The monitor features developments related to China during the month and is compiled by our research team of Amb. Biren Nanda, Senior Fellow, and Sanket Joshi, Research Associate, from open-source reports and publications.
High-level diplomatic engagement between India and China continued during the month. India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Director of China’s Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, met on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg on February 21, 2025. EAM Dr. Jaishankar emphasised that India and China have worked hard to preserve and protect the G20 as an institution for international cooperation in a polarised world. Major issues discussed at the meeting included the management of peace and tranquility in border areas; the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra; trans-border rivers; flight connectivity and travel facilitation; as well as an exchange of views on global issues related to G20, SCO, and BRICS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a summit meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. on February 13, 2025, with the two leaders pledging to deepen the US-India ‘Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership’. At a media briefing with PM Modi, President Trump vowed to increase military sales to India, including F-35 fighter jets. Reacting to this, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the US and India not to make China an issue in their relations and avoid instigating bloc politics and confrontation.
President Trump signed an executive order on February 1, 2025, adding a 10 percent tariff on imports from China over its failure to prevent Fentanyl and other drugs from entering the US. He also signed proclamations to close existing exemptions in order to restore a 25 percent tariff on steel, and to elevate the tariff on aluminium to 25 percent. Reacting sharply, China reiterated that “there is no winner in trade and tariff wars”, adding that the US move severely violates the WTO rules.
US-China tensions over Taiwan persisted. On February 13, 2025, in its updated fact sheet on relations with Taiwan, the US Department of State reaffirmed its adherence to the “one China policy”, but removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence”. While the US maintained that the updated fact sheet did not signal any major change in its policy toward Taiwan, China accused the US of violating the ‘one China principle’ and “serious backsliding” on Taiwan-related issues.
The meeting between the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025, marked a major shift in US policy toward Russia. In light of this, on February 24, 2025, President Xi and President Putin held a phone conversation in which Xi expressed China's satisfaction with the engagement between Russia and the US on resolving the Ukraine crisis.
A meeting of the CPC Political Bureau was held on February 28, 2025, ahead of China's annual "Two Sessions" to discuss the draft government work report. In his remarks, President Xi stressed the need to follow the guidelines issued at the Central Economic Work Conference, pursue progress while maintaining stability, and fully implement new development philosophy on all fronts.
To read this China Monitor, Vol. VIII, Issue 2, please see the PDF attached.
High-level diplomatic engagement between India and China continued during the month. India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Director of China’s Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi, met on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg on February 21, 2025. EAM Dr. Jaishankar emphasised that India and China have worked hard to preserve and protect the G20 as an institution for international cooperation in a polarised world. Major issues discussed at the meeting included the management of peace and tranquility in border areas; the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra; trans-border rivers; flight connectivity and travel facilitation; as well as an exchange of views on global issues related to G20, SCO, and BRICS.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a summit meeting with US President Donald Trump in Washington D.C. on February 13, 2025, with the two leaders pledging to deepen the US-India ‘Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership’. At a media briefing with PM Modi, President Trump vowed to increase military sales to India, including F-35 fighter jets. Reacting to this, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the US and India not to make China an issue in their relations and avoid instigating bloc politics and confrontation.
President Trump signed an executive order on February 1, 2025, adding a 10 percent tariff on imports from China over its failure to prevent Fentanyl and other drugs from entering the US. He also signed proclamations to close existing exemptions in order to restore a 25 percent tariff on steel, and to elevate the tariff on aluminium to 25 percent. Reacting sharply, China reiterated that “there is no winner in trade and tariff wars”, adding that the US move severely violates the WTO rules.
US-China tensions over Taiwan persisted. On February 13, 2025, in its updated fact sheet on relations with Taiwan, the US Department of State reaffirmed its adherence to the “one China policy”, but removed the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence”. While the US maintained that the updated fact sheet did not signal any major change in its policy toward Taiwan, China accused the US of violating the ‘one China principle’ and “serious backsliding” on Taiwan-related issues.
The meeting between the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025, marked a major shift in US policy toward Russia. In light of this, on February 24, 2025, President Xi and President Putin held a phone conversation in which Xi expressed China's satisfaction with the engagement between Russia and the US on resolving the Ukraine crisis.
A meeting of the CPC Political Bureau was held on February 28, 2025, ahead of China's annual "Two Sessions" to discuss the draft government work report. In his remarks, President Xi stressed the need to follow the guidelines issued at the Central Economic Work Conference, pursue progress while maintaining stability, and fully implement new development philosophy on all fronts.
To read this China Monitor, Vol. VIII, Issue 2, please see the PDF attached.
