https://www.scmp.com/rss/522681/feed The latest news and top stories on Cui Hongjian, a prominent Chinese academic and former diplomat. Known for his expertise in European studies, he currently serves as Head of EU Studies and Director of the Center for the EU and Regional Development Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University. He has a background as a diplomat, including postings in India and Jamaica, and previously directed the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies. His work focuses on... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen The ruling Labour Party’s dire results in local and regional elections in the UK late last week had damaged Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authority and could lead to policy shifts, Chinese experts said. While some in Starmer’s party might push for changes in policy towards China, a U-turn on the government’s pro-engagement strategy was unlikely, the observers said, arguing that Britain’s economic position would make this move too costly. More than 5,000 seats across 136 English councils and six... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353179/will-starmers-election-woes-force-shake-uks-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353179/will-starmers-election-woes-force-shake-uks-ties-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 13:12:06 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen US President Donald Trump’s renewed threat to take Greenland when America is bogged down in a war with Iran will only deepen the fracture with Washington’s European allies, according to analysts. Trump has repeatedly criticised Europe since returning to the White House. He has derided Nato as a “paper tiger” that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “not afraid of” and last week threatened to withdraw the US from the transatlantic security alliance. Europe, meanwhile, has pushed back and kept a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349295/paper-tiger-whats-behind-donald-trumps-renewed-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349295/paper-tiger-whats-behind-donald-trumps-renewed-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen In a rare condemnation of its strategic partner, China has come out in opposition to Iran’s attacks on Gulf nations, calling for a ceasefire and a guarantee of the safety of shipping lanes. Addressing a UN Security Council meeting on Thursday, Fu Cong, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations, said: “China does not support Iran’s attacks on Gulf Cooperation Council nations and condemns all indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians and non-military targets. The security of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348986/china-europe-and-why-beijing-took-swing-iran-over-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:00:16 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China is expanding its diplomatic budget by 9.3 per cent, the highest increase in three years, signalling Beijing’s plans to consolidate its geopolitical clout as instability mounts around the globe, according to analysts. The Ministry of Finance on Thursday proposed that 70.975 billion yuan (US$10.28 billion) be allocated for Beijing’s diplomatic spending in 2026, up 9.3 per cent from the previous year. It is the fifth consecutive year that China has increased its foreign affairs... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345590/china-boosts-diplomatic-budget-93-us-leaves-fiscal-void?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345590/china-boosts-diplomatic-budget-93-us-leaves-fiscal-void?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 12:11:24 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Universities in China are shifting focus from traditional language degrees to country-specific and regional studies – a move analysts say reflects a broader strategy to craft a uniquely Chinese framework for understanding the world, independent of Western paradigms. The field of regional or area studies examines the politics, economics, culture, military affairs, geography, linguistics and other dimensions of countries and regions worldwide. Ministry of Education data shows that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344091/why-chinese-universities-are-ditching-language-degrees-strategic-regional-expertise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344091/why-chinese-universities-are-ditching-language-degrees-strategic-regional-expertise?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:00:17 +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 Fan Chen Fan Chen At the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, world leaders warned of an increasingly fractured global order and took veiled swipes at the United States. But they held back on directly criticising China, which experts said signalled a recalibration in their approach to Beijing as US President Donald Trump’s political unpredictability left allies on edge. Recent moves by the US president have been widely seen as assaults on the global order, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao US President Donald Trump’s accelerated push to seize Greenland has transformed a once-quirky idea into a full-blown diplomatic crisis, with observers warning it could deal a near-fatal blow to the post-war transatlantic order. Trump initially did not rule out the use of America’s military to control the autonomous Danish territory but backed down at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, saying that he “won’t use force”. He also called off tariffs against European countries over their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340715/greenland-meltdown-what-does-trumps-quest-mean-global-order-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340715/greenland-meltdown-what-does-trumps-quest-mean-global-order-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Last weekend, following the US military operation in Venezuela abducting its