The China Chronicles

Did Trump Just Blunt the Strategic Ambiguity on Taiwan?

Trump’s muted response to Xi’s Taiwan red line during his recent China visit signals a dramatic shift in his Taiwan policy ...

The Two Faces of China's Security Engagement in Central Africa

China's simultaneous security ties with the DRC government and its rivals reveal a strategy that protects investments while inadvertently fuelling the instability it seeks to avoid ...

Reassessing PLA Corruption and Military Performance: Implications for India

PLA corruption at the senior level does not translate into reduced combat effectiveness; India should not interpret the current purges as necessarily signalling military decline ...

Recycling as Strategy: Building India’s Mineral Loop in a China-Dominated Market

In a China-dominated mineral market, India’s fastest path to resilience lies not in new mines, but in building a strategic recycling loop ...

The Geoeconomics of Caution: India’s China Policy as Managed Interdependence

India’s China policy reflects a strategy of managed interdependence, aiming to reduce strategic vulnerabilities while preserving economic engagement essential for growth ...

China-US-Japan: China’s changing calculus in East Asia

China’s tightening export curbs on Japan signal a shift toward controlled decoupling, as Beijing links Tokyo’s rightward turn and US–Japan alignment to Taiwan contingencies and East Asia’s evolving order ...

Managing Slowdown, Security, and Strategy: China’s CEWC in Context

China’s CEWC signals tech-driven growth, selective foreign investment, and strategic planning in the 15th Five-Year Plan ...

China’s Nuclear Carrier Aspirations and Strategic Impact

China’s move towards a nuclear aircraft carrier marks a critical shift in PLAN’s ambitions—extending endurance, reach, and power projection beyond its near seas ...

India’s Rise as Global Pharmacy Masks Deep Dependence on China

Behind India’s global export success in generic medicines lies an entrenched reliance on China for critical bulk drugs and intermediates ...

Afghanistan-Pakistan Quagmire Reveals the Limits of China’s Leverage

China’s efforts to mediate Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions and safeguard its strategic and economic interests are increasingly constrained by persistent security threats ...

Beijing’s Long Game in the Indian Ocean

China’s expanding footprint in the Indian Ocean reveals a long game built on influence, infrastructure leverage, and dual-use maritime activity. ...

Xi’s Blueprint for China’s High-Quality, Secure Growth

At the Fourth Plenum, China’s leadership reaffirmed Xi’s push for innovation-led, secure, and sustainable growth as the cornerstone of its 15th Five-Year Plan ...

The State of Cities: Comparing India and China’s Urban Trajectories

China’s centralised urban strategy has propelled its cities ahead, while India’s fragmented governance continues to slow its urban transformation. ...

CATL in the Crossfire: How US Rules Are Rewriting EV Supply Chains

Washington’s new “foreign entity of concern” rules and CATL’s designation as a “Chinese military company” highlight how US efforts to secure EV supply chains are reshaping clean energy, industrial policy, ...

The Yarlung Zangbo Hydroelectric Project: Power at a Price

While touted as a “project of the century,” the Yarlung Zangbo Hydroelectric Project illustrates how megadams can reshape energy landscapes, displace communities, and test international water governance. ...

Indo-Pacific Responses to Chinese Cyber Hegemony

Beijing’s cyber offensives are redrawing Indo-Pacific fault lines. States are striking back with varied strategies, and India can no longer afford to stay silent. ...

China’s Data Centres: Watts Behind The Bytes

Schadenfreude in China Amid US-India Tariff Spat

Chinese strategists see Trump 2.0’s tariff escalation against India as an opening to exploit rifts in the US-India partnership, revive the India-Pakistan “hyphenation,” and expand Beijing’s influence in Asia. ...

China’s Think Tank Diplomacy in Africa

As China deepens its think tank diplomacy in Africa, concerns grow over its one-way discourse, influence of soft power, and impudent promotion of Chinese values and ideals. ...

India, China, and the Perils of Demography

China’s population is shrinking, and India’s will peak by 2063. For both, the legacy of demographic control now collides with irreversible realities. ...

Evolution of China’s Biotech Industry: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

As China scales biotech innovation with global impact, India must act fast to secure its place in a field as strategic as it is scientific. ...

Bhutan’s Pragmatic Pivot on Tibet

As China tightens its grip on Tibet, Bhutan adopts a pragmatic stance—balancing sovereignty, and national interests with quiet resolve. ...

China’s Agrobiodiversity: From Rice Terraces to Seed Banks

Amid rapid change, China’s agrobiodiversity remains vital for climate resilience, food systems, and ecological sustainability. ...

China’s Economic Diplomacy in Latin America Gains Strategic Ground

Once under Washington’s sway, Latin America is now leaning East. China’s deep playbook of trade, diplomacy, and investment is winning allies fast. ...

Trump’s New Imprint on US-China Competition

Trump’s return has intensified the US-China rivalry by escalating tariffs, marking a more coercive and unilateral phase in America's economic and strategic competition with Beijing ...

Chinese public opinion may have bearing on Asian security

Tsinghua University’s 2024 public polls reveal valuable insights into how the Chinese perceive the global security issue and China’s future trajectory ...

Chinese drills raise tensions in the Taiwan Straits

Taipei ups the ante in the narrative battle as it frames the “Taiwan vs China” clash as Taiwan resisting the expansion of authoritarianism ...

Navigating the critical mineral maze: India’s strategic shift away from Chinese minerals

India must boost domestic production, strengthen international partnerships, and adopt sustainable practices to reduce dependence on China for critical minerals. ...

