https://www.scmp.com/rss/524397/feed The latest news and top stories on Shanghai International Studies University. A prominent Shanghai based public university, Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) is dedicated to preparing innovative professionals and future global leaders. Established in 1949, it was China’s first university specialising in foreign languages. SISU focuses on linguistics, modern languages, intercultural studies, global and area studies, international relations, journalism, economics, management and... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Against the backdrop of ceremonial grandeur at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday, US President Donald Trump leaned on centuries of shared history to set the stage for the future of China-US relations. In his state banquet address capping a long day of talks, tourism and toasts, Trump blended calculated callbacks with personal touches – carefully crafted to appeal to the hosts, including President Xi Jinping. He framed the relationship as “one of the most consequential” in world history,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353636/confucius-tsinghua-trump-invokes-history-anchor-china-us-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353636/confucius-tsinghua-trump-invokes-history-anchor-china-us-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 03:16:04 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s diplomatic balancing act during his visit to China last month marked a sharp contrast with a European Union grappling with geopolitical upheaval and economic stagnation. Sanchez pushed for closer ties with Beijing while raising concerns over a persistent bilateral trade deficit and the Ukraine war, an approach that analysts said could serve as a diplomatic template for Brussels amid its fraying relationship with Washington. According to Wang Hanyi, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353031/could-spains-compliment-sandwich-approach-china-work-eu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3353031/could-spains-compliment-sandwich-approach-china-work-eu?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 09:00:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth In December 2010, on the final day of his three-day India visit, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao offered a metaphorical vision for bilateral ties, suggesting that “the dragon and the elephant should tango”. The analogy – dragon for China, elephant for India – had already circulated in Western academic and media circles as a comparative frame. With Wen’s remark, it formally entered China’s diplomatic lexicon. Over the past 15 years, through cycles of border tensions and uneasy resets, China’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352233/why-does-china-portray-india-elephant-decoding-politics-animal-analogy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352233/why-does-china-portray-india-elephant-decoding-politics-animal-analogy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 04:00:24 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen The US naval blockade of Iranian ports is not a tactic to force China to pressure Iran into a peace deal, according to analysts. Rather, the US aimed to end the war through showing its maritime supremacy over the world’s most vital energy chokepoint, they argued. Washington began to enforce the blockade on Monday, drawing threats of retaliation from Tehran. It remains unclear how fully the blockade can be enforced. The US Navy currently has at least 15 ships in the region, including an aircraft... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350087/us-trying-pressure-china-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350087/us-trying-pressure-china-hormuz-blockade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Foreign visitors have been flocking to spa centres in China to try a unique cultural experience at an affordable price. Many foreigners have been amazed by the bathhouses in the country because they operate on a 24-hour basis. Not only can people take a bath at hot springs, but they can also enjoy everything from fruit, drinks, ice cream and a buffet, to singing Karaoke, playing with game machines, billiards and mahjong. Some places also provide libraries and mini cinemas, the China News... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3349269/foreigners-flock-china-spas-enjoy-unique-cultural-baths-amid-rise-wellness-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3349269/foreigners-flock-china-spas-enjoy-unique-cultural-baths-amid-rise-wellness-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan A deepening cash crunch at the United Nations has reignited debate over the future of multilateralism, with analysts warning that the crisis also reflects a more profound shift in how the United States views the world body. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres last week warned that the organisation was at risk of “imminent financial collapse” as unpaid contributions threatened programme delivery, with funds potentially running out by July. In a rare letter addressed to all 193 member states,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342614/un-grapples-cash-crisis-dont-expect-china-fill-gap-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342614/un-grapples-cash-crisis-dont-expect-china-fill-gap-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun From ice castles in Harbin to ski resorts in Xinjiang and glaciers in Sichuan, China’s ice and snow destinations are seeing a sharp rise in foreign arrivals as the winter weather deepens, with visa rules easing and strong Southeast Asian demand driving triple-digit growth in inbound travel. Inbound bookings to China’s winter destinations have climbed close to 100 per cent year on year this season, with growth in Hebei province, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the Inner Mongolia... