All stories by K J M Varma
China says Musk's SpaceX satellites had 2 close encounters with its space station
Rediff.com28 Dec 2021China on Tuesday alleged that US billionaire Elon Musk-owned SpaceX's satellites had two 'close encounters' with its space station in orbit, and has complained to the United Nations about the incidents which endangered the safety of the Chinese astronauts.
2021: An year of record trade amid frozen India-China ties
Rediff.com24 Dec 2021India and China achieved a major milestone this year when their bilateral trade crossed the landmark figure of $100 billion but it did not generate any fanfare in both capitals as the two Asian giants are going through a "particularly bad patch" in their relations due to a set of actions by Beijing in violation of agreements that led to the military standoff in eastern Ladakh. Starting with a modest $1.83 billion in 2001, the bilateral trade crossed $100 billion-mark in the first 11 months this year, a significant milestone for which the two countries carried out campaigns to boost trade and build it as a major stakeholder to improve the relations between two nations, whose ties otherwise remained frosty over the festering boundary dispute and strategic rivalry. According to last month's data from China's General Administration of Customs (GAC), the India-China bilateral trade totalled $114.263 billion, up 46.4 per cent year-on-year from January to November 2021.
Situation at Sino-India border 'generally stable': China
Rediff.com21 Dec 2021On Monday China said it has "effectively managed and controlled" frictions in certain border areas.
Ahead of Winter Olympics, China sees spurt in Delta cases
Rediff.com13 Dec 2021China has reported a spike in COVID-19 infections in Zhejiang Province which registered 138 locally-transmitted confirmed cases stated to be that of new Delta strain "sub-lineage AY.4", prompting authorities to bar millions of people in the eastern province from travelling.
China accuses US of using democracy as 'WMD' to stoke confrontation
Rediff.com11 Dec 2021While the US omitted China and Russia from the list of invitees, Beijing was furious over the invitation to the self-governing island Taiwan, which China said is a blatant violation of the 'One China' policy that considers Taipei as the integral part of the Chinese mainland.
Opportunities missed, outgoing envoy Vikram Misri tells Chinese FM
Rediff.com6 Dec 2021Outgoing Indian envoy to China Vikram Misri on Monday had a virtual farewell call on Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during which he said that "certain challenges" had overpowered the vast opportunities in the bilateral ties last year and hoped that with continued communication the two sides would be able to resolve the current difficulties.
Xi asks military to recruit new talent to gain edge in future wars
Rediff.com29 Nov 2021Chinese President Xi Jinping has stressed the need for the recruitment of new talent to support the rapid modernisation of the armed forces and win future wars amid reports that the military has committed more resources to enrol 3 lakh personnel for frontline positions.
Xi talks tough with Biden, says China can't be stopped; warns him over Taiwan
Rediff.com16 Nov 2021The highly-anticipated summit, which began early Tuesday, is the third engagement between Xi, 68, and Biden, 78, since February.
China 'open' for talks with Dalai Lama to discuss his future
Rediff.com10 Nov 2021Reports from Tokyo said the Dalai Lama while speaking at an online press conference hosted by the Tokyo Foreign Correspondents Club on Wednesday said, 'I prefer to remain here in India, peacefully', praising the country as a centre of religious harmony.
China to attend Pak's meet over India's NSA summit
Rediff.com10 Nov 2021China said that it would not attend the security dialogue on Afghanistan convened by India due to "scheduling reasons".
Why China won't attend NSA-level meet on Afghanistan hosted by India
Rediff.com9 Nov 2021"Due to scheduling reasons, it is inconvenient for China to attend the meeting," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told mediapersons.
China delivers largest, most advanced warship to Pak
Rediff.com9 Nov 2021Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, according to Global Times.
China's CPC conclave kicks off to authorise unprecedented 3rd term for Prez Xi
Rediff.com8 Nov 2021Xi, 68, holds China's all three power centres -- General-Secretary of the CPC, Chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission which is the overall high command of the military, and the Presidency is set to complete his second five-year tenure next year.
China reports over 100 Covid cases amid virus spike
Rediff.com3 Nov 2021China's National Health Commission said on Wednesday that 93 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases and 16 new imported cases were reported on Tuesday, the highest in a single day in recent weeks.
China downplays India's concerns over new border law
Rediff.com29 Oct 2021China's national legislature -- the National People's Congress (NPC) -- on October 23 adopted the new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas which drew sharp reaction from India as it was passed amid the protracted military standoff between the two sides in eastern Ladakh region.
Amid Ladakh standoff China passes new land border law
Rediff.com24 Oct 2021Asserting that sovereignty and territorial integrity of China are "sacred and inviolable", the country's national legislature has adopted a new law on the protection and exploitation of the land border areas, which could have bearing on Beijing's border dispute with India.
Indian diplomat's mike goes silent while criticising China's BRI
Rediff.com20 Oct 2021India has voiced its strong opposition to China's Belt and Road Initiative and its flagship project -- the CPEC -- at the just concluded second UN Sustainable Transport Conference where the Indian diplomat's mike curiously went silent while she was highlighting New Delhi's objection to the controversial projects.
Jack Ma goes on first foreign tour since China crackdown
Rediff.com20 Oct 2021Jack Ma, China's billionaire and founder of e-commerce giant Alibaba, has travelled to Europe for an agriculture study tour, his first trip abroad since he ran into trouble with the Chinese government last year over violating anti-monopoly regulations.
China appoints official hit by US sanctions in Tibet
Rediff.com19 Oct 2021China's ruling Communist Party has appointed Wang Junzheng, sanctioned by the US, Britain, EU and Canada for his alleged role in the human rights violations against Uygur Muslims in Xinjiang, as the head of its party unit in the sensitive Himalayan region of Tibet.
China's slowdown confirmed as Q3 GDP falls by 3%
Rediff.com18 Oct 2021China's GDP grew by 4.9 per cent in the third quarter, down from 7.9 per cent in the second, confirming the slowdown of the world's second-largest economy which was under pressure from the crisis-hit property sector, curbs on energy and tardy recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.