https://www.scmp.com/rss/318199/feed The latest news on diplomacy and diplomatic events in and relating to China. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage In Benin’s southern Atlantic coastal town of Ouidah, located about 40km (25 miles) west of the economic capital of Cotonou, China is turning a former slave trade hub into a busy tourist destination. The historic port once saw nearly 2 million enslaved Africans marched along the 2km “Slave Route” from the auction plaza to the beach during the transatlantic slave trade. On the shore, captives were passed through the “Gate of No Return”, with a monumental memorial arch now standing at the exact... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356024/how-china-turning-historic-african-slave-port-waterfront-tourism-destination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356024/how-china-turning-historic-african-slave-port-waterfront-tourism-destination?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley What is in effect Japan’s version of the Belt and Road Initiative is being rolled out at an accelerating pace. But unlike China’s global infrastructure initiative, which mainly takes the form of highways, railways and sea lanes, Japan’s project is all about energy networks and supply chains. It poses a further challenge to America’s waning economic and strategic influence in Asia, the world’s most populous, resource-rich and potentially powerful region. What is more, it is a cooperative venture... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355995/problem-japans-bid-strengthen-energy-security-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3355995/problem-japans-bid-strengthen-energy-security-supply-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:30:05 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik The People’s Liberation Army said on Friday that it had tracked and monitored a Dutch warship during its passage through the Taiwan Strait, days after using electronic interference during a confrontation with the same vessel in the South China Sea. The PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command said on social media that in less than two weeks, the shipborne helicopter of the Dutch frigate De Ruyter had “illegally intruded into the airspace over China’s Xisha [the Chinese name for the Paracel Islands] and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356200/pla-says-it-will-stay-high-alert-after-dutch-warship-crosses-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356200/pla-says-it-will-stay-high-alert-after-dutch-warship-crosses-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Zhou Bo Zhou Bo Listening to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at the recently concluded Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, I thought of the iconic Sichuan opera act of face-changing, where performers switch masks in an instant. Last year, Hegseth’s speech at the event was filled with blatant attacks on China. This year, he put on a completely different face, declaring that: “Under President Trump’s leadership, relations between the United States and China are better than they’ve been in many years.” Why this... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3355862/does-pete-hegseths-volte-face-china-reflect-america-decline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3355862/does-pete-hegseths-volte-face-china-reflect-america-decline?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Taiwan’s main opposition leader said cross-strait peace can be maintained as long as Taipei did not move towards “de jure independence”, during her trip in the United States. Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT), attended a closed-door seminar at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government on Thursday, according to a KMT statement on Friday. Cheng told the seminar that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which she described as the greatest common denominator... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356179/kmt-leader-says-taiwan-can-preserve-peace-avoiding-de-jure-independence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356179/kmt-leader-says-taiwan-can-preserve-peace-avoiding-de-jure-independence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 20:56:56 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin Makeda George steps out of a Mixue store in downtown Brooklyn, New York, clutching a bubble tea as she weaves through a crowd of teenagers. The local resident says she had been eager to try the brand after noticing a surge of new outlets opening in recent months. “I decided to try the bubble tea. It was good,” she said, adding that she did not know it was a Chinese drink chain but figured it was Asian given the branding. “Everywhere you go, every nook, every cranny, you just see them popping... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3356110/how-chinese-drink-chains-are-testing-limits-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3356110/how-chinese-drink-chains-are-testing-limits-soft-power?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:01:05 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The EU’s trade chief has confirmed publicly for the first time that the bloc is considering a specific rule to compel companies to diversify their suppliers, as Europe looks to unwind its dependencies on China. “Diversification now requires a dedicated instrument,” Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said on Friday, adding that he would model it on the manner in which the European Union reduced its reliance on Russian energy following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “Recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356159/eu-needs-dedicated-instrument-unwind-china-dependencies-trade-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356159/eu-needs-dedicated-instrument-unwind-china-dependencies-trade-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:10:23 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao A PLA inspection team visited several facilities in Russia’s Eastern Military District this week, including an air defence missile unit in the far-eastern Jewish Autonomous Region, Russian media reported. The visit, conducted under a decades-old confidence-building mechanism, came as President Vladimir Putin described China and Russia as “natural allies and partners”, while emphasising that their deepening military cooperation was not directed against any third party. The June 2-3 inspection... