In a show of lightning-fast diplomacy, Beijing has finally commented on a Chinese civilian murdered by Burmese/Myanmarese soldiers who crossed over the Chinese border two months ago. Lahpai Zau Lawn, an ethnic Kachin (Jingpo) farmer was killed on January 12th, despite being on the Yunnan side of the Sino-Burmese border. His relatives say he was shot at close range, twice in the head and once in the abdomen. more ›

A video (with a perfect tinkly soundtrack) featuring an inconspicuous traveler crossing the border into Shenzhen from Hong Kong proves China's drug of choice for cross-border muling in 2012 is still the iPhone. more ›

Foreign ministers of China and Russia signed a treaty in Beijing on Monday ending a 40-year-long territorial dispute to finally determine their borders. The treaty addressed the eastern part of the two countries' 4,300 km-long border, with Russia returning all of Yinlong Island (Tarabarov) and half of Heixiazi Island (Bolshoi Ussuriyasky) to China. The islands are at the convergence of the Heilongjiang and Wusulijiang rivers that form the natural border between China and Russia. The two countries fought border wars over this part of the territory nearly 40 years ago, but have readjusted their relationship since the end of the Cold War, in what BBC describes as warmer ties between "Russia - a big energy exporter - and China, a big energy consumer." The Moscow Times reports,

political analysts said the move was positive for a Russia looking to secure its eastern borders in the face of its increasingly powerful Communist neighbor.