 21 questions in a briefing that lasted nearly 90... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345852/takeaways-foreign-minister-wang-yi-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345852/takeaways-foreign-minister-wang-yi-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:38:36 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s top envoy to Russia has urged more transport infrastructure along the countries’ shared border to cut logistics costs and address challenges. Zhang Hanhui, Beijing’s ambassador to Moscow, said on Thursday that the two countries could explore cross-border transport corridors as major maritime logistics had been affected by sanctions. “I have suggested to the Russian side that more convenient crossings should be built along the China-Russia border, such as cross-river bridges,” Zhang said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345803/top-envoy-urges-china-russia-border-infrastructure-sanctions-stymie-transport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345803/top-envoy-urges-china-russia-border-infrastructure-sanctions-stymie-transport?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Canada’s defence agreement with South Korea signals the two countries’ “middle-power answer” to increasing cooperation between Beijing and Moscow in the Arctic region and Washington’s pressure on its allies for defence burden sharing, according to analysts. The agreement, signed on February 25 as part of a 2+2 foreign and defence ministerial meeting, followed the security and defence cooperation partnership established by the two countries in October. According to a joint statement issued after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345670/middle-powers-canada-south-korea-set-arctic-course-between-china-russia-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3345670/middle-powers-canada-south-korea-set-arctic-course-between-china-russia-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 06:00:21 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Washington will keep pushing China to join a trilateral nuclear control deal with the US and Russia, but can’t compel it to do so, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, citing “strategic stability” in China-US relations ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China in April, despite long-term “irritants”. “We think ultimately, in the 21st century, for there to be a true arms control agreement, it has to involve China,” Rubio said during a press conference at a meeting of the Caribbean... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344790/new-nuclear-control-agreement-should-include-us-russia-and-china-rubio?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344790/new-nuclear-control-agreement-should-include-us-russia-and-china-rubio?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:37:52 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang A Chinese consulate in Russia has issued a rare reminder to Chinese nationals about a new, little-discussed Russian law requiring foreign men under 65 applying for long-term residency to agree to do at least a year of military service for Moscow. In a notice on its social media account on Sunday, the Chinese consulate in Vladivostok advised Chinese nationals to “take note of” new regulations on the processing of Russian long-term residence permits. It said that under these provisions, foreign... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344760/why-china-reminding-its-male-citizens-russia-about-moscows-military-service-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3344760/why-china-reminding-its-male-citizens-russia-about-moscows-military-service-law?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:03:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States on Monday accused China of dramatically swelling its nuclear arsenal and doubled down on claims that Beijing had conducted secret nuclear tests, demanding again it be part of any future arms control treaty. Washington said the lapsing earlier this month of New Start – the last treaty between top nuclear powers the United States and Russia – presented the possibility of striking a “better agreement” including Beijing. Christopher Yeaw, the US assistant secretary of state for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344385/china-has-massively-expanded-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-us-state-department?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344385/china-has-massively-expanded-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-us-state-department?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:48:21 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A tour bus carrying Chinese tourists plunged through the ice on Russia’s Lake Baikal, killing eight people, officials said. One of the Chinese tourists managed to escape from the bus, which was crossing the frozen lake on Friday, Irkutsk regional Governor Igor Kobzev wrote in a Telegram post on Saturday. He said the dead included seven Chinese tourists and the driver. The bus plunged into a three-metre-wide (10-foot-wide) ice crevasse, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported. The lake is 18... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344231/bus-chinese-tourists-crashes-through-ice-russias-lake-baikal-killing-8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344231/bus-chinese-tourists-crashes-through-ice-russias-lake-baikal-killing-8?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:53:15 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Central Asian governments are forging ahead with ambitious “smart city” mega-projects to tackle rapid population growth and ageing Soviet-era infrastructure. They are also pulling in much-needed foreign investment, and China’s strong visibility in these projects – while Russia is notably absent – is fuelling debate over whether the region is trying to reduce its economic dependence on Moscow. It comes as competition among major powers in Central Asia is intensifying, with the US-led C5+1... