Their display of friendship in China was aimed at projecting an alternative to U.S. global leadership, even as serious differences among them remain.

© Alexander Kazakov/Sputnik

Their display of friendship in China was aimed at projecting an alternative to U.S. global leadership, even as serious differences among them remain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been moving to align India with the United States and freeze out China. Now, efforts to rebuild ties between the Asian giants are gaining momentum.

Footage shows a Chinese coast guard vessel chasing a Philippine boat and then ramming a Chinese warship. It was the latest confrontation in the contested waters.

Recent drills near Japan reflect China’s ambitions to extend its navy’s reach and exert greater influence, in the Pacific and beyond.

The continent is dedicated to research and cooperation, but proposed funding cuts in the Trump administration and actions by other world powers may alter the environment.

China has installed large steel cages and a former oil drilling rig in the Yellow Sea, raising concerns in South Korea that they could be used for military purposes.