Beijing

He wrote opinion articles in Chinese media and liberal academic journals on topics from legal reforms to social issues, and co-edited a book promoting the rule of law in China

Every Wednesday, retiree Zhang Zhili travels an hour by bus to an education center, drawn by the pulsing rhythms of the African drum she plays there in a classroom filled with fellow retirees whose hands move in unison, every beat lifting her spirits. Zhang, 71, has found joy and new friends at the elderly university in Beijing. Besides African drums, the former primary school teacher joins social dance classes, paying about 2,000 yuan (USD 280) for two courses this semester. Seeing herself standing tall in dance class boosts her confidence. After class, she hangs out with her friends. When we get old, what do we need?" she said. To love ourselves. Many older Chinese are looking beyond traditional nursing homes, afraid of abandonment by their families and quality issues. That's driving a boom in universities, home care services, and communities catering to older adults. Though some providers struggle to turn a profit, they persist because they see promise in the growing market. Chi

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is expected to meet with top corporate executives today ahead of the event

Over the years, Beijing's air quality improved significantly, dropping by 42.3 per cent between 2013 and 2021, a reduction attributed to stringent policies and enforcement

This marks the latest chapter in Beijing's long-standing campaign to suppress Tibetan identity

US and Canadian warships sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Sunday, almost a week after China held massive war games around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory. The destroyer USS Higgins and the Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver made a routine transit of the Taiwan Strait meant to uphold the principle of freedom of navigation for all countries, read a statement on Monday by the US Navy's 7th Fleet. The US Navy, occasionally joined by ships from allied countries, regularly transits the sensitive waterway separating China from Taiwan. China condemned the maneuver, saying it undermined peace and stability in the region. The People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theatre Command said it mobilised naval and air forces to monitor the transit of the US and Canadian ships in accordance with the law. The transiting ships navigated through waters where high-seas freedom of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law, read the US Navy 7th Fleet statement. T

"19 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 15 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwest

China's household spending is less than 40 per cent of annual economic output, some 20 percentage points below the global average

China's mega banks have been under growing pressure from regulators to shore up the struggling economy by offering cheaper loans to risky borrowers

Beijing has already taken steps to try to protect farmers, asking traders to limit overseas purchases of corn, barley and sorghum

China's economy softened in August, extending a slowdown in industrial activity and real estate prices as Beijing faces pressure to ramp up spending to stimulate demand. Data published by the National Bureau of Statistics Saturday showed weakening activity across industrial production, retail sales and real estate this month compared to July. We should be aware that the adverse impacts arising from the changes in the external environment are increasing, said Liu Aihua, the bureau's chief economist in a news conference. Liu said that demand remained insufficient at home, and the sustained economic recovery still confronts multiple difficulties and challenges. China has been grappling with a lagging economy post-COVID, with weak consumer demand, persistent deflationary pressures and a contraction in factory activity. Chinese leaders have ramped up investment in manufacturing to rev up an economy that stalled during the pandemic and is still growing slower than hoped. Beijing also h

Pope Francis declared Friday that China was a promise and a hope for the Catholic Church, offering extensive praise for Beijing at the end of a four-nation tour through Asia and again expressed hope to one day visit. Francis' comments, during an in-flight press conference en route home from Singapore, came as the Vatican enters into the final weeks of negotiations to renew a 2018 agreement over the contentious issue of bishop nominations. Francis declared himself happy with the process, saying both sides were engaging in negotiations in a spirit of good will. I'm happy with the dialogue with China, he said. The result is good. China for me is an illusion, in the sense that I want to visit China, he said. A great country. I admire China. I respect China. It's a country with a millennial culture, with a capacity for dialogue and understanding that goes beyond other systems of democracy. The Vatican has been working for years to try to improve relations with China that were officially

China-made EVs exported to Europe rose 38% in 2023 to 656,000 units, including shipments non-EU countries

The instructions come as companies from BYD Co. to Chery Automobile Co. firm up plans to build factories in Spain to Thailand and Hungary as their innovative EVs make inroads in foreign markets

India subsequently tightened its scrutiny of investments from Chinese companies and halted major projects

Outbound shipments from the world's second-largest economy grew 8.7 per cent year-on-year in value last month, customs data showed on Tuesday

In response to Chinese incursions, Taiwan sent aircraft and naval ships and deployed coastal-based missile systems to monitor PLA activity

China's aim with the drills was to practice cutting off communication with the outside world and blockade Taiwan, and boarding foreign cargo ships is an option China could take

A top Chinese military officer, in a rare meeting with a visiting American official, demanded Thursday that the United States stop collusion with Taiwan, the self-governing island that China says must come under its rule. Gen. Zhang Youxia, one of two vice chairs of the Central Military Commission, told White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that promoting what China calls the reunification of Taiwan with the mainland is the mission and responsibility of the military, according to a statement from China's Defence Ministry. Sullivan was wrapping up a three-day trip to China, his first as national security adviser and one aimed at maintaining communication to avoid differences over Taiwan and other issues from spiralling into conflict. Both governments are eager to keep relations on an even keel ahead of a change in the US presidency in January. Your request to meet with me shows the value you attach to military security and the relationship between our militaries, Zhang

China has been striving to present itself as a party that is actively looking for a solution to the conflict, despite skipping a Swiss peace conference in June