leader, Nicolas Maduro, Brazil’s president denounced the attack as a “flagrant violation of international law” and having “crossed an unacceptable line”. “These acts represent a grave affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community,” Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wrote on social media. Lula, who said attacking countries was “the first step towards a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339437/how-us-raid-venezuela-has-triggered-brazilian-fury-and-chinese-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339437/how-us-raid-venezuela-has-triggered-brazilian-fury-and-chinese-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 22:00:14 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai China’s influence in Latin America may be significantly tested by the US revival of the Monroe Doctrine, as Washington’s attack on Venezuela is set to have a chilling effect on the region’s engagement with Beijing, analysts warn. In a surprise precision operation on Saturday, the US military struck Venezuela, captured its leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, and placed them in detention in New York. Without giving a timetable for elections, US President Donald Trump said the US would run... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338689/venezuela-crisis-how-trumps-donroe-doctrine-could-challenge-chinas-latin-america-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338689/venezuela-crisis-how-trumps-donroe-doctrine-could-challenge-chinas-latin-america-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 15:01:10 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang US military strikes and forced regime change in Venezuela have left European countries in a diplomatic bind, as they distance themselves from Washington’s actions while hesitating to criticise them outright. The world reacted with shock after the Trump administration launched “Operation Absolute Resolve” to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, and transported them to the United States for detention at a New York facility. China has strongly condemned the US actions... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338673/straddle-middle-ground-europeans-hard-choice-over-us-attacks-against-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338673/straddle-middle-ground-europeans-hard-choice-over-us-attacks-against-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:24:28 +0000 Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma Ji Siqi,Sylvia Ma More than six decades after British historian AJP Taylor termed war the “mother of invention”, economies around the world appear to be ramping up their military spending, at least in part, to reinvigorate industrial production. Taylor was referring to the genesis of the tank, the aeroplane and poison gas in World War I, and that of radar, the jet engine and the atomic bomb in World War II. More modern examples, such as satellite-based navigation systems and the internet, were the products of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335612/us-eu-and-japan-boost-defence-spending-stimulus-their-true-intention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335612/us-eu-and-japan-boost-defence-spending-stimulus-their-true-intention?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma French President Emmanuel Macron sought to improve relations with Beijing as he started a three-day trip amid Europe-China tensions over trade, rare earth minerals and the Ukraine war. “Sometimes there are differences, but it is our responsibility to overcome them for the greater good,” Macron told Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks in Beijing on Thursday. Xi said China was ready to work with France “to exclude any interference” and “make the comprehensive strategic partnership between... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335185/macron-bypasses-eu-bid-boost-france-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335185/macron-bypasses-eu-bid-boost-france-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 09:00:53 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As China and the Netherlands prepare to hold talks next week over the Nexperia chipmaker dispute, Beijing has the patience to resolve the issue through multiple rounds of negotiations to ensure the case remains isolated, analysts said. On Thursday, Dutch Economy Minister Vincent Karremans said a senior government delegation would visit Beijing “to continue our efforts to find a mutually agreeable solution”. The Dutch government took the unusual step of seizing control of Nexperia from its... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332847/china-signals-patience-nexperia-row-escalation-seen-possible-talks-loom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332847/china-signals-patience-nexperia-row-escalation-seen-possible-talks-loom?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:30:19 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Germany needs to think long term and come up with a strategic vision to revive mutual trust with China following a series of diplomatic “bumps” this year, according to international relations observers. The relationship faced a setback last month when German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul postponed his first trip to China. A German foreign ministry official said the visit was called off after Beijing confirmed only one of his requested meetings. Cui Hongjian, director of the European studies... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331885/where-now-germanys-ties-china-start-long-term-vision-academic-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331885/where-now-germanys-ties-china-start-long-term-vision-academic-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 10:00:25 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is scheduled to speak in a fireside chat on Friday during the third Family Business Summit in Hong Kong, as the city burnishes its role as the offshore fundraising hub and ‘superconnector’ between the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world. The speech is the highlight of the conference, curated by the South China Morning Post and Blue Pool Capital, with UBS as the presenting partner. The attendees – by invitation only – comprise about 150 private business... