Page 18 - China

First Chinese product tanker attacked near Strait of Hormuz amid Iran war

According to the report, the vessel's deck caught fire and the ship had the words "CHINA OWNER & CREW" marked on it

Bangladesh seeks China's support in Teesta river restoration project

Bangladesh's new government, headed by Tarique Rahman, has formally sought China's involvement and support for the Teesta River restoration project, a move that may cast shadow on New Delhi-Dhaka ties. The issues concerning the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP) was discussed in a meeting between Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) news agency. The Teesta River flows from the eastern Himalayas through Sikkim and West Bangal before entering Bangladesh, where it is a key source of irrigation and livelihoods of millions of people. Expressing support for the new Bangladesh government, Wang was quoted saying by BSS news agency that China is ready to promote the alignment of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Bangladesh's national development strategies and deepen cooperation in traditional areas like economy, ...

Two former Chinese defence ministers sentenced to death for corruption

Two former Chinese defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges on Thursday, official media reported. Wei and his successor Li, who worked under President Xi Jinping's watch, were expelled from the ruling Communist Party in 2024. Wei served as Defence Minister from 2018 to 2023, and Li barely served a few months as his successor. Li, a Chinese aerospace engineer who headed the People's Liberation Army's all-important Rocket (Missile) Force, was personally picked up for the top defence post by Xi himself.

War, energy shortages boost China's influence in regional energy security

As the Iran war disrupts global energy flows, China is using fuel supplies and renewable technology to deepen its strategic influence across Asia

Great Nicobar Project: Why it matters and what are the concerns around it

Rahul Gandhi's remarks have reignited debate over the Great Nicobar Project, with the Centre highlighting strategic and economic gains while the Oppositoin warn of ecological and tribal risks

Will only accept 'fair and comprehensive agreement' with US, says Iran

Iranian Foreign Minister did not directly address Trump's offer of a pause in the US operation to escort ships via Hormuz, offered earlier as an incentive to help reach an agreement between two sides

China tells Iran 'comprehensive' ceasefire is needed as war drags on

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday evening he was pausing the US effort to guide stranded vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz to allow time for a deal to end the Iran war, but that the American forces' blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing on Wednesday morning, the official Xinhua news agency reported, without providing further details. It was the first time since the start of the war that Araghchi has travelled to China, whose close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of influence. Earlier in Washington, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had expressed hope that Beijing would reiterate to Tehran the need to release its chokehold on the strait, which is a vital waterway for global energy. Iran's effective closure of the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, along with fertilizer and other petroleum produc

China services activity grows at faster rate in April, shows private PMI

The RatingDog China General Services purchasing managers' index, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 52.6 in April from 52.1 in March, staying above the 50-mark that separates expansion from contraction

China's economic model may be flawed, but hasn't short-changed consumers

The prevailing consensus tells us more about China watchers than it does about realities on the ground. We should be wary of "China bashing" masquerading as a concern for Chinese consumers

26 killed, 61 injured in blast at fireworks factory in central China

Twenty-one people have been killed and 61 others injured after an explosion occurred at a fireworks manufacturing plant in Liuyang city, Hunan province, Chinese state media reported on Tuesday. The blast took place around 5 pm on Monday at Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Co, a fireworks plant located at Guandu township, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Emergency and fire rescue teams were pressed into service and deployed at the site shortly after the explosion. In the incident, 21 people have died and 61 others have been admitted to hospital for treatment.

China invokes anti-sanctions law over US blacklisting of oil firms

Under the law, introduced in 2021 and most recently revised in April, China can impose countermeasures on companies and individuals, including trade and investment curbs and entry and exit restriction

China: FDI caution and import reliance shape India's policy dilemma

With a cumulative overseas investment stock of $3 trillion-3.5 trillion and annual outflows in the range of $160 billion-190 billion, China is a major FDI player across every region