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3356124/chinese-military-team-inspects-russian-bases-putin-hails-natural-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3356124/chinese-military-team-inspects-russian-bases-putin-hails-natural-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 10:07:15 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a state visit to North Korea next week, his first overseas trip this year and his first to the hermit nation since 2019. The trip will take place on Monday and Tuesday, Xinhua said without elaboration. Xi’s last official overseas excursion was to South Korea in October, when he met US President Donald Trump and attended a regional summit. Xi’s visit underscores a rebound in relations with China’s only formal ally following relative isolation during the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356076/xi-heads-north-korea-tech-transfer-clampdown-inflation-pickup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356076/xi-heads-north-korea-tech-transfer-clampdown-inflation-pickup?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit North Korea on Monday and Tuesday in a show of the two countries’ strong ties. At the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Xi will pay a state visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea from June 8 to 9, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday morning, citing the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The trip will be Xi’s second to North Korea. The Chinese president visited in 2019, before... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356021/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-visit-north-korea-confirmed-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356021/chinese-leader-xi-jinping-visit-north-korea-confirmed-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 02:09:38 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier A US citizen who lived and worked for state media in China for several years pleaded guilty on Thursday to acting as a foreign agent for Beijing after allegedly collecting US$100,000 in return for gathering intelligence in the US on “American targets” and American politicians. According to court documents, Thomas Weir Pauken II worked at the “direction and control” of Chinese officials linked to China’s Ministry of State Security from at least 2019 until February 2026, with someone using the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356019/us-citizen-and-journalist-charged-acting-chinese-agent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3356019/us-citizen-and-journalist-charged-acting-chinese-agent?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 23:40:58 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told lawmakers on Thursday that American dependence on China for food, fertiliser and other agricultural inputs poses an “existential” threat, framing food security as a national security issue while defending the White House’s reduced fiscal 2027 budget request. “If we need to rely on China for our food and our fertiliser and all the things that come with that, we will lose what we understand to be liberty and freedom in this country. That’s how important... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356014/us-farm-chief-says-reliance-china-threatens-american-freedom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3356014/us-farm-chief-says-reliance-china-threatens-american-freedom?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 21:23:37 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Beijing’s strong opposition to maritime boundary talks between Manila and Tokyo reflects growing wariness over a shifting balance of power in the western Pacific. And, experts warn, these talks – part of a highly calculated geopolitical effort by US allies – could reinforce the so-called first island chain and restrict Beijing’s naval access in an area vital to any potential conflict over Taiwan: its clear red line. Tensions have sharpened since Japan and the Philippines announced last week that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355969/are-japan-philippines-talks-maritime-red-line-chinas-blue-water-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355969/are-japan-philippines-talks-maritime-red-line-chinas-blue-water-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:13 +0000 Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos Juan Fernando Herrera Ramos For over two decades, China’s rise in Latin America has been viewed as one of the most significant geopolitical developments in the western hemisphere. Through trade, investment, infrastructure projects and diplomatic engagement, Beijing built a presence that would have been difficult to imagine at the beginning of the century. The strategy appeared highly successful. Beijing became a leading trading partner for much of the region, financed major projects, expanded its diplomatic footprint and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355628/why-chinas-latin-america-ties-arent-immune-trumps-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355628/why-chinas-latin-america-ties-arent-immune-trumps-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Soon after Donald Trump concluded a visit to China that he hailed as a great success, America’s top diplomat joined his Indian, Japanese and Australian counterparts in New Delhi for a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. At the meeting on May 26, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers launched the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, a strategic push to curb global reliance on Beijing for rare earth elements. Member states are pooling up to US$20 billion... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355977/us-china-policy-under-donald-trump-heading-unpredictable-drift-expert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355977/us-china-policy-under-donald-trump-heading-unpredictable-drift-expert?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:30:06 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Four New Zealand lawmakers who were handed travel bans by Beijing for visiting Taiwan have been accused of crossing a “red line” by the Chinese embassy in Wellington. The ban – which covers mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau – was condemned by the New Zealand and Australian governments, which said they would lodge a formal protest. The party, which visited the island in early May, included three members of the ruling centre-right coalition – National MP Maureen Pugh, David Wilson from NZ First... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355971/beijing-slaps-travel-ban-new-zealand-mps-crossing-red-line-taiwan-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355971/beijing-slaps-travel-ban-new-zealand-mps-crossing-red-line-taiwan-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:01:15 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma The EU and China were due to hold talks to defuse escalating trade tensions after Europe voted last week to adopt a tough new approach. