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Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, 20 March 2023. (Sputnik/Sergei Karpukhin/Pool via Reuters)

President Xi in Moscow: From wolf warrior to peacemaker?

President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, following on the heels of China’s role in brokering a Saudi-Iran deal, speaks of China’s new-found confidence as a diplomatic rainmaker.
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China, 4 February 2022. (Sputnik/Aleksey Druzhinin/Kremlin via Reuters)

What to expect from Xi-Putin meeting in Russia

Much attention is on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia, with speculation on whether China will drop its neutral stance on the Ukraine war, or stick to strengthening the fundamentals of their bilateral relationship. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan gives his analysis.
 Russia's President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with China's director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission Wang Yi during a meeting in Moscow, Russia, 22 February 2023. (Anton Novoderezhkin/Sputnik/Pool via Reuters)

What Russia's possible collapse could mean for China

Swedish academic Stefan Hedlund points out that China is weighing its options very carefully as to how much it should intervene to ensure a stalemate or renewed freezing of conflict in the Ukraine war. From China's point of view, while there are certain gains to Russia being further weakened, Russia's total fall would also spell trouble for China.
A pigeon flies in front of the Kremlin's Spasskaya tower (left) and Saint Basil's cathedral (centre) in Moscow on 1 March 2023. (Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP)

Russia could decline into a failed state

Chinese academic Zhang Tiankan believes that while Russia looks and acts tough like a major power, it is in fact not as powerful as it thinks, or wants others to think. It has a long way to go before having the same influence as other world powers.
Rescuers work at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a recent Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, 4 March 2023. (Stringer/Reuters)

Chinese academic: Lessons for China from the Russia-Ukraine war

Russia’s failure in winning its war in Ukraine has been largely due to its weak soft power as well as the poor performance of its weaponry, which had initially given the country false confidence in its ability to gain a quick victory. Chinese academic Deng Qingbo tells us what China can learn from Russia’s mistakes in this respect.
China's Vice-Premier Liu He addresses the World Economic Forum (WEF), in Davos, Switzerland, 17 January 2023. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

China can still shine if it acts on Vice-Premier Liu He's Davos advice

At this year’s Davos forum, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He laid out five points that have led to China’s success so far. However, his session did not see a packed crowd, while China’s claims of sticking to reform and opening up seem less than convincing when taken against its actions. Commentator Jin Jian Guo delves into the importance of staying the course.
China's Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang (right) is greeted by Gabon's Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Moussa Adamo (left) upon his arrival at the Leon Mba International Airport in Libreville on 11 January 2023. (Steeve Jordan/AFP)

A new broom sweeps clean? Qin Gang and Chinese diplomacy

While new Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang seems to be adopting continuity in Chinese foreign policy, there are subtle nuances that may augur well for China’s diplomacy. As for managing China’s relations with the US, courting US allies would be a good way forward, if China can resist responding with off-putting knee-jerk reactions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. review the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, 4 January 2023. (CNS photo via Reuters)

Between economy and security: Does the Philippines' Marcos Jr have a choice?

While Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s 3-5 Jan visit to Beijing reaped economic opportunities, it was also a missed opportunity to leverage the 2016 arbitral award, says Philippine academic Charmaine Misalucha-Willoughby. The onus rests on the Philippines to keep the West Philippine Sea on the agenda, and there are several steps the Marcos administration should keep in mind in doing so.
People walk through a shopping district in Hong Kong on 22 December 2022. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP)

Is Hong Kong still a shopping paradise for mainland Chinese shoppers after the pandemic?

Lianhe Zaobao journalist Tai Hing Shing examines the reasons for the seeming initial lack of enthusiasm in travelling from mainland China to Hong Kong, including slow visa processing and changing consumer habits. Will traveller numbers pick up over the next few weeks or months?