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343192/central-asia-builds-smart-cities-china-it-moving-away-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343192/central-asia-builds-smart-cities-china-it-moving-away-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin The balance of power in the Russia-China relationship has evolved to the point that Beijing is now the dominant partner and the primary threat to the United States, according to US Congressman Pat Fallon. Speaking at the Hudson Institute during a discussion about the first year of US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, Fallon said while Russia and China have long had a strategic partnership, the world has now “seen that senior partnership shift”. “It was clearly the Soviets. Now it’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343120/beijing-dominant-partner-russia-china-relationship-us-congressman-fallon-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343120/beijing-dominant-partner-russia-china-relationship-us-congressman-fallon-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:37:40 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial When it comes to guiding China’s most important foreign relations and its international strategy, President Xi Jinping is known to favour head-of-state diplomacy – direct personal contact with his counterparts – as well as using diplomatic channels. This week has seen an extraordinary example of this: Xi’s video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin was followed in quick succession by a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday. After the official readouts, some of the details... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342693/xis-same-day-calls-trump-and-putin-showcase-head-state-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342693/xis-same-day-calls-trump-and-putin-showcase-head-state-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi Across Europe, demand for Chinese goods is soaring as consumers seek quality products at a lower cost. Some goods – particularly electric vehicles, batteries and solar panels – have been shipped from China at a large enough scale that the continent’s lawmakers have begun taking action against an “overcapacity” they feel could throttle domestic industries. But in one European country where multi-day blackouts are commonplace, buyers are rushing to secure a piece of that excess supply, desperate... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342654/beijing-and-moscow-tout-ties-chinas-companies-keep-ukraines-lights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342654/beijing-and-moscow-tout-ties-chinas-companies-keep-ukraines-lights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 22:00:29 +0000 C. Uday Bhaskar C. Uday Bhaskar For the India-China-US triangle, the new US-India trade deal, announced with Trumpian flourish on social media on Monday, has potentially significant economic, geopolitical and strategic implications. US President Donald Trump’s post, which came after a phone call with Narendra Modi, said the Indian prime minister had committed to “BUY AMERICAN”, including over US$500 billion of US products. It also said Modi had “agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342263/why-new-us-india-trade-agreement-big-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342263/why-new-us-india-trade-agreement-big-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Combine three wary nations, deep historical mistrust, rapid technological change, the most destructive weapons ever developed and a US unwilling to extend Thursday’s last formal nuclear weapons guardrail, and you have the ingredients for much worse geopolitical tension, if not a slide towards global disaster, warn nuclear weapons negotiators, analysts and former government officials. While Moscow has offered to formally extend its New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start) with the US for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342576/trump-balks-nuclear-limit-extension-calls-new-us-china-russia-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 00:02:50 +0000 Orange Wang,Cao Jiaxuan Orange Wang,Cao Jiaxuan Chinese President Xi Jinping’s unprecedented back-to-back conversations with his US and Russian counterparts have shed new light on how the three powers are positioning themselves. The Chinese leader’s separate talks on Wednesday with US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin also reveal their attempts to stabilise ties as they prepare for in-person summits and grapple with mounting headwinds at home. However, analysts expressed mixed views on whether – and how – China could... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342561/what-xis-calls-trump-and-putin-reveal-about-chinas-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342561/what-xis-calls-trump-and-putin-reveal-about-chinas-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:07:48 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed Iran in wide-ranging calls with both Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, as the US president steps up pressure on the Islamic Republic following the bloody quashing of anti-government protests. The US president said on social media that the “excellent” phone call with Xi covered topics including Iran, the Chinese purchase of US oil and gas, and Taiwan. Earlier, Xi and Putin “checked their approaches” on Iran, Venezuela and Cuba among other... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342514/xi-holds-trump-putin-calls-iran-tensions-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342514/xi-holds-trump-putin-calls-iran-tensions-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 09:11:08 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan China’s leader Xi Jinping spoke with US President Donald Trump by phone on Wednesday, just hours after a video call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to the Chinese readout, Xi told Trump that the Taiwan question was the “most important” issue in China-US relations, stressing that the island was Chinese territory and that Beijing would never allow it to be separated. Xi said China must safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and urged Washington to handle... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342409/hours-after-call-vladimir-putin-xi-jinping-talks-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342409/hours-after-call-vladimir-putin-xi-jinping-talks-donald-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:46:59 +0000 Dewey Sim,Vanessa Cai Dewey Sim,Vanessa Cai Chinese President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that Beijing and Moscow should work together for global stability and that a “grand plan” was needed to develop ties between the two nations. The video call was the first meeting between Xi and Putin this year as both sides seek to ramp up strategic alignment amid rising global geopolitical tensions. The talks were held as Russia’s New START Treaty with the United States – a nuclear arms agreement signed in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342384/xi-tells-putin-china-russia-ties-are-right-trajectory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342384/xi-tells-putin-china-russia-ties-are-right-trajectory?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 10:03:51 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China on Tuesday urged the United States to “respond positively” to Russia’s offer to maintain nuclear warhead limits ahead of Thursday’s expected collapse of a major US-Russia agreement to control nuclear build-up. Beijing also reiterated its refusal to join trilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations with Washington and Moscow, despite repeated calls for such talks by US President Donald Trump. China cited the disparity in nuclear stockpile sizes as the reason for its refusal. Absent a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342278/why-collapse-last-us-russia-nuclear-treaty-matters-china-and-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342278/why-collapse-last-us-russia-nuclear-treaty-matters-china-and-world?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 13:41:16 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow Brian Rhoads,Neil Denslow The last treaty limiting nuclear weapons deployments by the US and Russia expires on Thursday, ending more than 50 years of restraints on the world’s two biggest nuclear powers. Russia has offered a one-year extension to New Start, which was originally signed in 2010 by then-presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. No “substantive reaction” has been received from the US, Medvedev, now deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said in a recent interview with the Kommersant... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342231/china-grows-nuclear-arsenal-last-us-russia-limits-expire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342231/china-grows-nuclear-arsenal-last-us-russia-limits-expire?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:01:31 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Donald Trump’s repeated threats against Greenland and rising tensions with Iran may have been a factor in the latest round of talks between China and Russia, according to Chinese observers. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Sergei Shoigu, the head of the Russian Security Council, met in Beijing on Sunday. According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang warned of the danger of the world lapsing into the “law of the jungle”. “China and Russia should maintain close communication on major issues... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342142/could-greenland-and-iran-have-been-factors-behind-latest-china-russia-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342142/could-greenland-and-iran-have-been-factors-behind-latest-china-russia-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:44:00 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun urged closer strategic coordination between Beijing and Moscow and bolstering joint capacity to respond to risks and challenges in a video call with his Russian counterpart on Tuesday. Dong told Andrei Belousov that Beijing was willing to “enrich the substance of cooperation, improve communication and exchange mechanisms, jointly enhance the ability to respond to various risks and challenges and work hand in hand to inject positive energy into global security... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341451/china-and-russia-bolster-defence-ties-counter-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341451/china-and-russia-bolster-defence-ties-counter-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:13:55 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang The United States is likely to lose its clear edge over China in strategic relations with major nations by 2035, a prominent Chinese political scientist has predicted. Yan Xuetong, honorary dean of Tsinghua University’s Institute of International Relations, said strategic competition between Beijing and Washington was likely to remain intense in the coming decade and could escalate into a crisis during US President Donald Trump’s second term, but the risk of direct war could decline under... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340468/how-narrowing-china-us-gap-could-reshape-global-power-play-2035?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340468/how-narrowing-china-us-gap-could-reshape-global-power-play-2035?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:30:44 +0000 Chan Young Bang Chan Young Bang The Ukraine war and Donald Trump’s return to the White House have significantly altered northeast Asia’s geopolitical landscape. North Korea’s defence treaty with Russia and leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to deploy troops to support Moscow have shattered any remaining illusions of strategic restraint. While Russia is believed to be supplying North Korea with finance and technology, Japan and South Korea are accelerating military spending and preparing for long-term confrontation, potentially –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339398/why-timing-may-be-right-china-press-north-korea-denuclearisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3339398/why-timing-may-be-right-china-press-north-korea-denuclearisation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 21:30:10 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Donald Trump’s renewed threats to take over Greenland could pose a direct challenge to China’s ambitions in the Arctic, but some observers say it may also open the door to increased cooperation with Europe. Following the abduction of Venezuela’s former leader Nicolas Maduro, the White House swiftly turned its attention towards the self-governing Danish territory, adding that “of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal”. On Sunday, the US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339078/will-donald-trumps-threats-greenland-help-bring-china-and-europe-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339078/will-donald-trumps-threats-greenland-help-bring-china-and-europe-closer-together?