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic was set to meet China’s top trade envoy, Li Chenggang, on the sidelines of an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) meeting on Thursday, the South China Morning Post reported. Talks will focus on establishing a new platform to discuss trade and investment issues and will pave the way for Chinese Commerce... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355952/eu-china-hold-talks-trade-war-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355952/eu-china-hold-talks-trade-war-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:01:01 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The need for Beijing and Washington to pursue “reconciliation and cooperation” and avoid war is the central message of her US trip, Taiwan’s main opposition leader Cheng Li-wun said in San Francisco. Cheng, leading a delegation from the Kuomintang (KMT), arrived in San Francisco on Monday evening, beginning a two-week US visit closely watched in Beijing, Taipei and Washington. In San Francisco’s Chinatown on Tuesday, Cheng said China and the US should forge “a relationship of friendship and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355888/taiwan-opposition-leader-promotes-cross-strait-peace-during-us-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355888/taiwan-opposition-leader-promotes-cross-strait-peace-during-us-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 22:45:19 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed on Wednesday that China is “very interested” in additional Boeing plane purchases, an issue the Trump administration plans to press when President Xi Jinping visits the United States in September. “They agreed to 200 aeroplanes during the visit. We will see if they commit to a larger number when Xi Jinping arrives in Washington,” Bessent said in his budget request testimony to the Senate Finance Committee. China’s commitment to buy 200 Boeing aircraft... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355886/us-bessent-says-china-eyeing-more-boeing-purchases-ahead-xi-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355886/us-bessent-says-china-eyeing-more-boeing-purchases-ahead-xi-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 22:03:20 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Despite recent back-to-back visits to Beijing by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, no new trilateral framework or major diplomatic breakthrough has emerged. Yet, according to observers, the summits highlight Beijing’s growing ability to manage its two most important relationships on separate tracks: sustaining a deep strategic partnership with Moscow, while pursuing a more transactional, stability-focused engagement with Washington. Several analysts said the pattern... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355814/first-trump-then-putin-go-china-does-great-power-diplomacy-now-hinge-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355814/first-trump-then-putin-go-china-does-great-power-diplomacy-now-hinge-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier The administration of US President Donald Trump has proposed new tariffs of up to 12.5 per cent on imports from China and dozens of other trading partners, using a forced-labour investigation to advance what analysts see as a bid to rebuild its tariff regime after recent court setbacks. The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said on Tuesday that China and 59 other economies failed to prohibit or adequately restrict US imports made with forced labour, subjecting them to punitive action... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355882/china-eu-slam-proposed-us-tariffs-reject-forced-labour-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355882/china-eu-slam-proposed-us-tariffs-reject-forced-labour-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 20:32:33 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Japan and the Philippines are deepening defence and maritime cooperation over shared concerns about China, with broad implications that analysts say reach beyond the South China Sea. Following Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s state visit to Tokyo last week, the two sides agreed to launch formal talks on military intelligence sharing and maritime boundary delimitation, while elevating ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Beijing responded strongly, denouncing the boundary... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355849/how-japan-and-philippines-are-building-maritime-security-front-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355849/how-japan-and-philippines-are-building-maritime-security-front-against-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:11:49 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Japan is positioning itself as a partner for Pacific Island nations struggling with rising seas and caught between the US-China rivalry, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledging on Wednesday to help fight climate change and boost maritime cooperation. Speaking at the inaugural Island States Ocean Summit in Tokyo, Takaichi made a direct pitch to Pacific leaders, presenting Japan as a reliable partner that upholds the rule of law at sea and delivers consistent support. “Japan will continue to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355788/rising-seas-japan-makes-pitch-pacific-island-nations-caught-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355788/rising-seas-japan-makes-pitch-pacific-island-nations-caught-us-china-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:00:05 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Beijing has condemned remarks by Philippine defence chief Gilberto Teodoro Jnr, saying the comments seriously damaged bilateral trust and showed a lack of gratitude for Chinese aid. China’s foreign ministry on Tuesday called on Manila to take action to prevent “a few clowns” from sabotaging bilateral ties through repeated political theatrics, as ties between the two neighbours remained strained. On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Teodoro said during an interview with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355760/china-philippines-dont-let-few-clowns-sabotage-ties-political-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355760/china-philippines-dont-let-few-clowns-sabotage-ties-political-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 02:03:20 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Vanuatu had a clear goal at last month’s annual assembly of the World Health Organization in Geneva – securing new international aid for the Pacific island nation. “I’m here to lobby for support,” said Jenny Stephens, Vanuatu’s director of public health. “We are experiencing the global funding cuts – it’s affecting our programmes like malaria, TB and HIV. We’re already struggling.” Vanuatu’s health programmes are among thousands in the Global South that have been halted or cancelled since the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355737/can-china-fill-funding-and-leadership-gaps-after-america-quit-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355737/can-china-fill-funding-and-leadership-gaps-after-america-quit-who?