Countries Bordering China: The 14 Neighbors of the Middle Kingdom

China shares land borders with 14 sovereign states—more than any country except Russia (also 14). Total land boundary: ~22,000 km. Here they are, grouped by region:

Central and North Asia

• Mongolia – 4,630 km (longest border)
• Russia – 4,133 km (two sections: northeast and northwest)
• Kazakhstan – 1,765 km
• Kyrgyzstan – 1,063 km
• Tajikistan – 477 km

South Asia

• India – 3,488 km (disputed: Aksai Chin, Arunachal Pradesh)
• Pakistan – 592 km (disputed: Kashmir)
• Nepal – 1,389 km
• Bhutan – 477 km

Southeast Asia

• Myanmar (Burma) – 2,129 km
• Laos – 423 km
• Vietnam – 1,297 km

Northeast Asia

• North Korea – 1,352 km (Yalu and Tumen Rivers)
• Afghanistan – 92 km (Wakhan Corridor only)

Maritime Neighbors (Disputed/Proximate)

Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia—separated by seas with overlapping claims (South China Sea, East China Sea).

Geopolitical Significance

• Borders span 5 time zones (China uses single Beijing Time)
• Strategic corridors: Wakhan (Afghanistan), Tumen River (Russia/NK), Karakoram (Pakistan/India)
• Border infrastructure: highways, railways, pipelines, fencing (selective)
• Historical tributary relationships with most neighbors

China's 14 land borders reflect its central Eurasian position and historical expansion—each relationship carrying distinct strategic, economic, and cultural weight.