Borders of China

Sino-Russianborder railway port atManzhouli.

Models of the Sino-Russian border port inManzhoulifrom various historical periods displayed in the square.

Border guard booth on Lovers South Road inZhuhai,withMacao

The People's Republic ofChina(PRC) shares land borders with 14 countries (tied withRussiafor the most in the world):North Korea,Russia,Mongolia,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Tajikistan,Afghanistan,Pakistan,India,Nepal,Bhutan,Myanmar,Laos,andVietnam.The land borders, in counterclockwise order from northeast to southwest, include theChina–North Korea border,the eastern segment of theChina–Russia border,theChina–Mongolia border,the western segment of the China–Russia border (the most contested of theSino-Indian border dispute), theChina–Kazakhstan border,theChina–Kyrgyzstan border,theChina–Tajikistan border,theChina–Afghanistan border,theChina–Pakistan border,the western segment of theChina–India border,theChina–Nepal border,the central segment of the China–India border (Sikkim), the China–Bhutan border, the eastern segment of the China–India border, theChina–Myanmar border,theChina–Laos border,theChina–Vietnam border.In addition, there is a 30-kilometre (19 mi)internal borderwith the special administrative region ofHong Kong,which was a British dependency before 1997, and a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) internal border withMacau,a Portuguese territory until 1999.

To the west, PRC has maritime borders withNorth Korea,Japanand contested limits withTaiwanand other countries in theSouth China Sea,among otherterritorial disputes of the People's Republic of China.

At 22,457 kilometres (13,954 mi),^[1]China has the longest land borders of any country.

Land border by polity

Below is a table of countries and territories who share a land border with China around its perimeter. In parentheses are their lengths in miles.^[2]

Country	Length
North Korea	1,416 km (880 mi)
Russia	3,645 km (2,265 mi)
Mongolia	4,678 km (2,907 mi)
Kazakhstan	1,533 km (953 mi)
Kyrgyzstan	858 km (533 mi)
Tajikistan	414 km (257 mi)
Afghanistan	76 km (47 mi)
Pakistan	596 km (370 mi)
India	3,488 km (2,167 mi)^[a]
Nepal	1,440 km (890 mi)
Bhutan	470 km (290 mi)^[b]
Myanmar	2,185 km (1,358 mi)
Laos	423 km (263 mi)
Vietnam	1,283 km (797 mi)

China Rim

The region of all countries bordering China is sometimes referred to by scholars as the China Rim,^[3]^[4]^[5]or simply as China's periphery (Chinese: Trung quốc chu biên ).^[6]The China Rim plays a significant role in competition between other countries and China, as is the case with America'sChina Containment Policy.^[7]Significant competition took place between America and China in the region after the middle of the 20th century.^[8]^[9]^[10]Currently, a greater level of scrutiny andcompetitionare happening around the maritime portion of the rim (particularlyTaiwanandMaritime Southeast Asia).^[11]

Relevant treaties

External link:Trung nga biên giới đàm phán sử

Since 1689, the relevant treaties on the boundary of China are:

