India’s rise coincides with China’s structural slowdown, reshaping Asia’s strategic landscape. For Malaysia, the choice is not between India and others—but between preparing early for India’s ascent or adjusting late. Prime Minister Modi’s visit represents a strategic inflection point. Deepening ties in defence, technology, semiconductors, energy, food security, education, and culture is not merely prudent—it is foundational to Malaysia’s long-term prosperity, security, and strategic autonomy.
But in NSS 2025 the specific reference to the “Quad” appears less central as compared to its 2022 prominence. The document emphasized the allies assuming primary responsibility for their own region even as it identified the Indo-Pacific as a key economic and geopolitical battleground. It reiterates that alliances and strengthening partnerships “will be the bedrock of security and prosperity long into the future”
It’s heartening to see that China has resumed the pilgrimage of Indian pilgrims to the sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region this year after a five-year break, and India has restarted the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese citizens suspended since 2020. Recently, several direct flights between the two countries have been restored. This development is expected to strengthen exchanges in people-to-people fields, as well as in trade, culture, and other areas.
Despite China's might and backing, Gyeltsen Norbu has lacked legitimacy and following among Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhists elsewhere, and many suspect the 15th Dalai Lama appointed by Beijing will suffer the same fate. The Dalai Lama has emphasised that China must reach a resolution on the Tibetan question during his lifetime, and many fear that without his moral authority, no solution will have widespread acceptance among the Tibetan people.
As part of the broader Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China is set to lay the final stretch of a cross-border fiber optic cable in Pakistan that will create the Digital Silk Road, serving the geostrategic interests of both countries, Nikkei Asia reported
China has rejected claims that Chinese-made railway carriages pose a threat to passengers in Sri Lanka
China will try to assert itself more across the world as it now feels confident that it has the economic, political and military capabilities to ensure that its views are heard on the global stage
China has announced that it will provide half a million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal
A U-turn on the Colombo port's East Container Terminal and then an attempt to create negativity around the India-supplied COVID-19 vaccine signals that there could be more powerful forces than just mere trade unions and some local groups which are nudging Sri Lanka to adopt an aggressive stand against India right now
Nepali traders have accused China of conducting an 'undeclared trade blockade' as their merchandise-laden container trucks have not been allowed to cross the border into Nepal for the past 16 months
At the beginning of 2021, there comes encouraging news from China. According to the preliminary calculation of the National Bureau of Statistics of China, China’s GDP in 2020 reached 101.6 trillion yuan (around 14.7 trillion USD), increased by 2.3% from 2019. For the first time, China's GDP exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan threshold?achieving a historic leap
The Myanmar army may not be comfortable with the manner in which the NLD has given in to China for the China-Myanmar-Economic Corridor (CMEC), which is an invitation for the People’s Liberation Army to establish in Myanmar, like Pakistan, including Chinese marines posted at Kyaukphyu port like in Gwadar of Pakistan, writes Lt Gen Prakash Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor
A day after the Sri Lanka government decided to operate the East Container Terminal (ECT) of Colombo Port locally after tremendous pressure from trade unions, India seems to see a Chinese hand in orchestrating and funding the protests against the ECT deal by the trade unions in Sri Lanka
Helped by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, the government on Monday hurriedly passed three bills, including the one seeking establishment of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority, amid ruckus by the opposition members
China has decided to provide a coronavirus vaccine to Nepal but it is still unclear how long it will take for the consignment to arrive, as the product is yet to get emergency use approval in the country
Pakistan on Monday received the first batch of China's Sinopharm vaccine against the novel coronavirus
China will be sending 300,000 doses of coronavirus vaccine to Nepal, ten days after India sent one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine there, marking the launch of nationwide inoculation drive in the Himalayan country
Bangladesh peacekeepers have rescued 32 Chinese gold mine workers in the Central African Republic (CAR) from an attack by armed rebels
Major General Ayman Bilal of the Pakistan Army has confessed to China's role and support in his deployment in Balochistan, Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Sun has reported
