Chinese Experts Look at the Restart of Hostilities in Syria

By Miriam Verzellino On November 27, after years of relative calm, the Syrian civil war—now in its thirteenth year—took a dramatic new turn. Two simultaneous offensives began last Wednesday: the first, named “Repelling Aggression,” was spearheaded by the Islamist militant group Hayat ...

China’s Middle East Ambitions Face Test as Regional Tensions Escalate

Two Chinese families are mourning the loss of their loved ones who were murdered yesterday in a bomb attack in Karachi — the latest incident of militant violence targeting Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Sunday's car blast is a painful reminder that ...

De-Facto U.S. Envoy Warns Taiwan Is Not China’s Only Target

The new de-facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan said Wednesday that the democratic island is "not the only target" of China's "intimidation and coercion", with more countries cooperating with Washington to "avoid war." China claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory ...

China Pushes Rivals’ Limits in Regional Disputes

By Isabel Kua and Matthew Walsh China's campaign of confrontation, from remote reefs in Southeast Asia to Taiwan and far-flung Japanese islands, is designed to wear down regional rivals competing with it for contested territories, analysts say.

The Iranian Elections through the Lens of Chinese Media

By Giorgia Facchini On May 19, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, and five other passengers died in a helicopter crash. This unexpected event sent political shockwaves across Iran and the world as Raisi was not only one of the main architects ...

Analysis from Cobus van Staden

BRICS Announces Numerous New Initiatives

The BRICS group wrapped up its two-day leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The summit’s final communique is a 16,000-word doorstop that covers numerous issues from economics to education.
The communique avoids any direct mention of the United States, and references to “unilateralism” and other coded criticism are also relatively scarce. Rather, the communique keeps the focus on the BRICS’ vision of the strengthening and reform of the global multilateral system ...

Chinese, Philippines Coast Guard Squabble Over South China Sea Fishers’ Rescue

A dispute broke out between the Chinese and Philippines Coast Guards on Saturday when a Filipino fishing craft issued a distress call after its engine exploded near the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. Two of the fishers were ...

What China’s Past Tells Us About the Future of its Foreign Policy in Asia

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim both wrapped up state visits to China last week and their discussions with President Xi Jinping revealed some fascinating linkages between contemporary Chinese foreign policy objectives and Beijing's historical ...

China Accuses Philippines of Lying About Laser Strike Against Coast Guard Ship in South China Sea

The feud between the Chinese and Philippine governments over a naval incident in the South China Sea earlier this month intensified when Beijing accused Manila of not telling the truth about what happened. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin did acknowledge on Wednesday ...

Chinese Social Media’s Unusual Response to the Indonesian Labor Riots

Production is up and running again at a Chinese-owned nickel smelting plant in Indonesia following last week's violent uprising by laborers over poor working conditions. Two people, one Chinese and one Indonesian, were killed during the riot.

Update on Riot at Chinese-owned Factory in Indonesia

New video footage is emerging of the riot at a Chinese-owned nickel smelter in Indonesia that killed two people over the weekend. Hundreds of security personnel were deployed to quell the protests by Indonesian laborers over poor working conditions. (REUTERS)

Afghanistan Signs New Oil Deal With China, Assures Beijing It Will Also Improve Security For Its People

The Afghan government signed a symbolically important oil extraction deal with a Chinese state-owned company, the first such agreement since the Taliban took power in 2021. The Chinese side will own 80% of the venture and invest $150 million annually in ...

The Sprawling World of Asia-China Studies

SSRC’s mapping of research on the relationship between China and Southeast, Central, South and Western Asia shows both how vast these fields are and how they differ significantly both in terms of research focus and method. More than in Africa and ...
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