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Taiwan President Lai Ching-te criticised strongmen personality cults and secret police networks on Wednesday (Sept 3), as Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted the leaders of Russia and North Korea at a military parade marking the end of World War Two, Reuters reported.

Democratically-governed Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory, has repeatedly lambasted China for what Taipei sees as a distorted view of the war, as the Republic of China was the government at the time, fighting alongside the Allies.

The Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists and retains the formal name to this day, according to Reuters.

President Donald Trump has downplayed fears of closer ties between China, Russia and North Korea, saying Beijing “needs us more than we need them” and stressing his strong rapport with President Xi Jinping. He rejected claims the bloc is forming an alliance against the US, adding that America’s military power remains unmatched, BBC reported.

Trump voiced disappointment with Vladimir Putin after their Alaska meeting failed to secure a peace deal for Ukraine, hinting at new US steps to support Ukrainians but offering no specifics.

Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned of fresh Russian troop buildups along the frontline, accusing Putin of resisting peace efforts. China has faced Western criticism for buying Russian oil and supplying dual-use goods, though it denies aiding Moscow’s war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Beijing on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, emphasizing the importance of Pakistan as a “traditional partner” in Asia, Firstpost reported.

The leaders discussed strengthening cooperation in trade, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. Sharif highlighted a proposed trade corridor linking Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, aimed at boosting regional prosperity.

Both sides stressed continued dialogue to foster mutual growth and stability. Putin invited Sharif to the next SCO summit in Russia this November, an invitation the Pakistani Prime Minister welcomed.

The meeting marks a key step toward a more robust and multifaceted partnership between Pakistan and Russia, according to Firstpost.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's economic and development advisor Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada has made it clear that no agreement was made on the issues relating to Nepal's support to China's Global Security Initiative (GSI) during the bilateral meeting held between PM Oli and Chinese President Xi Jinping. 

Dr Khatiwada said that the Nepal government is committed to its Constitution and non-aligned foreign policy, so Nepal can not be a part of any country's security strategy.

PM Oli had held a meeting with Chinese President Xi in the course of his visit to China for attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Plus Summit in Tianjin on August 30.

In response to a question relating to China's statement which hinted that Nepal supported China's GSI, Dr Khatiwada said, "PM Oli's visit is chiefly for the participation in SCO Summit. Generally, in the sidelines of such a conference, no agreement and memorandum of understanding is made. It is not done either. Therefore, it is false to make publicity that Nepal supported GSI while no agreement was made on it."       

However, discussion was held on how both sides could forward the effective enforcement of Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) Framework Agreement, he said, expressing concern over baseless rumour made viral on social networks. He urged everyone to spread the facts and understand sensitivity and veracity of news.

Dr Khatiwada further shared that other issues that featured during the bilateral discussion were strengthening of connectivity between Nepal and China, industrial and infrastructural development,  collaboration on health sector,  agriculture, investment, tourism, science and IT, sports, disaster management, people-to-people connection and Nepal's socioeconomic transformation. 

The global geopolitical stage has been rocked with multiple events, protracted theaters of conflict, and competing interests between different actors. At this time, the rapprochement and de-escalation between the two Asian giants, who have been otherwise seen as competitors and rivals, needs to be studied cautiously. The ties between two of the world’s largest economies went haywire after the clashes along the India-China border during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It caused loss of lives to both sides, causing fundamental alteration in the ties between the two nations. 

After disengagement from the last friction point, namely the Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area in 2022, a hope of fragile calm in that region was expected. It needs to be noted that it is not the return of the pre-2020 status quo ante. But there has been an update since last October as both countries are actively pursuing to deescalate their border tensions and resuming some bilateral ties. There have been visits by the officials of both countries, including the Foreign Minister, Defence Minister and National Security Advisors. There is a resumption of flights after a gap of five years, re-opening of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage and lifting of import ban on fertilizers, rare earth metals, and tunnel machines are all part of this new deal. 

Whatever transpires in 2024-25 is a tentative, at most a fragile change. After the visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to New Delhi in August 2025, where he met Prime Minister Modi, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Doval, all agreed on the modalities of patrolling the borders, relaxation of Visa regimes, and possible opening of trade corridors. It is of some significance that this is the first meeting Prime Minister Modi will have had in seven years; his visit to meet Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin.

Nevertheless, all these measures do not indicate the resolution of the inherent conflicts. Border regulation systems are confidence-building measures and not solutions. India continues to raise objections to the CPEC, which passes through Kashmir, and the build-up of Chinese infrastructure along the LAC, among other factors, is bound to keep the mistrust tethered. 