contracting country	Gregorian date	Full name of treaty
	7 September 1689	Treaty of Nerchinsk^[c]
	year 1727	Treaty of Kiakhta^[c]
	28 May 1858	Aihui Treaty
	14 November 1860	Beijing Treaty^[c]
	7 October 1864	Record of Sino-Russian Exploration and Demarcations in the Northwest
	1869, 1883	Cobb Convention^[c]
	1870	Uriasutay Convention^[c]
	1870, 1883	Talbahatay Convention^[c]
	1870, 1882	The Ili Boundary Convention^[c]
	year 1882	Northeast Kashgar Boundary Convention^[c]
	year 1883	Arakbek Estuary Boundary Convention^[c]
	year 1884	Northwest Kashgar Boundary Convention^[c]
	1890	Sino-British Treaty of Tibet and India^[c]
	1909	Terms of the Korea-Korea Boundary on the Tumen River^[c]
	20 December 1911	Manzhouli Boundary Convention
	4 September 1958	Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea
	28 January 1960	Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Union of Myanmar on the Boundary Question between the two countries
	14 May 1960	Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Union of Myanmar on the Boundary Question between the two countries
	1 October 1960	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Myanmar
	4 January 1961	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Myanmar
	5 October 1961	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Nepal
	13 October 1961	Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Union of Myanmar concerning the Boundary between the two countries
	12 October 1962	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
	26 December 1962	Sino-Korean Border Agreement,Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of Mongolia
	2 March 1963	China-Pakistan Boundary Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Pakistan Concerning the Boundary Bordering Xinjiang of China and Various Areas under Pakistan's Effective Control for Defense
	25 March 1963	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of Mongolia
	22 November 1963	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Kingdom of Afghanistan, orSino-Afghan boundary treaty
	20 March 1964	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
	20 March 1964	Sino-Korean Border Agreement,Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Concerning the China-Korea Boundary
	10 December 1982	Signing ofUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(including the People's Republic of China)
	19 December 1984	Sino-British Joint Declaration,or Joint Declaration of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the Question of Hong Kong
	13 April 1987	China-Portugal Joint Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Portuguese Republic on the Question of Macao
	16 May 1991	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Eastern Section of the Sino-Soviet Border
	24 October 1991	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Lao People's Democratic Republic
	21 January 1992	Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Lao People's Democratic Republic
	25 February 1992	Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone
	16 March 1992	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Eastern Section of the Sino-Soviet Border
	31 January 1993	Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Concerning the Boundary between the two countries
	3 December 1993	Treaty on the Boundary Regime between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
	27 January 1994	Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Mongolia on Determining the Boundary Points of the Three Countries
	8 April 1994	Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Government of the Union of Myanmar on Determining the Tri-Junction
	11 October 1995	Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Government of the Union of Myanmar on Determining the Tri-Junction
	12 August 1994	Treaty on the Boundary Regime between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
	26 April 1994	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the China-Kazakhstan Boundary
	3 September 1994	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation Concerning the Western Section of the China-Russia Boundary
	16 November 1994	United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(including the People's Republic of China)
	17 October 1995	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation concerning the Western Section of the China-Russia Boundary
	15 May 1996	Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the baselines of the Territorial Sea of the People's Republic of China
	24 June 1996	Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Mongolia Concerning the Description of the Western Boundary Point of the Three Countries
	24 June 1996	Signed the Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Mongolia Concerning the Description of the Eastern Junction of the Tri-Border
	4 July 1996	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Kyrgyz Republic Concerning the Boundary Area between China and the Kyrgyz Republic
	26 August 1997	Protocol supplementing to the Treaty on the Boundary Regime between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
	24 September 1997	Supplementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan on the China-Kazakhstan Boundary
	4 July 1998	Supplementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan Concerning the China-Kazakhstan Boundary Area (1998)
	3 November 1998	Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Demarcation Line of the Waters of the Three Countries along the Tumen River
	29 April 1999	Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on the Approval of the "Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Demarcation Line of the Waters of the Three Countries along the Tumen River"
	5 May 1999	Agreement between the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan Concerning the Determination of the Boundary Points of the Tripartite State Border
	13 August 1999	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Tajikistan Concerning the China-Tajikistan Boundary
	25 August 1999	Agreement between the People's Republic of China, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan Concerning the Boundary Points of the Three Countries
	26 August 1999	Supplementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Kyrgyz Republic Concerning the National Boundary between China and the Kyrgyz Republic
	30 December 1999	Treaty on the Land Boundary Treaty between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
	29 April 2000	Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Ratifying the Treaty on the Land Boundary between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
	5 July 2000	Agreement between the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic Concerning the Tri-Border Points
	25 December 2000	Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the Delimitation of the Territorial Sea, Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf between the two countries in the Beibu Gulf
	17 May 2002	Supplementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Tajikistan concerning the China-Tajikistan Boundary
	20 June 2002	Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Description of the Boundary Points of the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation on the Tumen River
	29 March 2003	Protocol between the Government of the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Government of the Russian Federation Concerning the Description of the Boundary Points of the People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation on the Tumen River
	25 June 2004	Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on ratifying the "Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on the Delimitation of the Territorial Sea, Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf in the Beibu Gulf"
	14 October 2004	Supplementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation concerning the Eastern Section of the National Boundary between China and Russia
	2 June 2005	Supplementary Agreement between the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation concerning the Eastern Section of the National Boundary between China and Russia
	10 October 2006	Treaty of the People's Republic of China, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic on Determining the Boundary Points of the Three Countries
	28 February 2007	Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on ratifying the "Treaty of the People's Republic of China, the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and the Lao People's Democratic Republic on Determining the Boundary Points of the Three Countries", Identifying the Three Countries Decision of the Treaty on Border Crossings
	5 June 2012	The Agreement between the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Determining the Boundary Points of the Three Countries
	10 September 2012	Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China on the baselines of the territorial sea of the Diaoyu Dao and its Affiliated Islands
	14 December 2014	Agreement between the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Determining the Boundary Points of the Three Countries
	July 2016	China Adheres to the Position of Settling Through Negotiation the Relevant Disputes Between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea

Notes

^In three sections, separated by Nepal and Bhutan; depends on the resolution ofSino-Indian border dispute,and disputes between India and Pakistan
^Depends on the resolution of territorial disputes between Bhutan and China
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^lThe legal land boundary of theRepublic of Chinais still based onthese treaties.

