The Times of India | One story, two endings, two countries

With the India-China patrolling agreement in eastern Ladakh holding up so far – both sides are carrying out verification patrols – following Modi and Xi’s meeting on the sidelines of Brics summit in Kazan, the optimistic developments along LAC are dominating the airwaves. But as welcome as such an agreement may be, it isn’t the complete reality of the India-China relationship. There is, in fact, a more systemic rift still visible in bilateral ties – one that has perhaps gone unnoticed in the wake of the patrolling agreement.

By Anushka Saxena

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Life of Soldiers | ‘Integration’ in the PLA Western Theater Command: Practices and Patterns

Since wide-sweeping reforms of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) began in 2015, efforts of the country’s defence apparatus are oriented towards creating an “integrated” force capable of fighting and winning “high intensity, short duration, localised wars.” Integration has been focal to prepare for achieving the intended goal, and has manifested itself in both doctrine and real-time combat preparedness exercises. In the Western Theater Command of the PLA, which has a primary operation direction towards India, requirements to make integration a reality are reflected, too.

By Anushka Saxena

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Money Control | India-China equation reset is at a new normal, not the old one

Power asymmetry between the two countries and the likelihood of just a limited easing in the trade relationship make going back to pre-2020 phase impossible. Moreover, there’s no evidence of a dialogue yet on next step towards de-escalation. Keep your fingers crossed and expectations contained

By Manoj Kewalramani

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Money Control | China-Taiwan Tensions: A shift in cross-Strait policy language

China's military exercises highlight regional tensions as Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te asserts sovereignty. His recent remarks signal a policy shift, encouraging potential cooperation with Beijing, despite ongoing tensions. Lai’s statements challenge China’s role as a peace broker in global conflicts.

By Anushka Saxena

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The Indian Express | India-China border agreement: Five reasons to be cautiously optimistic

The announcement is just the first step in a long process of normalisation of the situation along the boundary areas. For starters, the agreement needs to be implemented on the ground, with patrolling becoming normalised

By Manoj Kewalramani

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Australian Strategic Policy Institute | What we can tell from China’s ICBM test

China’s decision to test an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean on 25 September was unusual—but not very unusual, because the country has similarly tested shorter-range ballistic missiles over a variety of geographies.

By Anushka Saxena

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The Diplomat | Beijing’s Potential Retaliation Looms as EU Approves Chinese EV Tariffs

China will attempt to punish the states that held firm on the tariffs, while sparing those that switched positions.

By Rakshith Shetty

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The Hindu | Perils of decentralisation with Chinese characteristics

Decentralisation, once celebrated as a reason for China’s economic miracle, seems to have now turned counter-productive

By Pranay Kotasthane & Manoj Kewalramani

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NDTV World | Greater Expectations: Why China Is Going Nuclear 'Faster Than Ever'

Recent data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that the world's nuclear powers are continuing to expand investment in strengthening their arsenals. While the total number of warheads around the world is declining, the number of operational nuclear warheads is increasing. The US and Russia, of course, account for an overwhelming majority of nuclear warheads. Read the full article here.

The Hindu | China’s ‘grey-zone’ warfare tactics against Taiwan

The story so far: Since the new Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te has assumed office, all eyes have been on the rocky start to his tenure. While China’s belligerent response to Mr. Lai’s “pro-independence” and “secessionist” statements was striking, it has now resorted to a sophisticated ploy to respond to Mr. Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). This is often referred to as ‘grey-zone’ warfare, which comprises elements that frustrate Taiwan in a sustained manner. Read the full article here.

Indian Express | Chinese armed forces have been upgrading. India must keep up

As part of the reforms in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) since 2015, China has focussed on preparing for combat keeping conditions of the “Information Age” in mind. It is doing so by integrating its services, arms and systems into a joint, network-centric fighting force. The PLA Western Theater Command (WTC) has played a proactive role in securing China’s southern and southwestern borders, preparing for conventional and non-conventional warfighting, and acclimatising its personnel to the rough terrains and harsh altitudes of Xinjiang and Tibet. India is one of the principal operational directions in which the WTC is mandated to act. India needs to assess the WTC’s operational structure, training mandates and warfighting priorities, especially the theatre’s “multi-domain integrated joint operations” (MDIJO) efforts. Read the full article here.

