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.
On August 24-25, 2026, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held the 25th round of the Special Representatives’ Talks on the India-China Boundary Question in Beijing. Both sides noted progress made in implementing the consensus reached between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi at their meetings in Kazan (October 2024) and Tianjin (August 2025). Major issues discussed in the meeting included seeking a political settlement of the boundary question, the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in border areas for the overall development of bilateral relations, and regional and international issues of mutual interest.
On August 7, 2026, the Government of India identified a total of twenty-seven (27) standard names for places/features on the Survey of India map of the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Reacting to this, on August 10, 2026, China reiterated that “Zangnan (Arunachal Pradesh) is China’s territory” and that Beijing “does not recognise the so-called Arunachal Pradesh illegally set up by India”. Reacting sharply, India asserted that “Arunachal Pradesh is an inalienable and integral part of India and that nothing can change this indisputable reality”.
The tensions between the U.S. and China continued to mount over trade and technology issues. On August 13, 2026, Peter Navarro, Senior Counsellor for Trade and Manufacturing at the White House, released a report titled ‘The Great Transshipment Scam’, in which the U.S. accused over 40 countries of enabling Chinese goods to bypass punitive American tariffs. Rejecting this report, China accused the U.S. of fabricating a false narrative concerning a so-called Shadow Transshipment Network, describing this as an act of unilateralism and protectionism that is aimed at suppressing and blocking Chinese exports.
China-Japan tensions continued. On August 4, 2026, China's Ministry of National Defence rejected Japan's Defence White Paper as an attempt to exaggerate the so-called "China threat" rhetoric to ease military build-up restrictions. As Tokyo described China’s military activities as Japan’s "greatest strategic challenge ever", Beijing warned that Japan’s false accusation is a classic case of “a thief crying stop thief”.
President Xi addressed the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on September 1, 2026. In his remarks, Xi stressed that “transformation not seen in a century is accelerating across the globe”, urging SCO member-states to adhere to the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilisations, and the pursuit of common development.
On July 31, 2026, China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun, in his remarks at a reception marking the 99th anniversary of the founding of the PLA, reiterated Beijing’s resolve to thwart “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and their external supporters. He urged the PLA to maintain a state of readiness to deal with any contingency and continue advancing high-quality modernisation of the armed forces.
To read this Issue plick click China Monitor, Vol. IX, Issue 8.
