The Full List of Borders of China

These borders define the extent of China’s territorial land and play a crucial role in its political, economic, and security relations.

China’s borders, which span approximately 22,457 kilometres (13,954 miles), are among the longest and most complex in the world. They cross diverse terrains, including mountains, rivers, plateaus, and deserts.

Read: The Full List of Borders of the UK

The Full List of Borders of China

China shares land borders with 14 countries, making it one of the most international borders in the world.

Historical treaties, diplomatic agreements, and territorial disputes have shaped China’s borders.

Each border region has unique economic, political, and cultural significance, influencing trade, security, and international relations.

Bhutan

• Border Length: ~477 km
• Border Region: Tibet Autonomous Region – Bhutan
  • Chinese Side: Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR)
  • Bhutanese Side: Several western, northern, and eastern districts of Bhutan.
• Key Features:
  • The border is not fully demarcated.
  • There are ongoing border disputes.
  • The area is strategically important.

The China-Bhutan border is an unmarked and disputed boundary stretching through the rugged Himalayas mountains. Major regions include Western Bhutan (near Chumbi Valley, claimed by China) and central/northern Bhutan (including Doklam Plateau). Unlike many international borders, China and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations. Thus, their border remains undefined due to ongoing territorial disputes.

Major Disputed Areas – Doklam Plateau (Western Sector): Doklam is a highly strategic trijunction region near India (Sikkim), China, and Bhutan.

• China: Securing the Doklam area would give China better access to India’s “Chicken’s Neck”, a vulnerable strategic route connecting India’s northeast. Thus, it gains greater access to South Asia and limits India’s strategic advantage.
• Bhutan: Maintaining sovereignty over Doklam is vital for national security and water resources (Amu Chu River).
• India: A Chinese presence near Doklam threatens its military defences in Sikkim and the northeastern states.

The military standoff in 2017 between China and India, following China’s attempts to extend a road into the region, which Bhutan claims, highlighted the potential for border tensions to escalate into broader conflict.

Russia

• Border Length: ~4,209 km
• Border Region:
  • Manzhouli (China) – Zabaikalsk (Russia): Busiest rail & road crossing, crucial for trade.
  • Heihe (China) – Blagoveshchensk (Russia): Major river port connected by the Amur Bridge
  • Suifenhe (China) – Pogranichny (Russia): Important railway and highway for goods transit to Vladivostok
  • Hunchun (China) – Kraskino (Russia): Near North Korea, part of the Tumen River Economic Zone
• Key Features:
  • Western Segment: Between China’s Xinjiang and Russia’s Altai Republic. Ends at the tripoint with Mongolia (Tavan Bogd Uul)
  • Eastern Segment: Runs along the Amur & Ussuri rivers and Lake Khanka. Ends at the Tumen River (near North Korea).

The China-Russia border is one of the longest international borders in the world. It stretches from the tripoint with Mongolia in the west to the Tumen River near North Korea in the east, separating China’s Northeast and Inner Mongolia from Russia’s Far East and Siberia. China-Russia border runs through diverse landscapes, including mountains, rivers, and forests, and is divided into two sections:

• Western Section (from Kazakhstan to Mongolia)
• Eastern Section (from Mongolia to North Korea)

Tajikistan

• Border Length: ~477 km
• Border Region:
  • Kulma Pass: The only official border crossing between China and Tajikistan. Connects Tashkurgan (China) with Murghab (Tajikistan). Tajikistan is part of the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor.
• Key Features:
  • The border primarily follows the Pamirs, including the Sarikol Range, Karakoram Range, and Tian Shan mountains, making it a rugged, high-altitude area.

The China-Tajikistan border separates Tajikistan’s Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region from China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Vietnam

• Border Length: ~1,297 km
• Border Regions:
  • Friendship Pass (Hữu Nghị – Youyi Guan): Historic crossing near Pingxiang (China) and Đồng Đăng (Vietnam). A key route for rail and road trade, part of the Nanning-Hanoi Economic Corridor.
  • Hekou–Lào Cai: Connects Yunnan (China) with northern Vietnam via the Kunming-Hai Phong Railway.
  • Dongxing–Móng Cái: Busiest road border, near the Gulf of Tonkin.
• Key Features:
  • The border stretches from the junction with Laos in the west to the Gulf of Tonkin in the east.
  • South China Sea Disputes: Overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea are a significant source of tension.

The China-Vietnam border stretches from the Gulf of Tonkin in the east to the tripoint with Laos in the west. It separates China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province from Vietnam’s northern provinces, including Lạng Sơn, Quảng Ninh, and Lào Cai.

Kyrgyzstan

• Border Length: ~1,063 km
• Border Regions:
  • Torugart Pass: This pass Connects Kashgar (China) with Naryn (Kyrgyzstan). It is primarily used for freight and requires special permits for travelers.
  • Irkeshtam Pass: Links China’s Kashgar with Kyrgyzstan’s Osh. It is more accessible than Torugart and open to commercial traffic.
• Key Features:
  • The Tian Shan Mountains dominate the border, making it one of the most challenging regions for transportation.

The China-Kyrgyzstan border separates China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from Kyrgyzstan and runs through mountainous and rugged terrain. It runs from the tripoint with Kazakhstan in the north to the tripoint with Tajikistan in the south. The border separates China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from Kyrgyzstan. China and Kyrgyzstan resolved territorial disputes with Kyrgyzstan ceding the Uzengi-Kuush area to China. The border is a crucial part of the China-Central Asia trade network.