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331821/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-speak-third-annual-confab-family-owned-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3331821/hong-kong-leader-john-lee-speak-third-annual-confab-family-owned-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 23:30:09 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. Here, Shi Jiangtao looks at how the relationship has been affected by Trump 2.0 and accompanying ups and downs of US-China ties, and global conflicts. In an era defined by intensifying US-China rivalry, the European Union often finds itself pulled in opposite directions by the competing giants,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331751/can-eu-walk-strategic-autonomy-tightrope-china-us-tug-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3331751/can-eu-walk-strategic-autonomy-tightrope-china-us-tug-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Amber Wang,Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Amber Wang,Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng In a stark departure from past China-US summits, Taiwan did not rate a mention on Thursday, prompting speculation that Xi Jinping and Donald Trump had arrived at a tacit and pragmatic understanding to deprioritise the contentious issue. Taiwan – regarded by Beijing as a core interest and “the first red line that cannot be crossed” in bilateral relations – has in recent years occupied a few lines in official readouts following face-to-face meetings between the countries’ leaders, but not in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330958/what-does-xi-trump-summits-silence-taiwan-mean-contentious-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330958/what-does-xi-trump-summits-silence-taiwan-mean-contentious-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Oct 2025 15:00:10 +0000 Dewey Sim,Fan Chen Dewey Sim,Fan Chen In a speech laced with threats against Russia and with little about China, US President Donald Trump’s address at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday may have given Beijing some reason for optimism. According to observers, the American leader’s attacks on Russia over the war in Ukraine signalled his frustration and revealed cracks in ties between Washington and Moscow, a relationship that earlier showed signs of deepening, something Beijing has been wary about. Trump’s comparatively soft rhetoric... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3326724/did-trumps-russia-rant-un-give-china-reason-optimism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3326724/did-trumps-russia-rant-un-give-china-reason-optimism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 14:00:11 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Alyssa Chen Shi Jiangtao,Alyssa Chen The highly anticipated US-Russia presidential summit in Alaska had raised hopes for progress on ending the Ukraine war, but instead left more questions than answers. Still, observers viewed Vladimir Putin’s diplomatic return to US soil – his first in a decade – as a symbolic win for Moscow. The nearly three-hour talks, which both Putin and Donald Trump described as “productive”, signalled a potential thaw in the fraught US-Russia relationship despite concluding without a ceasefire agreement,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322104/will-trump-putin-thaw-alaska-leave-china-facing-3-way-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322104/will-trump-putin-thaw-alaska-leave-china-facing-3-way-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 14:24:28 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. In this, the fourth part of the series, Shi Jiangtao looks at how the issue of Taiwan is overshadowing the relationship. As mainland China and the European Union mark 50 years of diplomatic ties, there is growing concern in Beijing that the bloc may be undermining its one-China policy, as Brussels –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322001/why-eu-stance-taiwan-growing-cause-concern-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322001/why-eu-stance-taiwan-growing-cause-concern-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:00:11 +0000 Ji Siqi,Luna Sun,Kandy Wong Ji Siqi,Luna Sun,Kandy Wong As a framework trade deal was struck between the United States and the European Union on the eve of a new round of trade talks between Beijing and Washington, analysts said China was in a position to stay calm and wait to see how the deal actually pans out, even if the US is likely to use it as a bargaining chip. But Beijing should still be aware of the potential alliance between its two major trading partners in the economic sphere, as the US and EU could transform shared sore points into a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3319866/where-does-china-stand-after-us-trade-deal-eu-seen-more-rhetoric-substance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3319866/where-does-china-stand-after-us-trade-deal-eu-seen-more-rhetoric-substance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 18:00:08 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. In this, the first of a series of reports examining ties between the two powers, Shi Jiangtao looks at the influence the United States has on the relationship. China has ramped up efforts to mend ties with the European Union ahead of a planned bilateral summit later this month, seeking to capitalise... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319145/can-china-get-us-out-way-better-ties-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3319145/can-china-get-us-out-way-better-ties-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:00:43 +0000