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:00:06 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Brazil has won wider access to the world’s biggest beef market after China recognised the entire country as free of foot-and-mouth disease, though a new quota will still cap prices. The decision was announced on Tuesday by China’s General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and was communicated during Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira’s visit to Beijing. After a risk analysis, Beijing lifted the restriction on northern Brazil and recognised the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355752/china-clears-brazilian-beef-foot-and-mouth-disease-quota-limits-profits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355752/china-clears-brazilian-beef-foot-and-mouth-disease-quota-limits-profits?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 21:03:09 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump signed a long-awaited executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) on Tuesday, which asked technology companies to voluntarily share advanced models before they are released, signalling a shift in the administration’s largely laissez-faire approach to the industry. The voluntary framework allows the government to vet powerful new AI systems up to 30 days before their public release, but stops short of mandating review regulations, which were reportedly considered. It... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3355751/trumps-ai-order-seeks-security-safeguards-without-slowing-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3355751/trumps-ai-order-seeks-security-safeguards-without-slowing-race-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:06:12 +0000 Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier Dewey Sim,Mark Magnier US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “significant irritants” remained in the US-China relationship but that Washington and Beijing needed to keep talking to stop flashpoints from erupting. At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday, Rubio said both countries – the world’s two largest economies and most powerful militaries – must communicate to “de-escalate potential points of conflict that could lead to something broader”. “The Chinese government and the US government have to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355750/rubio-says-us-and-china-must-keep-talking-despite-deep-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355750/rubio-says-us-and-china-must-keep-talking-despite-deep-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:03:42 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US casts Cuba as China-linked security threat while still pushing for talks 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... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355387/china-cuba-us-security-threat-brazils-rare-earths-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355387/china-cuba-us-security-threat-brazils-rare-earths-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 14:00:07 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China and Britain have pledged to enhance high-level exchanges and deepen cooperation amid a turbulent global landscape, following a meeting of their top diplomats in Beijing. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Tuesday that their countries needed to further communicate and align their positions. “We need to … anchor ourselves to the positioning of a long-term and stable China-UK comprehensive strategic partnership, strengthen high-level... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355732/china-uk-ties-thaw-wang-yi-urges-they-further-communicate-and-align-our-positions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355732/china-uk-ties-thaw-wang-yi-urges-they-further-communicate-and-align-our-positions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:26 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou The waters off eastern Taiwan have become a new flashpoint after Tokyo and Manila announced formal negotiations to delimit the maritime boundary of the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelf between Japan and the Philippines. On Monday, China’s coastguard carried out enforcement patrols in the region, exercising Beijing’s claimed right to maintain its own EEZ and continental shelf rights under both domestic and international law. The Taiwanese coastguard said it shadowed and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355647/why-have-japan-and-philippines-maritime-boundary-talks-angered-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355647/why-have-japan-and-philippines-maritime-boundary-talks-angered-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jun 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China’s top diplomat said on Monday that Beijing and Brasilia should “jointly repel external challenges”, as the two countries opened a high-level strategic dialogue in Beijing. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the remark during a visit by his Brazilian counterpart, Mauro Vieira, who arrived in the Chinese capital this weekend for the fifth Global Strategic Dialogue between the two governments. “Practical cooperation in all areas has been steadily enhanced, and the two peoples have never been so... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355615/china-urges-brazil-jointly-repel-external-challenges-ties-deepen-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355615/china-urges-brazil-jointly-repel-external-challenges-ties-deepen-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 21:58:23 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang The Chinese and US militaries held working group talks on maritime military safety in Hawaii on Thursday and Friday, both sides have announced, in the latest effort by the two geopolitical rivals to keep military-to-military communication channels open. The meeting marked the first military communication between Beijing and Washington since last month’s high-profile summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Beijing. A brief statement published by the People’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355609/us-and-china-hold-candid-maritime-military-safety-talks-hawaii?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3355609/us-and-china-hold-candid-maritime-military-safety-talks-hawaii?