China’s conflict resolution mechanism in Africa: Mediation with Chinese characteristics

China is shifting from its traditional neutrality to actively participating in international mediation, especially in Africa ...

Stormy South China Sea: PRC’s new maritime push

Fresh salami-slicing tactics may spark tensions in South China Sea between Beijing and neighbours ...

Food safety in China: Current issues and policy responses

Despite the Chinese government's ongoing efforts to enhance food safety regulations, the growing occurrence of food safety scandals highlights the need for additional measures. ...

Shrinking Chinese demand, loan volumes weaken Africa’s growth prospects

Africa's economic dependence on China means the latter’s slowdown and shift to green and high-tech sectors harm Africa's economic prospect ...

Tobacco control in India and China: A comparative perspective

As the two most populous countries with high tobacco consumption rates, India and China have undertaken tobacco control efforts to curtail the rise of e-cigarette consumption among youth ...

China-made electric vehicles: Geopolitics at the wheel

The West sees China's investments and capacities in low-carbon energy as a security threat instead of recognising its role in boosting RE’s global share ...

The limits of a perceived no-limits partnership

Could the refusal of Chinese banks to process payments in Rubles or China's reliance on alternative trade routes that circumvent Russia be considered elements of a no-limits partnership? ...

2023: A whirlwind for China’s infrastructure and energy diplomacy

Upgrading partnerships with resource-rich nations like Turkmenistan, DRC, and Zambia strengthens China's grip on energy supplies and critical minerals ...

Export controls and the green transition: Securing critical mineral supply chains

In light of high import dependencies and export bans imposed by resource-rich countries, countries need to create secure critical mineral supply chains. ...

China’s near space technologies pose a real challenge

In the coming years, not just China, but countries across the world will need to recognise that the future battlefield will require investment in Near Space Flight Vehicles. ...

Five years of sinification of Islam in China

Over the course of five years, Beijing has curbed religious freedom under the pretext of “reorienting” Muslims of China towards core socialist values ...

Are recent reforms in China’s development cooperation programme effective?

Although China has initiated steps to improve its development cooperation programme, many of the commitments have yet to materialise ...

Thailand’s geopolitical dilemma: Aligning with China while honouring US ties

Navigating the delicate balance between its association with the US and China amidst their ongoing global geopolitical competition presents a significant policy challenge for Thailand's newly established administration ...

China’s submarine activities in the Bay of Bengal: Considerations for India

In light of China’s growing activities in the Bay region, India needs to develop its underwater naval capacities, enhance defence cooperation, and improve its underwater domain awareness ...

Great power competition raises concerns within the ASEAN

The growing Chinese and US presence near the South China Sea raises concerns in the minds of the ASEAN countries as it might be signalling a potential conflict in the ...

Debts and defaults: An assessment of China’s policy banks in Sri Lanka

Beijing's passive approach has encouraged the policy banks to make decisions based on its economic interests thus slowing down Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process ...

A double-edged sword: China’s model of development partnerships & the Indo-Pacific

With the launch of its Global Development Initiative in 2021, China is looking to recalibrate and redefine its outlook towards development cooperation ...

China’s expanding tech lead through Digital Silk Road

While the DSR has the potential to enhance digital connectivity in developing economies of the Indo-Pacific, it also provides Beijing with a tool to achieve its geopolitical objectives ...

Betting on connectivity: Afghanistan’s China-Pakistan Economic Corridor ambitions

Kabul’s possible induction into CPEC raises sovereignty and strategic concerns for New Delhi ...

Food security in China and its role in pushing the G20 Agenda

Though China has significantly reduced the rate of malnutrition, the country still faces challenges in ensuring food security ...

Redder than red: The future of China

With mounting pressure domestically and internationally, Xi might resort to a hyper-nationalistic path to deal with the legitimacy crisis ...

Storm Warning: Zero-COVID, Chinese Slowdown, and Supply Chains

It needs to be understood that no policy for supply chain resilience will be complete without accounting for China as a supplier in the short term. ...

China’s dominance of the solar photovoltaic value chain

Though the diversification of the solar PV supply chain could end dependency on China, it will increase the cost of decarbonisation of the energy sector ...

The great US-China tech decoupling

The US export controls might push China towards an impetus for a strong domestic semiconductor industry ...

Xi’s legacy in the ‘New Era’

As Xi enters into his third term, one expects a change in policy course in alignment with the objectives of the 'New Era'. ...

China’s political influence activities in Sub-Saharan Africa

Following the ‘Vaccine Apartheid’ and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the CCP has only tightened its grip on the African continent. ...

In search of China's grand strategy

It is evident that China's grand-strategic priorities are tilted towards continued economic growth under the CPC watch.

The dragon challenge: The necessity for an Indian space deterrent posture

India's interests across its disputed frontier with China serves two purposes: deterrence and space warfighting.

Indian media and China: Growing maturity in discourse

The media has a role and a responsibility in creating proper understanding between neighbouring countries.

Strategic technology might disrupt India-China status quo

What does the quest by Chinese companies for "top-to-bottom" domination of digital platforms mean for India?

China's protectionist tendencies will continue

Trade and investment promotion policy of China was largely driven by mercantilism — promoting exports more than imports by adopting protectionist policy measures to accumulate wealth.

A Sino-Russian 'Entente' amidst global flux

Decoding China’s new threat from ISIS

China's military modernisation and its implications

The China Dream of a strong military "with Chinese characteristics" will give it a great power status by 2049.

Resetting China's energy security goals

The co-existence of China's geopolitical approach to energy security and its attempt to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy mix will test its intention to decarbonise ...

The People’s Republic is a flawed champion for globalisation

Chinese regional hegemony is a bridge too far