China

The recent detention of Liu Jianchao, one of China’s most prominent diplomats and head of the International Liaison Department, is “less about corruption and more about control” as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive has evolved into a mechanism for political survival and control, a report highlighted recently. The news of Liu Jianchao, widely tipped to be a future foreign minister, being detained earlier this month had sent shock waves in China’s official and diplomatic circles. “Liu was not just another seasoned cadre. He was a man deeply embedded in the Communist Party’s disciplinary apparatus, having overseen international aspects of the anti-corruption campaign, including the high-profile Operation Fox Hunt that tracked down fugitives abroad. His abrupt fal

Xi Jinping has arrived in Tibet for events to mark the 60th anniversary of the autonomous region, making him the first Chinese president to attend the once-a-decade activities.He arrived in Lhasa around noon on Wednesday with a high-level entourage including Wang Huning, China’s top political adviser and fourth-ranking official; Cai Qi, the president’s chief of staff; Li Ganjie, head of the United Front Work Department; Vice-Premier He Lifeng; and Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong, according to state broadcaster CCTV. On Wednesday afternoon, Xi met various officials from the region, public security officers, and religious figures, including the Panchen Lama, the second-highest figure in Tibetan Buddhism, CCTV reported. Xi said local authorities had four areas to focus on: s

China stands ready to work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role in the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday. Mao made the remarks at a daily press briefing when answering a relevant question. "China's stance on the Ukraine crisis has been consistent and clear," Mao said, adding that China is neither the creator of the crisis nor a party to it. "Since the first day of the crisis, China has consistently upheld an objective and impartial position, and has been committed to promoting peace talks," she said. Chinese President Xi Jinping has put forward a four-point proposal, emphasizing that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected; the pu...

The friendship between Pakistan and China is a model of political trust and enduring cooperation, said Mushahid Hussain Syed, former chairman of the Pakistani senate's defense committee, calling for joint efforts to build a closer Pakistan-China community with a shared future in the new era. Syed, who is also the chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), said in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua that the two countries should seize the opportunities brought about by global political and economic changes to deepen their strategic partnership further. Reflecting on the 74 years of diplomatic ties, Syed said that from the friendship forged by the older generation of leaders, to the construction of the Karakoram Highway, also known as the China-Pakistan Friendship Highwa...

Three weeks ago, Burmese artist Sai was in Bangkok, celebrating the opening of an art exhibition he had curated with his wife at one of Thailand's top galleries. Now the couple has fled to the UK where they plan to seek asylum, their exhibition about authoritarian repression censored after angering the Chinese government. The couple alleges Thai police are looking for them, though a police spokesman has denied knowledge of this. Human rights advocates have condemned the situation as an example of transnational repression. Featuring exiled artists from countries such as China, Russia and Iran, Sai says his exhibition, which opened on 26 July at the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre, saw repeated visits by Chinese embassy representatives, accompanied by Bangkok city officials...

China’s passport ranking has plummeted to 115th globally, a stunning indictment of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) foreign and domestic policies. For a country that claims to be rising as a global power, this decline is more than symbolic, it’s a reflection of how Beijing’s aggressive diplomacy, internal repression, and image management have backfired on its own citizens. Despite the CCP’s propaganda portraying the Chinese passport as a badge of pride and global access, the reality is starkly different. Chinese travellers face increasing scrutiny, discrimination, and even humiliation at international borders. In Tanzania, for instance, a blogger documented how Chinese nationals were singled out for luggage checks and forced to pay bribes, while other travellers passed through u

Outwardly, China’s military has never been stronger. Its naval ships venture farther across the oceans. Its nuclear force grows by about 100 warheads every year. Its military flights around Taiwan are increasingly frequent and intimidating. Every few months, China unveils new weapons, like a prototype stealth fighter or newfangled landing barges.Internally, though, China’s military is experiencing its most serious leadership disarray in years. Three of the seven seats on the Central Military Commission — the Communist Party council that controls the armed forces — appear to be vacant after members were arrested or simply disappeared. That internal turbulence is testing President Xi Jinping’s effort, going back more than a decade, to build a military that is loyal, modern, combat-re

President Trump’s order continues a reprieve from the threat of escalating tariffs and export controls, which rocked the global economy earlier this year. President Trump signed an executive order on Monday extending a trade truce between the United States and China for another three months, continuing a reprieve from the threat of escalating tariffs and export controls, which rocked the global economy earlier this year. The extension, until Nov. 10, gives the countries more time to work out their differences and sets the stage for a potential summit between Mr. Trump and Xi Jinping, China’s leader, later this year. Mr. Trump suggested on Monday that there had been progress in the negotiations. “They’ve been dealing quite nicely — the relationship is very good with President