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339834/foreigners-flock-chinas-ice-and-snow-attractions-130-inbound-tourism-spike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339834/foreigners-flock-chinas-ice-and-snow-attractions-130-inbound-tourism-spike?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Zhao Ziwen,Vanessa Cai Zhao Ziwen,Vanessa Cai As the US considers taking military action over a crackdown on unrest in Iran, there has been no official response from either the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or Brics. Iran is a member of the two Beijing-backed forums for the Global South, and analysts said remaining silent on the situation could be damaging for them. But according to one expert, the Iran crisis could also lead to an expansion of security and strategic cooperation within the two blocs. US President Donald Trump has... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339910/could-iran-crisis-push-global-south-blocs-deepen-security-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339910/could-iran-crisis-push-global-south-blocs-deepen-security-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Jan 2026 15:00:20 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai Nearly two months after Japan’s new prime minister enraged Beijing with her remarks on Taiwan, the issue is not going away. Sanae Takaichi set off a diplomatic firestorm in November when she suggested that Japan could justify a military response if Beijing attacked Taiwan. Beijing hit back with diplomatic, economic and military pressure in a campaign analysts said reflected concerns about Japan’s assertiveness on regional security and closer ties with the US and other allies. Tensions are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338020/why-feud-between-tokyo-and-beijing-could-rage-while-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338020/why-feud-between-tokyo-and-beijing-could-rage-while-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:00:11 +0000 Orange Wang,Zhao Ziwen Orange Wang,Zhao Ziwen The Trump administration is possibly facing a “dilemma” as tensions between China and Japan intensify, one Chinese analyst has suggested, while another noted that any breakthrough in the diplomatic dispute still hinged on direct engagement between the two Asian neighbours. This week, the downward spiral in ties between China and Japan showed no signs of easing. Beijing issued another travel warning targeting Japan on Thursday – less than four weeks after its previous advisory – this time citing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336106/china-japan-row-has-left-us-leader-donald-trump-facing-dilemma-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336106/china-japan-row-has-left-us-leader-donald-trump-facing-dilemma-analyst?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:00:09 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi As Beijing continues advocating for deeper regional economic cooperation in East Asia amid ongoing tensions with Washington – including by working towards a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan and South Korea – analysts say that making substantial progress remains challenging, given the existing trade framework and conflicting interests. In a meeting with South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan on Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3331365/beijing-pushes-china-japan-south-korea-trade-pact-amid-us-tensions-hurdles-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 01:00:15 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A terminally ill father in eastern China has inspired millions online by teaching his daughter to face death with courage and peace. A Shanghai woman known online as Dong Sanbai has shared the story of her 67-year-old father, Dong, who loves music, books and fishing. Born into poverty, Dong worked in a factory as a young man but spent his nights teaching himself Japanese. His determination paid off when he was accepted into the prestigious Shanghai International Studies University. After two... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3329896/death-journey-dying-china-dad-inspires-teaching-daughter-face-fate-courage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3329896/death-journey-dying-china-dad-inspires-teaching-daughter-face-fate-courage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:00:10 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen Iran’s reported plans to sign up to China’s BeiDou satellite navigation system could expand Beijing’s footprint in the Middle East as advanced technology emerges as a battleground, according to analysts. The plans come after Tehran suffered major losses to its military and nuclear facilities in its 12-day war with Israel and the US in June. In an interview with local newspaper Ham-Mihan last month, Iranian deputy communications minister Ehsan Chitsaz confirmed that it deliberately jammed GPS... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321043/iran-looks-tap-chinas-beidou-navigation-system-plug-security-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321043/iran-looks-tap-chinas-beidou-navigation-system-plug-security-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 14:00:08 +0000