References

^"China",The World Factbook,Central Intelligence Agency,retrieved9 June2024
^CIA: The World Factbook, China
^S, Fletcher (2005)."Energy competition seen raising tension in'China Rim'".Oil & Gas Journal(in Korean).103(17): 40.
^Pyatt, T. Roger (June 1995)."Business Networks and Dyad Studies: Theory and Practice in Southeast Asia".Asia Pacific Business Review.1(4): 1–14.doi:10.1080/13602389500000013.ISSN 1360-2381.
^Weirauch, Wendy (1 November 2005)."Producer's viewpoint: petrochemicals outlook in a changing world".Hydrocarbon Processing.84(11): 25–26.
^Lanteigne, Marc (28 June 2019).Chinese Foreign Policy: An Introduction.Routledge.ISBN 978-0-429-79543-5.
^Blanchard, Jean-Marc F.; Shen, Simon (20 February 2015).Conflict and Cooperation in Sino-US Relations: Change and Continuity, Causes and Cures.Routledge.ISBN 978-1-317-66427-7.
^Freeman, Carla (1 January 2021)."12. China's Periphery: A Rift Zone in U.S.-China Relations".Engaging China:335–364.doi:10.7312/thur20128-012.ISBN 978-0-231-55402-2.
^Cumings, Bruce (1999)."The American Century and the Third World".Diplomatic History.23(2): 355–370.doi:10.1111/1467-7709.00169.ISSN 0145-2096.JSTOR 24913744.
^Huck, Arthur (1979)."Review of China and the Major Powers in East Asia.; China and America.; Dragon and Eagle".Pacific Affairs.52(1): 110–113.doi:10.2307/2757771.ISSN 0030-851X.JSTOR 2757771.
^Sutter, Robert (2015)."More American Attention to Taiwan Amid Heightened Competition with China".American Journal of Chinese Studies.22(1): 1–16.ISSN 2166-0042.JSTOR 44289071.

External links

[3] In three sections, separated by Nepal and Bhutan; depends on the resolution ofSino-Indian border dispute,and disputes between India and Pakistan

[4] Depends on the resolution of territorial disputes between Bhutan and China

[ROCclaim-14] ^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^lThe legal land boundary of theRepublic of Chinais still based onthese treaties.

[1] "China",The World Factbook,Central Intelligence Agency,retrieved9 June2024

[2] CIA: The World Factbook, China

[5] S, Fletcher (2005)."Energy competition seen raising tension in'China Rim'".Oil & Gas Journal(in Korean).103(17): 40.

[6] Pyatt, T. Roger (June 1995)."Business Networks and Dyad Studies: Theory and Practice in Southeast Asia".Asia Pacific Business Review.1(4): 1–14.doi:10.1080/13602389500000013.ISSN 1360-2381.

[7] Weirauch, Wendy (1 November 2005)."Producer's viewpoint: petrochemicals outlook in a changing world".Hydrocarbon Processing.84(11): 25–26.

[8] Lanteigne, Marc (28 June 2019).Chinese Foreign Policy: An Introduction.Routledge.ISBN 978-0-429-79543-5.

[9] Blanchard, Jean-Marc F.; Shen, Simon (20 February 2015).Conflict and Cooperation in Sino-US Relations: Change and Continuity, Causes and Cures.Routledge.ISBN 978-1-317-66427-7.

[10] Freeman, Carla (1 January 2021)."12. China's Periphery: A Rift Zone in U.S.-China Relations".Engaging China:335–364.doi:10.7312/thur20128-012.ISBN 978-0-231-55402-2.

[11] Cumings, Bruce (1999)."The American Century and the Third World".Diplomatic History.23(2): 355–370.doi:10.1111/1467-7709.00169.ISSN 0145-2096.JSTOR 24913744.

[12] Huck, Arthur (1979)."Review of China and the Major Powers in East Asia.; China and America.; Dragon and Eagle".Pacific Affairs.52(1): 110–113.doi:10.2307/2757771.ISSN 0030-851X.JSTOR 2757771.

[13] Sutter, Robert (2015)."More American Attention to Taiwan Amid Heightened Competition with China".American Journal of Chinese Studies.22(1): 1–16.ISSN 2166-0042.JSTOR 44289071.

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v t e Borders of China
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