South China Morning Post - Russia & Central Asia

Last week, US President Donald Trump landed in China aiming to secure the kind of blockbuster trade deals he championed nine years ago – spanning everything from soybeans to aircraft and energy. By the time he departed, it was clear that reality would fall far short of expectations. Despite Trump hailing a “fantastic deal”, China did not announce the massive buying spree that ma...

When Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing this week, just days after US President Donald Trump departed, following his summit with President Xi Jinping, the choreography will not be merely diplomatic. It will be show of “civilisational theatre”. For years, analysts framed China as a power caught awkwardly between a revanchist Russia and an increasingly hostile Uni...

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday the US will give a 30-day extension for countries to import Russian oil that is already in tankers at sea, a move that is meant to reduce the oil supply shortages caused by the Iran war. The announcement marks a continued policy reversal by an administration that had previously said the sanctions on Russian oil would resume. Ori...

Belarus said on Monday its armed forces had begun training exercises involving Russian nuclear weapons, in a move that drew strong condemnation from Ukraine. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko agreed in 2023 – a year after Russia’s ‌invasion of Ukraine – to host Russian tactical nuclear missiles. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made clear that Moscow retains control ...

China is stepping up economic engagement with Russia by hosting the 10th edition of a major bilateral expo ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected trip to Beijing this week – just days after his American counterpart, Donald Trump, visited there last week. The back-to-back visits to the Chinese capital by two of the world’s most influential leaders highlight an uptic...