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:00:15 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on Tuesday called for a new paradigm for engagement with the United States, emphasising the need for stable, cooperative ties while firmly defending what he described as China’s core interests, particularly Taiwan. During a speech in Beijing, the foreign minister also accused Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of “openly challenging” Chinese territorial sovereignty after she suggested last month that a potential Taiwan conflict could threaten Japan’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338174/china-and-us-need-new-ways-engage-push-stable-cooperative-ties-wang-yi-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338174/china-and-us-need-new-ways-engage-push-stable-cooperative-ties-wang-yi-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 10:07:07 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Ivan Krastev is a Bulgarian political scientist best known for his work on Europe’s democratic crisis, the psychology of post-communist societies and the political legacy of 1989. He is chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna and the author of several influential books on European politics. In this Open Questions interview, Krastev reflects on Europe’s loss of bearings in a faster, harsher world, the fading of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337565/bulgarian-political-scientist-ivan-krastev-european-vertigo-post-american-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337565/bulgarian-political-scientist-ivan-krastev-european-vertigo-post-american-world?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 22:00:07 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Ivan Krastev is a Bulgarian political scientist best known for his work on Europe’s democratic crisis, the psychology of post-communist societies and the political legacy of 1989. He is chair of the Centre for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna and the author of several influential books on European politics. In this Open Questions interview, Krastev reflects on Europe’s loss of bearings in a faster, harsher world, the fading of the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3337762/europes-china-shock-and-how-political-scientist-ivan-krastev-sees-its-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3337762/europes-china-shock-and-how-political-scientist-ivan-krastev-sees-its-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 03:45:07 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Western sanctions had not weakened ties between Beijing and Moscow but instead fostered closer dialogue and higher levels of mutual trust, Russia’s ambassador to China Igor Morgulov said on Tuesday. Addressing a forum at Renmin University of China in Beijing, Morgulov portrayed the deepening partnership as a response to efforts aimed at constraining both countries’ technological development and distorting fair competition. China and Russia had expanded cooperation in an “extremely complex”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337608/china-russia-partnership-stronger-ever-despite-western-sanctions-envoy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337608/china-russia-partnership-stronger-ever-despite-western-sanctions-envoy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 08:00:32 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Mia Nurmamat Xinyi Wu,Mia Nurmamat Russia’s shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China soared last month, consolidating Moscow’s role as the top energy supplier to the world’s second-largest economy even in the face of Western sanctions. Imports of LNG from Russia surged 142.6 per cent, year on year, to 1.6 million tonnes, displacing Australia to become one of China’s top two biggest suppliers alongside Qatar last month, according to the latest customs data. Russian LNG accounted for 23.5 per cent of China’s total... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337367/russian-lng-shipments-china-surge-143-november-overtaking-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337367/russian-lng-shipments-china-surge-143-november-overtaking-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 03:00:18 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang The Arctic shipping route is essential to safeguard China’s development over the next decade, a senior Chinese official said in Beijing, calling for greater efforts to expand its practical use. With proposals for the next five-year plan incorporating security and development, China must ensure its international transport channels remain unimpeded, Ma Jiantang, deputy director of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference’s economic committee, said. China’s traditional trade lanes... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337088/secure-arctic-shipping-route-essential-china-senior-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337088/secure-arctic-shipping-route-essential-china-senior-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:30:12 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham European Union members have observed an uptick in China’s support for Russia, multiple sources said, as Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine prepares to drag into its fifth year. Officials are parsing evidence of an increase in battlefield weapons being shipped from China to Russia, to add to the well-documented flow of goods with dual civilian and military uses between the two states. “We note that 80 per cent of critical dual-use goods come to Russia either through or from China. They claim to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3336296/eu-fears-chinas-role-russias-war-ukraine-deepening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3336296/eu-fears-chinas-role-russias-war-ukraine-deepening?