Ambassadors of the Quad nations, consisting of the United States, India, Australia and Japan, held a rare publicised meeting in Beijing.
Amid rising tensions in West Asia, China is urging all parties to cease military operations, following Trump's appeal for help in securing the Strait of Hormuz.
China's latest defence budget surges to $275 billion, fueling its ambitious military modernisation program and intensifying geopolitical dynamics in the region.
China has welcomed the appointment of Vikram Doraiswami as the new Indian Ambassador, expressing optimism for improved Sino-India relations. Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat with experience in China, is expected to play a key role in managing complex bilateral issues and fostering cooperation.
China and Pakistan have jointly proposed a five-point peace plan to address the ongoing conflict in West Asia, focusing on de-escalation and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump will travel to China in May for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, following a postponement due to the war in Iran. The White House has announced the new dates and indicated a reciprocal visit to Washington DC is planned.
Vikram Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat, has been appointed as India's new ambassador to China, succeeding Pradeep Kumar Rawat. This decision comes as both countries attempt to improve bilateral relations following a period of strain.
China has urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to engage in direct talks to resolve their ongoing conflict, offering to mediate and calling for a ceasefire.
China and Pakistan concluded their strategic dialogue, reiterating their opposition to unilateral actions in South Asia and discussing Kashmir, Afghanistan, and trilateral cooperation.
'After the Galwan clash, the rules of engagement changed with the army commanders allowed to use any means at their disposal as they deem fit for tactical operations.'
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the country believes that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solutions to resolving disputes and that the continued escalation of the conflict serves no one's interests.
Senior officials from India and China's foreign ministries met in Beijing to discuss bilateral ties following a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi.
The United States has warned China against escalating tensions as Taiwan detected multiple Chinese naval vessels, official ships and balloons operating around the island amid Beijing's large-scale live-fire military drills.
Trump's outburst comes amid escalating tensions between the US and its northern neighbour, following recent remarks by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
'Nehru was an idealist, he was certainly a visionary in one way, but Mao Zedong was not. Mao Zedong was a very down-to-earth strategist. He wanted to take Tibet, to take the plateau, to take the rivers, to take the minerals.'
China reacts: 'He is a political exile committed to anti-Chinese separatist activity under the disguise of religion.'
China has reaffirmed its territorial claims over the Shaksgam Valley, dismissing India's objections to infrastructure projects in the area. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that the territory is part of China and its activities there are beyond reproach.
David Perdue said in a post on X that the US-India relationship delivers real results through close cooperation in diverse areas, including defence, energy and through Quad engagement.
China has denied reports of finalising a deal with Iran to sell CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, amidst rising tensions in the Middle East and joint US-Israeli airstrikes.
China has initiated screening procedures for travelers arriving from regions affected by the Nipah virus, including India. While no cases have been detected in China, health authorities are taking precautionary measures due to the ongoing outbreak in India.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that China mediated tensions between India and Pakistan, a claim disputed by India which maintains that the matter was resolved bilaterally.
The report evaluates the likely military, strategic and international fallout for China under scenarios ranging from a "major war" to a "minor conflict" with Taiwan, Focus Taiwan said.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army's eastern theatre command continued its military drills around Taiwan for a second consecutive day on December 30, involving naval, air and ground forces in what it described as a demonstration of joint operational and blockade capabilities.
The Chinese military on Monday started new major drills in the 'middle areas' of the Taiwan Strait amid rising diplomatic tensions with Japan over Taiwan that Beijing claims as its territory.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Lin Jian, said on Wednesday that China supports Iran in maintaining its stability, adding that Beijing has always opposed the interference in other countries' internal affairs and the use of force in international relations.
In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday on 'Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2025', the US Department of War said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively considering and planning for additional military facilities.
Indian security agencies have continued efforts to reinforce the Siliguri Corridor through improved infrastructure, faster mobilisation capability and diversified connectivity routes to the north east.
China has imposed sanctions on 20 US defence firms in response to the Trump administration's approval of a record USD 11.1 billion arms sales package to Taiwan.
India has lodged a strong protest with China for carrying out construction activities in the Shaksgam Valley, asserting its claim over the territory and rejecting the China-Pakistan boundary pact of 1963.
16 days into the war, US forces were already running out of ground-attack missiles and Israel is about to expend its entire Arrow interceptor missiles by end March. To be sure, the Iranians are watching closely and that explains their defiant stance that 'Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its conditions are met', notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'China's basic purpose of taking the Shaksgam Valley was access to the Indian Ocean.'
China has reacted positively to Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India, emphasizing the importance of trilateral ties between China, Russia, and India for regional and global peace and stability.
Today's situation in the Shaksgam Valley is the consequence of what happened in Gilgit in 1947. But is India ready to militarily get back its territories? asks Claude Arpi.
'Was the five-day pause ever meant to hold, or was it simply another instrument of signaling, of positioning, of buying time in a war where even the pauses are tactical?' asks Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
'For the first time in a hundred years, the army has been taken out of the political equation. And for the first time ever, there is only one man who calls the shots. Not even Mao had this kind of power.'
China has expressed its support for Russia's initiative to revive the Russia-India-China (RIC) troika, emphasizing its importance for regional and global security and stability.
Russia and China on Saturday condemned the United States airstrikes on Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
Taking Kharg would give the US control over virtually all of Iran's oil exports and thus provide significant leverage, notes Prem Panicker in his must read daily blog on the Gulf War. It would also put American troops within range of Iran's remaining missiles, drones, and artillery on a piece of real estate that is just eight square miles in size, and just 15 miles from the Iranian mainland.
Russia has shared intelligence with Iran that could help Tehran target American warships, aircraft and other military assets in the region, according to United States intelligence assessments cited by media reports, marking the first indication of Moscow's possible involvement in the ongoing conflict. Officials familiar with US intelligence findings said a significant portion of the shared information reportedly includes imagery from Russia's network of surveillance satellites.
'Islamabad feels it has no alternative, but to address the challenges from the Afghan-Taliban through an open war.'
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