EU’s foreign policy boss Kallas is undermining Europe’s credibility

Kaja Kallas has done it again. The EU’s top foreign policy high representative called China a “cancer” that needs decisive treatment with chemotherapy rather than temporary relief with morphine.

The baby bust: how a global demographic crisis crept up on everyone

Just a decade ago, the dominant demographic narrative was of "dying Russia" — a population hollowed out by the chaos that followed the Soviet collapse, shrinking through a combination of low birth rates, high mortality and mass emigration.

COMMENT: Russia and China deepen strategic alignment as partnership reaches “highest level in history”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping set out an expansive vision for their bilateral relationship in a joint statement issued during a state visit to Beijing this week, marking 30 years of strategic partnership.

Indonesia seeks yuan lifeline with Panda bond debut

Once the physical and digital supply of yuan enters Indonesia’s domestic banking ecosystem, the government can make it easier for real-world import-export businesses to bypass the US dollar entirely.

Putin leaves Beijing with no Power of Siberia pipeline deal

Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on May 20 hoping that the Iran war's disruption to global energy markets would finally give him the leverage to close one of the most consequential energy deals of his presidency. He left empty handed.

Putin arrives in Beijing with high powered delegation

Russian President Vladimir Putin kicked off a two-day visit to Beijing on May 19, arriving with a high-powered delegations containing top officials and leading businessmen.

Putin and Xi deepen anti-West axis

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said that the presence of the Russian president is intended to introduce stability into an unpredictable international landscape.

Argentina in talks to extend China currency swap even as repayments near completion

Argentina is negotiating an extension of its currency swap agreement with China even as it moves to repay most of the activated funds under the facility by mid-2026, according to statements from the country’s central bank.

Trump, Xi clash over contradictory trade promises

These conflicting accounts prove that beneath the diplomatic handshakes, the world’s two largest economies remain fundamentally misaligned on the rules of engagement, which threatens the long-term stability of global supply chains.

Fuel prices cast a dark shadow over Asia travel season

There will be no real winners in traditional tourism this summer – only airlines, tourist destinations and central banks left counting the cost.

Why Afghanistan dreams of opening up Wakhan Corridor, the mountain valley that connects three worlds

Likely once trodden by Alexander the Great and Marco Polo, its potential is fascinating.

Russian drones hit Chinese ship before Putin visit

By hitting a vessel manned by citizens of its most critical economic lifeline, the Kremlin risks complicating diplomatic optics just as Putin seeks deeper financial and military alignment with Beijing to sustain his war economy.

China added a Germany-sized electricity grid last year - OWID

We’ll often see headlines quoting how many gigawatts of new solar farms or coal plants China is building. But it’s hard to get a meaningful sense of scale for how electricity generation in China is changing.

Astana finally has its light rail metro system

Corruption, cost overruns and fires dogged the project for much of the 20 years it took to construct. Chinese-built automated service is driverless.

Trump-Xi summit sparks Taiwan headlines, but raises doubts over US grasp of bigger picture

Trump freezes Taiwan arms deal as leverage in links to China

Even before his trip, Trump characterised Taiwan as the most important issue for Xi and has since claimed it had dominated discussions during their summit.

Boeing secures China deal for 200 aircraft

Boeing has confirmed that China has committed to purchasing 200 aircraft following a visit to Beijing by Donald Trump, in a deal that could expand significantly with potential orders for a further 750 planes.

Pakistan’s debut Panda Bond issue oversubscribed amid strong investor demand

Pakistan’s first-ever Panda Bond issuance received an overwhelming response from investors and was oversubscribed, marking a major milestone in the country’s financial engagement with China and international capital markets.

Iran's Ghalibaf handed China portfolio in signal of deepening Beijing tilt

Iran has placed parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in charge of relations with China, in a move described as a step to deepen ties with Tehran's most important strategic partner, academic Mohammad Marandi has said.

Did Trump just sell the world in Beijing?

Trump's two-day Beijing summit was sold as stabilisation. From Riyadh to Warsaw and from Caracas to Astana, it has been read as something else: the spectacle of Washington and Beijing dividing up the world without the consent of those affected by it.