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 17:44:11 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Despite a high-level phone call between US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, 2025 is likely to end without the long-promised US-India trade deal, as the “America first” leader continues to stall the agreement while working to cement improved ties with Beijing. The call came just days after Modi hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the Indian Prime Minister described his conversation with Trump as “warm and engaging” in a social media post,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3336135/trump-and-modi-have-warm-phone-call-2025-unlikely-end-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3336135/trump-and-modi-have-warm-phone-call-2025-unlikely-end-trade-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 23:00:52 +0000 Bochen Han,Seong Hyeon Choi Bochen Han,Seong Hyeon Choi The senior Democrat on a US congressional committee focused on China is urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to fill the State Department’s vacant post for Arctic affairs, citing intensifying competition with Beijing and adding to growing pressure to address the vacancy. The Ambassador-at-Large for Arctic Affairs leads US engagement with the eight-country Arctic Council and coordinates American interests related to safety and security, economic development and intergovernmental cooperation. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3336131/senior-us-democrat-urges-rubio-fill-arctic-affairs-post-halt-china-and-russias-rise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3336131/senior-us-democrat-urges-rubio-fill-arctic-affairs-post-halt-china-and-russias-rise?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:05:25 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Military aircraft from China and Russia entered South Korea’s air defence zone without notification on Tuesday, prompting the deployment of fighter jets, the Korean military said. The nine aircraft appeared to be part of a joint patrol in the area, their first such exercise in more than 12 months. They did not violate Korean airspace, the country’s military command authority said. Hours later, the Chinese defence ministry said China and Russia had carried out their 10th joint strategic patrol in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335775/2-chinese-7-russian-jets-enter-south-korean-air-defence-zone-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3335775/2-chinese-7-russian-jets-enter-south-korean-air-defence-zone-near-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:03:03 +0000 Michael Tai Michael Tai When President Xi Jinping hosted his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin earlier this year, the choreography was familiar: smiles, handshakes and talk of a “multipolar world order”. Yet beneath the symbolism lies an imbalance impossible to miss. China radiated the poise of a civilisation sure of its trajectory; Russia exuded the defiance of a power seeking reassurance. The meeting, intended to display Eurasian unity, instead... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334916/while-china-exudes-confidence-russia-held-back-yearning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3334916/while-china-exudes-confidence-russia-held-back-yearning?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 21:30:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Chinese cross-border e-commerce entrepreneur Andy Guo has just opened two warehouses covering a total of 5,000 square metres (53,820 sq ft) on the outskirts of Moscow. He said the move was not about addressing logistical bottlenecks, but preparing his business for a potential geopolitical shift that could reshape his fastest-growing yet most uncertain overseas market if Russia and Ukraine reach a peace deal. US President Donald Trump has continued to push for the end of hostilities between... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335521/chinese-firms-prepare-reopening-russian-market-amid-talks-aimed-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335521/chinese-firms-prepare-reopening-russian-market-amid-talks-aimed-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:57:35 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China and Russia have reached a “high degree” of strategic consensus on issues related to Japan and jointly oppose the revival of “Japanese militarism”, Beijing said after Foreign Minister Wang Yi met chief Kremlin security aide Sergei Shoigu in Moscow. Statements from the World War II allies after Tuesday’s meeting indicated continued solidarity amid growing China-Japan tensions. Shoigu, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also told Wang that Russia could achieve its “strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335058/wwii-allies-china-russia-take-united-stand-against-japanese-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335058/wwii-allies-china-russia-take-united-stand-against-japanese-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:42:57 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Russia is inching closer to its first yuan-denominated sovereign bond sale, aiding China’s push to raise the global standing of its currency. Russia’s Finance Ministry will start taking orders on December 2 for the two-part, domestically traded notes. The borrower was expected to market the new debt with a targeted coupon of 6.25 to 6.5 per cent for a 3.2-year tranche, the Interfax news agency reported, adding that the coupon for a 7.5-year portion would be capped at 7.5 per cent. Running a... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3334758/chinas-currency-push-gains-ground-russia-nears-issuance-yuan-bond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3334758/chinas-currency-push-gains-ground-russia-nears-issuance-yuan-bond?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:41:50 +0000