Macron says ‘all parties must lift the blockades’ – as it happened This blog is now closed The Guardian - AU · May 6
The Latest: Hegseth faces a second day of Democrats grilling him over the Iran war Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces a second day of grilling from Democrats on Capitol Hill, with senators getting their first opportunity to confront or praise the Pentagon chief over his handling of the Iran war The Independent UK · Apr 30
China’s top diplomat meets leader of Myanmar's military-backed government on regional tour China’s top diplomat has visited Myanmar’s capital and met with the leader of its military-backed government as Beijing deepens regional ties The Independent UK · Apr 25
Chinese foreign minister and Thai prime minister agree to collaborate on fighting cyberscams Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met with Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during a visit aimed at strengthening the countries’ strategic partnership and expanding cooperation The Independent UK · Apr 24
China's foreign and defense ministers meet with Cambodian counterparts in joint '2+2' dialogue Cambodia and China have held their first meeting of what is called a “2+2” Strategic Dialogue Mechanism The Independent UK · Apr 22
Donald Trump is waiting for a ‘big fat’ hug from his sworn enemy, but what follows might turn things around President Donald Trump just dropped a Truth Social post that’s equal parts swagger and warning as he gears up for his trip to China next month. The post, which landed ahead of his May 14-15 meeting with President Xi Jinping, starts with a boast about permanently opening the Strait of… The Mary Sue · Apr 16
China speaks out as Iran war pressures start to hurt its bottom line Experts warn a drawn-out Iran war will sap global growth and curb other nations’ ability to absorb Chinese exports The Independent UK · Apr 16
The Latest: Pakistan’s army chief to meet Iranian officials in Tehran to push new US-Iran talks Pakistan’s army chief is meeting with Iranian officials in Tehran to ease Middle East tensions and arrange U.S.-Iran negotiations The Independent UK · Apr 16
Iran-US war latest: Trump calls it a ‘historic day’ as ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon comes into effect The truce follows a heavy bombing campaign by Israel against targets it says are linked to Hezbollah The Independent UK · Apr 16
Trump’s ‘favourite field marshal’ Asim Munir arrives in Tehran to revive US-Iran peace talks Pakistan is seeking to host the second round of peace talks before the fragile ceasefire expires next week The Independent UK · Apr 16
Short-term gains for China from US-Iran war may turn to longer-term pain Beijing may be reaping some diplomatic benefit but Trump’s war holds risks for its energy security and economy The Guardian - UK · Apr 15
North Korean leader Kim backs China's push for ‘multipolar world’ in talks with foreign minister North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has voiced support for China’s push to build a multipolar world and called for deeper ties between the traditional allies The Independent UK · Apr 11
North Korea and China agree to deepen cooperation in talks between foreign ministers The foreign ministers of North Korea and China have agreed to further deepen cooperation and exchanges at their “in-depth” talks on international issues The Independent UK · Apr 10
International Business Times UK · Apr 9 Iran War Update: Beijing Sidesteps Credit As Trump Hails China Role In Hormuz Peace Deal Beijing has praised the Iran war ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz but pointedly declined to confirm Donald Trump's claim that China helped broker the deal.
Axios · Mar 31 China and Pakistan present new Iran deal: Ceasefire for opening Hormuz Axios asked Trump and Pakistan's FM about the plan.
The Guardian - UK · Mar 31 Pakistan and China propose five-part peace plan for Middle East Foreign ministers Ishaq Dar and Wang Yi met in Beijing as Pakistan pushes for peacemaker role
The Independent UK · Mar 15 US-China trade talks open in Paris, paving the way for Trump-Xi summit China's official news agency Xinhua reports that representatives from Beijing and Washington have begun their economic and trade talks in Paris
The Independent UK · Mar 14 Pakistan’s president says Afghan Taliban forces crossed a ‘red line’ with drone attacks on civilians Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari says that Afghanistan’s Taliban government has “crossed a red line” by attempting drone attacks that injured several people a day earlier
Caixin Global · Mar 13 The Week Ahead (March 16-22): China and U.S. Hold Trade Talks in France The U.S. Federal Reserve will hold its monetary policy meeting, while China is set to release key economic data for the first two months of 2026
The Times of India · Mar 8 ‘A strong fist doesn't mean strong reason’: China warns against interference, regime change in Iran China's foreign minister Wang Yi cautioned against externally driven regime change in Iran, stating such efforts would lack public backing and escalate regional instability. He emphasized respecting Iran's sovereignty and urged an immediate end to hostilities, advocating for diplomatic solutions and independent regional self-determination. Beijing is ready to help restore…
The Guardian - AU · Mar 8 China’s foreign minister says Iran war ‘should never have happened’ Wang Yi cautioned against a return to the ‘law of the jungle’ but stopped short of criticising Trump directly
The Guardian - AU · Mar 8 US orders government employees to leave Saudi Arabia – as it happened This liveblog is closed.
The Conversation · Mar 3 China set to suffer from turmoil in the Middle East, but it stands to benefit long term China has responded to the joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran with strong diplomatic condemnation. In an article published on March 1, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency called the attacks a “flagrant violation” of the purposes and principles of the UN charter. The same article called the intervention a departure from…
The Guardian - UK · Mar 3 Trump’s show of force in the Middle East creates a weakness China can exploit Beijing can again leverage its critical minerals dominance over an increasingly busy US military, as Taiwan slides further down the White House list of priorities