DEA notifies Fema FDI easing for firms with up to 10% Chinese stake

The Finance Ministry has notified a decision to allow overseas companies with Chinese shareholding of up to 10 per cent to invest in India under the automatic route under FEMA, according to a notification. In March, the Union Cabinet approved amendments in the press note (PN) 3 of 2020 of the DPIIT. As per the amendments, foreign companies having a Chinese/Hong Kong shareholding of up to 10 per cent will be eligible to invest in India in sectors where FDI is permitted under the automatic route subject to sectoral conditions. However, these relaxed FDI rules will not apply to entities registered in China or Hong Kong or other countries sharing land borders with India. Earlier, foreign firms with shareholders from these land border nations owning even a single share had to seek mandatory approval to invest in India in any sector. Now, these restrictions will apply only to beneficial owners. After the Cabinet approval, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPI

Vikram Doraiswami reaches China to take charge as India's new envoy

India's new Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami arrived in Shanghai on Saturday to take up his posting amid expectations that his appointment will add momentum to the current normalisation process of Sino-India relations. He was received at the airport by the Indian Consul General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur and other officials. Doraiswami, a 1992-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is due to arrive in Beijing on Sunday. In Beijing, the 56-year-old diplomat succeeds Pradeep Kumar Rawat. Before his posting to Beijing, Doraiswami served as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. His appointment in March this year evoked considerable interest in the Chinese official media and the Chinese strategic community. Welcoming Doraiswami's appointment, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing on March 20 that the new Indian envoy has chosen a Chinese name for himself: Wei Jiameng. "China welcomes India's new ambassador to China Wei Jiameng, and stands rea

Disquiet on the Eastern Front: Great Nicobar base key to maritime defences

Historically, and instinctively, India has seen threats emerging from the west and the north, from Pakistan and China

US sanctions China-based crude oil terminal operator for trading Iran oil

The US on Friday sanctioned a China-based crude oil terminal operator for importing petroleum products from Iranian entities and warned others of facing the same consequences if they paid a toll to Tehran to cross the Strait of Hormuz. "The US is taking decisive action to disrupt Iran's illicit oil trade, the Iranian regime's primary revenue streams that fund terrorism and regional destabilization," US Department of State spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement. Pigott said the department sanctioned multiple entities, an individual, and a vessel involved in the trade of Iranian petroleum and petroleum products. The action targets a China-based petroleum terminal operator - Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal Co., Ltd. - that has imported tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude oil since February last year. The US also sanctioned Xingchun Li, a Chinese national and the president of QINGDAO HAIYE, and two vessel management companies UK-based Thriving Times International an

Best of BS Opinion: India feels diplomatic squeeze from W. Asia conflict

From Iran diplomacy and artificial intelligence risks to Great Nicobar strategy and Pakistan policy, today's Best of BS Opinion highlights key strategic and economic debates shaping India's outlook

India to soon notify eased FDI norms for firms with 10% China stake: Report

The decision to ease foreign direct investment norms for overseas companies with up to 10 per cent stake in Chinese companies will be notified soon under the FEMA law, a senior government official said on Thursday. After that, the changes will come into effect. In March, the Union Cabinet approved amendments in the press note (PN) 3 of 2020 under which foreign companies having a Chinese shareholding of up to 10 per cent will be eligible to invest in India under the automatic route across sectors. However, the relaxed FDI rules will not apply to entities registered in China/Hong Kong or other countries sharing land borders with India. The government has also decided that FDI proposals in specified sectors/activities of manufacturing in capital goods, electronic capital goods, electronic components, polysilicon and ingot-wafer or any other sector/activity added by the committee of secretaries headed by the Cabinet Secretary will be processed within 60 days. Though the Department for

China supplies over 30% of industrial goods; overdependence critical: GTRI

China accounts for around 16 per cent of India's total imports, but its dominance is significantly higher in industrial goods, supplying as much as 30.8 per cent of the country's requirements, think tank GTRI said on Tuesday. The country's imports increased to USD 774.98 billion in 2025-26. Out of this, USD 131.63 billion was from China. Dependence on a single supplier for critical inputs leaves sectors like pharmaceuticals, electronics and clean energy exposed to disruptions, whether geopolitical or commercial, it said. The GTRI analysis said that about 66 per cent of India's imports from China, valued at USD 82.6 billion, are clustered in electronics, machinery, computers, and organic chemicals. China accounts for 43 per cent of India's electronics imports, 40 per cent of machinery and computer imports, and 44 per cent of organic chemicals. "These are not discretionary purchases but core inputs that feed directly into India's manufacturing ecosystem," Global Trade Research ...