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:38:10 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado Efforts to negotiate an end to war in the Middle East appeared in limbo on Tuesday, after Iran-linked media reported that Tehran had suspended contact with Washington over Israel’s expanding offensive in Lebanon, even as US President Donald Trump insisted talks were continuing “at a rapid pace” and claimed to have helped broker a halt to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. The conflicting accounts highlighted the fragile state of negotiations aimed at ending more than three months of... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3355608/trump-says-israel-dial-back-fighting-lebanon-after-iran-threatens-end-peace-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3355608/trump-says-israel-dial-back-fighting-lebanon-after-iran-threatens-end-peace-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:33:05 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump leaves China after much pomp and pageantry, but little to show for it As US President Donald Trump landed back in Washington after his two-day summit in Beijing with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a quick US assessment on one of the most consequential diplomatic visits of Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355388/xi-trump-aftermath-space-tactics-ai-policy-change-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355388/xi-trump-aftermath-space-tactics-ai-policy-change-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US President Donald Trump personally urged President Xi Jinping to help end the Ukraine war, seeking to leverage Beijing’s influence over Moscow to resolve a conflict now in its fifth year, multiple sources have said. According to people familiar with the discussions at last month’s summit in Beijing, Trump told Xi that Russia-Ukraine negotiations were stalled and pressed him to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin back to the table to negotiate with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355551/trump-personally-called-chinas-help-end-ukraine-war-summit-xi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355551/trump-personally-called-chinas-help-end-ukraine-war-summit-xi?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:00:04 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao The two terms of US President Donald Trump have shaken the old style of US liberal internationalist leadership. Yet, as some doors close, others open. The summit between President Xi Jinping and Trump in Beijing last month suggests that the United States and China might now have an opportunity to move beyond ideological confrontation and towards a more realistic framework of coexistence, strategic stability and managed competition. For decades, Washington has held global primacy and pursued a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355458/trump-has-buried-liberal-world-order-what-comes-next-could-be-better?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3355458/trump-has-buried-liberal-world-order-what-comes-next-could-be-better?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:30:05 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Sarah Beran, a former deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Beijing, is set to succeed Stephen Orlins as president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations (NCUSCR), the South China Morning Post has learned. Speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, the sources said Orlins, 76, president of the NCUSCR since 2005, would retire and play an advisory role after the transition. The NCUSCR’s leadership has been notified of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355543/seasoned-china-hand-set-lead-national-committee-us-china-relations-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355543/seasoned-china-hand-set-lead-national-committee-us-china-relations-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Since the Iran war began in late February, Turkey has positioned itself as a key regional power, an economic bridge and a neutral mediator, condemning both the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his country’s support for peace talks in separate phone calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif last week. The week before, in a call with US President Donald... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355554/how-strategic-ambiguity-made-turkey-winner-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355554/how-strategic-ambiguity-made-turkey-winner-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:55 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told Asia’s biggest military conference that his country’s relations with China were “better than they’ve been in many years”, as he adopted a much less strident tone than at the same event 12 months ago. “President Trump and this administration seek a stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations with China,” Hegseth said on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The two countries agreed to “build a constructive relationship of strategic... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355553/hegseth-tones-down-china-rhetoric-return-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/china/military/article/3355553/hegseth-tones-down-china-rhetoric-return-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Beijing has strongly condemned Czech senate president Milos Vystrcil’s visit to Taiwan this week, demanding “immediate and effective” measures to eliminate its negative impact. Vystrcil, who is leading a delegation of some 40 representatives from the Czech business, academic and cultural sectors, arrived in Taiwan on Monday morning. He is set to meet the island’s leader, William Lai Ching-te, and other high-level officials before leaving on Thursday. This is Vystrcil’s second visit to the island... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355518/beijing-demands-czech-measures-curb-impact-senate-presidents-taiwan-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355518/beijing-demands-czech-measures-curb-impact-senate-presidents-taiwan-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:30:04 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Beijing has announced law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan, in retaliation against Japan and the Philippines’ decision to launch maritime boundary delimitation talks. According to a statement from China’s coastguard, a formation led by its vessel Daishan conducted the law enforcement patrols on Monday “in accordance with the law”. “This is a necessary action taken in response to Japan and the Philippines’ unilateral announcement of the launch of maritime boundary delimitation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355497/china-responds-japan-philippines-boundary-talks-expanded-sea-patrols?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355497/china-responds-japan-philippines-boundary-talks-expanded-sea-patrols?