The Diplomat | China’s Energy Intensity and Carbon Intensity Targets Are All But Unachievable

On May 29, China’s State Council released its 2024-2025 action plan for energy conservation and carbon reduction, setting targets to decrease energy intensity (energy consumption per unit of GDP) by 2.5 percent and carbon intensity (carbon emissions per unit of GDP) by 3.9 percent in 2024. However, these goals appear insufficient to meet China’s previous commitments of reducing carbon intensity by 18 percent and energy intensity by 13.5 percent between 2020 and 2025 as part of its international climate pledges.  Read the full article here.

The Diplomat | Zelenskyy Finally Calls out China’s Role in Russia’s War on Ukraine

For far too long, Ukraine has treaded carefully around China’s role in the ongoing war with Russia. Despite mounting evidence of Beijing’s support for Moscow, both materially and diplomatically, Kyiv has been reluctant to criticize China directly. However, during the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy finally broke his silence, openly accusing China of aiding Russia in undermining peace efforts.  Read the full article here.

Takshashila Blog | What did the China-Japan-ROK Summit Achieve?

Earlier this week, a trilateral summit brought together South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to discuss a range of regional and global issues. Originating from the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) framework, the meeting, slated to be held annually, was held for the first time since 2019.

All three countries sought to revive trade and security dialogues hampered by global tensions. The Chinese premier called it a “new beginning”, calling for promotion of multilateralism and fighting trade protectionism amid rising tensions following the US decision to hike tariffs on specific Chinese goods this month. Li expressed the need for greater “openness and inclusiveness, to gather more momentum for cooperation, in line with principles of non-exclusivity and non-discrimination, with an open attitude and transparent measures.”

Read the full blog here.

ISDP Voices | 75 Years of China-Russia Relations: Indeed a ‘No Limits’ Partnership

On May 16, 2024, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping set a new record by concluding their 43rd meeting, marking the 75-year anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic relations. The meeting witnessed affirmation of the ‘comprehensive partnership’ and ‘strategic cooperation’ between the two sides and a reiteration of their mutual contempt for “closed-door military and political alliances” led by the West. Further, Putin and Xi discussed the future trajectory of the relationship – more tourism and better people-to-people ties, enhanced calibration and alignment of international interests, contributing to the “renovation” of global economic governance. Read the full article here.

The Times of India | In the hot seat, under Beijing’s glare

In what can be considered a tragic incident in the history of Taiwanese democracy, on May 17, members of the island nation’s parliament engaged in an intense brawl, leading to the hospitalisation of five lawmakers. This was just a couple of days before Lai Ching-te, the new Taiwanese President, assumed office on May 20. Read the full article here.

The Diplomat | New Energy Competition: It’s Politics First for Both US and China

Both China and the U.S. are looking to tariffs and other trade barriers to protect their clean energy industries. The outcome is likely to be a more protectionist world economy. Read the full article here.

The Hindu | India-China consumption comparison

In 2023, India surpassed China to become the world’s most populous country. The development came against the backdrop of a declining birth rate (6.4 births per 1,000 people) and total fertility rate (~1%) in China. China also recorded a negative population growth rate for the first time in six decades. This means a rising dependency ratio, which is projected to increase over time. In contrast, India’s population, despite reaching replacement levels (total fertility rate of 2.1), is expected to grow and peak around 2060. Read the article here.

Takshashila Blog | Strategic Tides and Regional Dynamics: The China-Bangladesh Military Engagements

In the past decade, China’s military engagements with South Asia, particularly Bangladesh, have increased rapidly and garnered major attention. Beyond economic and infrastructure investments, China has progressively ventured into the realm of arms trade and has established itself as a major player among these states. This analysis explores the significant arms transactions between China and Bangladesh from 2010 to 2022, along with recent developments that illustrate the evolving dynamics of their relationship. It also examines the broader implications of these interactions for China's strategic posture within South Asia. Read the full article here.

CSIS Interpret | The Belt and Road Initiative at 10: Regional Perspectives on China’s Evolving Approach

No official Indian delegation attended the 2023 Belt and Road Forum, which was held in Beijing in October. This has been the pattern since the first forum was held in 2017 to expand cooperation around China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, unlike the past two events, Beijing did not extend an invitation to New Delhi this time around. This offers a glimpse into the state of the bilateral relationship, which has been on a downward spiral since 2017. Read the full article here.