China Monitor
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.
The 23rd round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting took place on October 25, 2025, continuing the process of high-level military engagement between the two countries. Both sides shared the view that peace and tranquillity had been maintained along the border and agreed to make use of the existing mechanisms to resolve any issues that may arise on the ground along the LAC to maintain stability.
Earlier, addressing the Army Commanders’ Conference in Jaisalmer on October 24, 2025 on the situation along India’s Northern border, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stressed that India's balanced and firm foreign policy was demonstrated by the ongoing talks and de-escalation steps. He reiterated that India will continue to engage in dialogue, but at the same time will maintain its military preparedness along the border.
On October 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce imposed a raft of new export controls on rare-earth materials, extending the scope of restrictions well beyond those imposed previously. Reacting sharply, US President Donald Trump threatened to impose an additional 100 percent tariff on imports from China and issue new export controls on “any and all critical software”, but later pulled back on the threat, stressing that it was not sustainable.
Amidst this escalation of trade tensions, President Trump and President Xi held a meeting in Busan, Republic of Korea, on October 30, 2025, on the margins of the APEC Summit. President Xi, in his remarks, noted that, due to their differing national conditions, it is to be expected that occasional frictions may arise between China and the US. He stressed that China-US relations have remained stable as a whole and that the two countries should remain friends and partners.
Major outcomes achieved through Xi-Trump meeting included the US’s reduction of 10 percent Fentanyl-related tariffs on China and the suspension of 24 percent reciprocal tariffs levied on China for an additional year. Beijing will make corresponding adjustments to its countermeasures against the aforementioned US tariffs. The US would thus slash its overall tariff on Chinese goods to 47 percent from 57 percent.
President Xi addressed the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, on October 31, 2025. Xi shed light on growing global uncertainties and urged APEC to stay true to its founding mission of promoting economic growth through open development and inclusive economic globalisation.
The 20th CPC Central Committee held its Fourth Plenary Session from October 20-23, 2025. During this session, the Party adopted recommendations for formulating China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for economic and social development. In his address, President Xi noted that the country's “socialist modernisation” would require unremitting hard work from successive generations of Chinese citizens and that the 15th Five-Year Plan would be an essential part of this process as China strives to achieve modernisation by 2035 on all fronts.
To read this China Monitor, Vol. VIII, Issue 10, please see the PDF attached.