In the Chinese view, the major strategic motivation of this rapprochement is the multifaceted and growing rivalry with the United States. China has expressed this through its foreign policy that is highly oriented toward its east coast, especially with the strained relationships with Taiwan and the South China Sea as well as the technology conflict with the United States. A constantly war-like border of hot troops with India, a country of increasing might, is an expensive and risky strategic distraction. The possibility of an accidental escalation might spell out a disastrous two-front scenario to Beijing, requiring it to divert its military and diplomatic resources. 

Such a Chinese strategic outlook over time has demonstrated as scholar Yun Sun has described, stabilizing relations on one front to free up resources and attention to a more urgent theater. This renewed thaw with India is a sensible de-risking policy, which will help Beijing in reducing the risk of war toward its western flank and redeploy its resources in the central arena of its standoff with the US and its allies. This is also a tactical thrust toward undermining the already existing Western rhetoric of a lone and threatening China, being surrounded by a complete coalition of democratic nations.

To India, the practical effect is a reprieve and a powerful endorsement of its diplomacy. On a pragmatic level, the military and economic burdens of the standoff have been enormous, and the de-escalation of direct tensions enables the government to concentrate on economic recovery and its long-term program of military modernisation. 

On a diplomatic level, the biggest achievement is the endorsement of its valued principle of strategic autonomy. This detente is not an isolated bilateral phenomenon but is directly tied to the changing geopolitical environment, specifically tensions with the United States. It must be noted that the defrosting is occurring against a background of what many consider to be the worst period in Indian relations with the US executive in decades. The imposition of high tariffs on Indian products by the Trump administration in the US has revealed the shortcomings of a relationship that was being marketed as a counterweight to China. 

In this regard, China has already expressed its discontent with the tariffs and underscored the importance of collaboration between the two Asian powerhouses against unilateral bullying. This has given a strategic leverage that Beijing has seized upon. Engaging with China, New Delhi plays to its partners in the Quad that the application is not an unconditional commitment against any one nation but a collaboration founded in mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific. This stance empowers India by demonstrating that it can juggle its complicated relationship with China in its own way, making it an independent and dominant power.

Among the strategic questions that the thaw poses and mostly depends upon is whether China would re-evaluate its Pakistan policy. Islamabad is vacillating once again between Beijing and Washington. On the one hand, it has inaugurated CPEC Phase 2, pursuing higher Chinese investment in infrastructure. 

On the other, it is renewing contacts with Washington, where Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has overtly solicited US investments and is executing diplomatic overtures to the Trump administration. Pakistan, however, would always be an essential ally to Beijing: a strategic partner, a corridor to the Arabian Sea and a warm client to export arms and finance. China is the major source of Pakistani imports of arms and rollover loans continue to be a major source of fiscal stability in Islamabad. It is due to this factor alone that there can be no likelihood of Beijing weakening its strategic commitment. 

Optics may, however, change. Such a cautious rapprochement with India does not imply that China will give up Pakistan. The most plausible is that of policy dualism, where China is to remain good friends with Islamabad and chooses to accept a limited cooperation dimension with New Delhi. This reflects its longstanding capacity to compartmentalize: advancing economic relations with India at the same time as keeping closer defence relations with Pakistan.

With a relative calm on its northern frontier, India will have time for maneuvering the bumpy roads of Trump’s foreign policy. The US’ strategic interest in India beyond Trump is a strong, independent India capable of anchoring regional stability. A stable border allows India to focus its resources and strategic attention on the broader Indo-Pacific, directly aligning with US goals. Crucially, it proves the US-India relationship is non-transactional and not solely defined by the current geopolitical rejig. Prime Minister Modi’s proposed visit to China and its outcomes are likely to define or redefine the limits and potential of this thaw.

The author is a PhD Candidate at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

India and China are taking steps to restore ties after years of border tensions. Five years after deadly clashes in eastern Ladakh, both countries are easing trade and visa restrictions, resuming flights, and reviving high-level exchanges, Firstpost reported.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting China for the first time in over seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on August 31–September 1. He will meet President Xi Jinping to strengthen economic cooperation and address lingering border issues.

According to Firstpost, the visit follows recent talks between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Indian leaders, resulting in a framework for a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relationship. Modi emphasized that stable India-China ties are crucial for regional and global economic stability.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that China supports the UN’s central role in global affairs and remains committed to “true multilateralism.” Xi said China would continue to be a reliable partner of the organisation, Al Jazeera reported.

Guterres, in turn, described China’s backing as “an extremely important element to preserve.”

The exchange took place on Saturday in China, where Guterres is attending the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. Xi, as rotating chair, will preside over the high-level gathering in Tianjin, which brings together leaders from more than 20 countries and 10 international organisations.

According to Al Jazeera, the summit will focus on strengthening security, economic, and cultural cooperation, with outcomes expected to include the Tianjin Declaration and a long-term strategy for the next decade.