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 02:30:51 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is visiting China this week, signalling a further easing in ties following a summit earlier this year. Cooper will meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Vice-President Han Zheng on Tuesday, Reuters quoted the British government as saying on Sunday. Among the topics on the agenda are the Strait of Hormuz, the Russia-Ukraine war and the Ebola outbreak in Africa, the report said. Cooper will then head to the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355463/sign-easing-uk-china-ties-british-foreign-secretary-set-talks-tech-hub-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355463/sign-easing-uk-china-ties-british-foreign-secretary-set-talks-tech-hub-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 10:24:37 +0000 Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Alcott Wei,Amber Wang Japan’s defence minister has rejected suggestions that his country was reviving its militaristic past, telling a regional security conference that changes to its defence strategy would allow it to play a new cooperative role. Shinjiro Koizumi also used his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday to state that Tokyo opposed “unilateral changes to the status quo by force or coercion”, a comment believed to refer to Beijing’s maritime activities, including in the East and South China Seas, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355447/japanese-defence-minister-rejects-new-militarism-label-china-shangri-la-speech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355447/japanese-defence-minister-rejects-new-militarism-label-china-shangri-la-speech?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 05:35:50 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage In Cotonou, Benin’s largest city and economic capital located on the southern Atlantic coast, construction crews are busy building major projects, stretching from large-scale port upgrades to the asphalt-paving of the commercial hub’s main roads. At the Autonomous Port of Cotonou, China Harbour Engineering Company is advancing Terminal 5, a project that involves reclaiming land from the sea and building two 100,000-tonne general purpose berths. Beyond municipal upgrades, Chinese firms are... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355283/how-china-will-play-major-role-benins-economic-growth-new-era-ushered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355283/how-china-will-play-major-role-benins-economic-growth-new-era-ushered?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu The US agency set up to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative is blending national security with development finance to try to secure a critical minerals supply chain, according to analysts and officials. Created in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s first administration, the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) puts its money into private-led projects rather than those led by the state, as is often the case with China. The agency operates in more than 100 countries,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352868/us-agency-goes-back-future-take-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352868/us-agency-goes-back-future-take-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 12:00:06 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live article is freely available to our registered users. Please log in or create an account below. Get real-time updates and exclusive reporting. Subscribe now with great savings to stay ahead. Defence ministers, military chiefs, diplomats and analysts have gathered in Singapore this weekend for the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, where regional security challenges will be discussed and a flurry of bilateral meetings held. It is expected to provide the first indication of US policy direction... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355219/shangri-la-dialogue-live-us-defence-chief-pete-hegseth-address-regional-security-forum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3355219/shangri-la-dialogue-live-us-defence-chief-pete-hegseth-address-regional-security-forum?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 00:13:56 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Central Asia is tilting more decisively towards China as geopolitical uncertainty deepens, with Beijing’s expanding influence recasting the former Soviet states’ strategic orientation. In the final instalment of a three-part series, Cao Jiaxuan examines how Central Asian members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have shaped the bloc’s response to the US-Iran conflict. Read the first part here and the second part here. As Kyrgyzstan gears up to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355303/why-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-isnt-nato-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355303/why-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-isnt-nato-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 22:00:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Commission agreed on a tough new approach to trade relations with China, at a rare Beijing-focused debate among Brussels’ leadership on Friday. In a presentation, trade chief Maros Sefcovic laid out why the bloc needed to take stronger steps to defend itself from what is described as a new “China shock” to its industries, according to people briefed on the event. This may require developing a new instrument to compel companies in critical sectors to expand both the number and the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355380/brussels-fires-starting-gun-tougher-china-trade-policy-beijing-vows-retaliation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355380/brussels-fires-starting-gun-tougher-china-trade-policy-beijing-vows-retaliation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 16:17:23 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China has condemned the launch of maritime boundary negotiations between Japan and the Philippines, calling the talks “completely illegal and void”. The protest followed a joint statement released on Thursday after a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in Tokyo. During the talks, the two sides agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership to strengthen cooperation in areas including the economy, security... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355351/illegal-and-void-china-condemns-japan-philippines-maritime-border-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355351/illegal-and-void-china-condemns-japan-philippines-maritime-border-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 12:16:36 +0000