China News Bytes | 21st May 2026 

Putin Departs Beijing Without Power of Siberia 2 Breakthrough

Russian President Vladimir Putin left Beijing on Wednesday with declarations of enduring friendship but no breakthrough on the long-stalled Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. Xi Jinping made no public mention of the pipeline, with analysts saying Beijing is “playing hardball” as Russia loses leverage following EU gas cutoffs.

China and Russia Sign Over 40 Bilateral Agreements

Despite the gas pipeline setback, Beijing and Moscow inked more than 40 deals covering trade, education, technology, and nuclear security. Xi declared bilateral relations were “at their highest level in history", while both sides pledged to expand joint military exercises, air patrols, and maritime cooperation.

Xi and Putin Condemn Trump’s “Golden Dome” Missile Shield

In a joint statement, Xi and Putin criticised the US “Golden Dome” missile defence project and condemned military strikes on third countries, assassinations of sovereign leaders, and destabilisation efforts as violations of international law — a thinly veiled rebuke of Washington following recent US-Iran hostilities.

Beijing Signals Truce on Trade Tariffs With Washington

China’s Commerce Ministry said Wednesday that Beijing and Washington had agreed not to raise tariffs further following the Trump-Xi summit but warned it could retaliate if the US escalated. The ministry again flagged forthcoming tariff cuts on US agricultural trade as part of the broader deal.

Xi Jinping May Visit North Korea Within Days

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, citing a senior government official, that Xi Jinping may travel to Pyongyang as early as next week. The trip would follow back-to-back visits to Beijing by Trump and Putin, with Xi reportedly seeking to position himself as a regional mediator.

Severe Floods in Southern and Central China Kill at Least 25

Torrential rains and flash floods across southwestern and central China killed at least 25 people this week, with tens of thousands evacuated. In Guangxi, ten farm workers died when a pickup truck plunged into a flooded river. Cities and farmland remain submerged.

China to Impose New Mining Controls on Strategic Minerals

Beijing announced plans to impose fresh mining controls on certain strategic minerals to safeguard supply security and protect finite resources. The move comes as China tightens its grip over critical mineral supply chains amid escalating technology and defence-related disputes with Washington.

China Defends Rare Earth Export Controls as “Lawful”

China’s Commerce Ministry insisted its rare earth export controls are lawful and pledged to cooperate with the US on “reasonable” concerns. Beijing’s tightened restrictions on medium and heavy rare earths have rattled Western defence supply chains and remain a key flashpoint in trade talks.

Beijing Holds Up Pentagon Official’s Proposed Visit

According to the Financial Times, Beijing is stalling a proposed visit by US Under-Secretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby, using the delay to pressure Washington over a $14 billion weapons package for Taiwan. The move signals deepening friction despite recent summit-level diplomacy.

China Warns Trump Against Direct Call With Taiwan’s Lai

Beijing issued a sharp warning after Trump indicated he might directly speak with Taiwan President Lai Ching-te – an unprecedented move that could shatter four decades of diplomatic convention. Taipei said Lai would be happy to take the call, raising fears of a major diplomatic rupture.

Asia Tech Stocks Rally as AI Trade Returns

Asian technology shares rallied on Thursday as investors returned to the AI trade following Nvidia’s earnings. Mainland China and Hong Kong markets opened higher, though Hong Kong’s benchmark HK50 index later closed down 0.79% at 25,448 points amid lingering concerns over Middle East tensions.

China’s Solar Exports to Africa and Southeast Asia Surge

China customs data released Wednesday showed solar exports to African and Southeast Asian countries continued to surge year-on-year in April. Global renewable energy demand offset concerns over anticipated price hikes, with overall April solar shipments jumping 60% year-on-year to roughly $3.12 billion.

China Housing Slump Shows Tentative Signs of Bottoming

New home prices in China fell just 0.1% in April from the previous month, the slowest decline in a year, narrowing from a 0.2% drop in March. The New York Times reported the prolonged slump’s toll has fallen largely on homeowners rather than banks, with equity wiped out since 2021.

German Couple Arrested for Alleged Spying for China

German federal prosecutors announced the arrest of a married German couple suspected of cultivating contacts with German scientists to obtain intelligence on technologies with potential military use for China. The case highlights mounting European concerns over Chinese industrial and military espionage.

Hong Kong Logs 40 Online Grooming Cases in Four Months

Secretary for Security Chris Tang said Hong Kong police recorded 40 online sexual grooming cases targeting minors in the first four months of 2026, after 100 such cases in all of 2025. Authorities reported 2,156 child sexual abuse cases overall, prompting calls for stronger protection laws.

CK Hutchison Rules Out Sale of Hong Kong Supermarket Chain

Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Holdings publicly ruled out selling its Hong Kong supermarket business, the South China Morning Post reported. The clarification comes amid market speculation over the conglomerate’s restructuring plans following last year’s controversial Panama port divestment to a BlackRock-led consortium.

Foreign Ministry Press Conference Reaffirms One-China Principle

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun held a regular press conference on Wednesday, reiterating Beijing’s opposition to any US-Taiwan official contacts and reaffirming the One-China principle. Guo also highlighted the joint China-Russia statement opposing “external destructive interference” in Eurasian affairs.

Russia Reaffirms Support for One-China Principle on Taiwan

Moscow used the Beijing summit to reaffirm its support for the One-China principle, opposing any form of Taiwanese independence. In return, China backed Russia’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity” while continuing to favour a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine conflict — a careful balancing act by Xi.

Analysts Say Xi Emerges as Senior Partner Over Putin

Analysts at the American Enterprise Institute and Asia Society said the Putin visit confirmed Xi’s role as senior partner in a relationship increasingly tilted toward Beijing. With Russia accounting for only about 4% of China’s trade, Moscow’s deepening dependence on China is reshaping Eurasian geopolitics.

China-Russia Joint Statement Decries “Eurasian Destabilisation”

The China-Russia joint statement issued Wednesday described “external destructive interference” as the primary driver of instability across Eurasia. Both sides pledged to deepen military trust, expand maritime patrols, and resist what they called Western efforts to destabilise their domestic political environments — a direct swipe at Washington.