Nepal's Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, has raised a strong objection to the recent agreement between India and China to resume trade through the Lipu Lekh Pass, a disputed territory claimed by Nepal.

PM Oli who is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, as well as activities to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, where he emphasized that the Lipu Lekh Pass is part of Nepalese territory.

A statement from Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlined Oli's position: "Referring to the recent understanding reached between India and China on border trade through Lipu Lekh Pass, the Rt. Hon Prime Minister stated that the territory belongs to Nepal and that the Government of Nepal has lodged a strong objection."

This issue stems from the agreement signed on August 19 during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India. Both countries agreed to resume trade from Lipu Lekh, a site that remains disputed between Nepal and India. Following the agreement, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately issued diplomatic notes to both nations, expressing its objections.

In 2020, Nepal published a new political map incorporating Kalapani, Lipu Lekh, and Limiyadhura as part of its territory.

It remains unclear how the Chinese side has responded to Prime Minister Oli's statement. Prior to his departure to China for the SCO summit, PM Oli had confirmed that he would raise the Lipu Lekh issue with both India and China. It is unclear yet whether Oli and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of SCO meeting.

In the bilateral meeting, Nepal PM expressed the hope that projects listed under the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) would be advanced, adding that Nepal seeks Chinese support in the areas of fertilizer, petroleum exploration, human resource development, climate resilience and other areas.

Speaking highly of the China-Nepal good-neighborly friendship in the past seven decades, Xi said that the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between the two countries is advancing steadily at present, according to China. China is willing to work with Nepal to carry forward the traditional friendship and facilitate the greater progress of the China-Nepal Strategic Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting Friendship for Development and Prosperity, Xi noted.

Joint efforts should be made to enhance connectivity programs covering port, highway, power grid, aviation, communications and other fields, and cooperation in sectors including industry, agriculture and animal husbandry, new energy, environmental protection, oil and gas, artificial intelligence, education, health, as well as law enforcement and security, should be advanced, he added.

According to Chinese official media, Oli said that Nepal supports the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative, and expects China to play a greater role in international affairs.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. The high-profile meeting, the largest in the bloc’s history, is seen as a show of Global South solidarity amid tensions with Washington, according to Firstpost.

For Modi, it will be his first visit to China in over seven years, signaling a cautious thaw after the 2020 border clashes. Analysts expect India and China to explore steps such as troop withdrawals, easing trade restrictions, and wider cooperation.

While the SCO has struggled to deliver concrete results, the summit’s real impact lies in optics projecting an alternative vision of global order and renewed momentum in India-China dialogue, Firstpost reported.

U.S. protectionism is undermining agricultural cooperation with China, Beijing's ambassador to Washington said, warning that farmers should not bear the price of the trade war between the world's two largest economies, Reuters reported.

"It goes without saying that protectionism is rampant, casting a shadow over China-U.S. agricultural cooperation," said Xie Feng, according to the transcript of a speech published by the Chinese embassy on Saturday.

Agriculture has emerged as a major point of contention between China and the U.S. as the superpowers are locked in a tariff war launched by President Donald Trump.

China in March slapped levies of up to 15% on $21 billion worth of American agricultural and food products in retaliation for sweeping U.S. tariffs. Washington and Beijing this month extended a trucefor 90 days, staving off triple-digit duties on each other's goods, according to Reuters.

President Xi Jinping made a rare visit to Lhasa to mark six decades of Beijing’s control over Tibet. He called for building a “modern socialist Tibet” and urged Tibetan Buddhism to align with socialist values, Al Jazeera reported.

China occupied Tibet in 1951 and established the Tibet Autonomous Region in 1965, though many Tibetans maintain they were historically independent. The region remains highly restricted to outsiders.

Xi’s visit came as Foreign Minister Wang Yi traveled to India, underscoring Tibet’s strategic importance along the border and amid concerns over China’s major hydropower projects on the plateau, according to Al Jazeera.

The Nepal Overseas Export Import Association has demanded diplomatic initiatives and infrastructure arrangements to open other border points to facilitate land trade with China. The association has demanded the opening of other border points as the two northern border points, Suwagadhi and Tatopani, are closed every year during the rainy season due to floods and landslides.

The movement of people and goods through the Rasuwagadhi border point has come to a standstill after the flood on the night of June 10 washed away the Miteri Bridge connecting Nepal and China. The Tatopani border point in Sindhupalchowk has also been blocked for two weeks due to floods and landslides. Hundreds of containers and trucks carrying goods imported for Nepal have been stranded on the road due to the sudden closure of the border point due to natural disasters. Due to which businessmen have been forced to bear heavy expenses.

Since it is necessary to open other border crossings to facilitate import and export with China, the association has urged the government to make those border crossings operational through diplomatic initiatives and to arrange infrastructure at other alternative border crossings. The Development Committee of the Legislative Assembly had suggested that Korala and Olangchun Gola border crossings be made operational after studying the condition of the northern border crossings in 2015. High-ranking officials of the Nepal and Chinese governments had agreed to open seven northern border crossings during bilateral discussions a decade ago.

These border crossings included Tatopani, Korala in Mustang, Kimathanka in Sankhuwasabha, Lamabagar in Dolakha, Olangchun Gola in Taplejung, Amjapas in Mugu, Yari Hilsa in Humla, and Larke in Gorkha. However, so far, other border crossings except Rasuwagadhi and Tatopani have not been opened for commercial purposes.

Korala border crossing is in a condition to be operational for 12 months. Infrastructure is also ready at the Korala border crossing towards China. The road has also reached Korala on the Nepal side. Studies have shown that trade between the two countries can also be conducted through the Olangchun Gola border crossing in Taplejung. The association has drawn the attention of the government to open these border crossings for trade purposes as soon as possible and to create an environment for other border crossings that are suitable for trade.

China is Nepal’s second largest partner in import trade. Data shows that trade with China has been shifting towards the northern border crossings with the recent development of infrastructure.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to strengthen trilateral security and strategic cooperation, Reuters reported.

Speaking at a meeting in Kabul, Wang emphasized deepening law enforcement collaboration, combating terrorism including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and respecting each country’s core interests while opposing external interference.

According to Reuters, he also encouraged expanding trade, investment, and regional connectivity.

China shares borders with both nations, including Xinjiang, a region previously affected by unrest linked to militants and separatists.

China’s economy showed signs of slowing in July as factory output and retail sales slowed and housing prices dropped further, according to data released Friday, Associated Press reported.

Uncertainty over tariffs on exports to the United States is still looming over the world’s second-largest economy after President Donald Trump extended a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May. 

As officials worked toward a broader trade agreement, China reported earlier that its exports surged 7.2% in July year-on-year, while its imports grew at the fastest pace in a year, as businesses rushed to take advantage of the truce in Trump’s trade war with Beijing. 

But that also reflected a lower base for comparison, and manufacturers have slowed investments, hiring and production as they watch to see what comes. Chinese manufacturers also have ramped up shipments to Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions to help offset lost business in the U.S, according to Associated Press.

The fifth edition of the joint military exercise between the Nepali Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China is scheduled to take place in Nepal from the first week of September.

The exercise, named Sagarmatha Friendship, will focus on counter-terrorism operations, combat tactics and disaster management, according to Nepali Army sources. The two sides have already agreed to begin the 10-day training from Sept 6.

The fourth edition of the joint drill was held last year in Chongqing, near Sichuan province, China. This time, officials from both armies are holding intensive discussions to finalize the modality, number of participants and observers for the exercise.

Defense Ministry Spokesperson Manoj Kumar Acharya described the joint exercise as part of a regular military cooperation program. “Nepal regularly conducts such exercises with India, the US, and China, mainly to enhance capacity and exchange experiences. These drills are not targeted at any particular country,” Acharya told ApEx.

A high-level Nepali Army team led by Major General Prem Dhoj Adhikari, including Brigadier General Dipendra Gurung, Colonel Mani Ram Thapa, Major Pawan Katwal and Captain Mahesh Dhakal, recently returned from Chengdu after attending the Final Planning Conference (FPC) with Chinese defense officials. Preparations are underway also in coordination with the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu.

The first Nepal-China joint military exercise was held in Kathmandu in April 2017, followed by the second in Chengdu in 2018 and the third in Nepal in 2019. The drills were suspended for several years due to the Covid-19 pandemic before their resumption in China last year.

Meanwhile, Western countries including the US, India, Japan, South Korea and some European nations have expressed reservations over Nepal’s growing military engagement with China, especially at a time when Beijing has been pushing to implement Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects in Nepal. Nepal, however, has maintained that such exercises are routine. Alongside China, Nepal also conducts annual Surya Kiran exercises with the Indian Army and regular joint drills with the US military.

Italian orienteer Mattia Debertolis has died after collapsing during the World Games in Chengdu, China. The 29-year-old athlete was found unconscious last Friday during the men’s middle-distance event, held in temperatures above 30 degrees. Despite receiving immediate medical care at a leading Chinese hospital, he passed away four days later, according to BBC.

Debertolis, a member of the Italian national team and a civil engineer pursuing a PhD in Stockholm, was a respected competitor who finished fifth in the 2022 World Cup final. The International Orienteering Federation expressed deep sadness over the loss.

The World Games, a multi-sport event held every four years for non-Olympic sports, said it will continue to support Debertolis’ family and the orienteering community during this difficult time. The cause of his death remains unknown, BBC reported.