Beijing

April 19, 2025 7:54 AM

China pits humanoid robots against humans in half-marathon

Twenty-one humanoid robots joined thousands of runners at the Yizhuang half-marathon in Beijing on Saturday, the first time these machines have raced alongside humans over a 21-km (13-mile) course. The robots from Chinese manufacturers such as DroidVP and Noetix Robotics came in all shapes and sizes, some shorter than 120 cm (3.9 ft), others as tall as 1.8 m (5.9 ft). One company boasted that its robot looked almost human, with feminine features and the ability to wink and smile. Some ...

March 25, 2025 10:45 PM

India and China review situation along LAC, discuss early resumption of Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra

India and China on Tuesday comprehensively reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas and discussed the early resumption of cross-border cooperation, including trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, during the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held in Beijing. The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) at the Ministry of ...

March 6, 2025 11:14 AM

Hong Kong’s top court quashes convictions of pro-democracy Tiananmen group

Hong Kong's top court unanimously overturned on Thursday the convictions of three former members of a pro-democracy group that organised an annual candlelight vigil to mark China's 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, citing a miscarriage of justice. The ruling is a rare victory for Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement in which scores of activists have been jailed or forced into exile, with many liberal and popular civil society groups shuttered. In their judgment, the five judges of the Court of Fi...

December 17, 2024 2:58 PM

NSA Ajit Doval, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi set to meet in Beijing to address boundary issue

In an effort to resolve their boundary dispute, Special Representatives from India and China, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, will meet in Beijing on Wednesday. During the meeting, the two Special Representatives will discuss the management of peace and tranquility in the border areas and explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA...

December 4, 2024 3:22 PM

“Be rational, have self-constraint”: Taiwan tells China to respect diplomatic norms

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly criticized China's interference in international diplomacy, calling Beijing's repeated objections to Taiwan's legitimate interactions with other democratic nations "regrettable" and provocative. The statement comes in the wake of Chinese disapproval of a recent phone call between Taiwan President Lai Ching-te and US Representative Nancy Pelosi, as well as a US decision to sell $387 million worth of arms to Taiwan. In a bold response, Taiwan ur...

September 30, 2024 3:38 PM

Cost-conscious Chinese tourists look to affordable options for Golden Week holiday

Chinese tourists are expected to take longer trips than last year during the Golden Week holiday that kicks off on Tuesday, but that will not necessarily lead to a bump in spending, travel industry experts said. With the economy slowing and consumer confidence hovering just above historic lows, they expect many travellers over the week-long National Day break will opt for cheaper domestic or short-haul overseas destinations and take advantage of a decline in airfares. The holiday period has tr...

September 27, 2024 5:19 PM

Chinese nuclear-powered submarine sank this year, US official says

China's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine sank earlier this year, a senior U.S. defense official said on Thursday, a potential embarrassment for Beijing as it seeks to expand its military capabilities. China already has the largest navy in the world, with over 370 ships, and it has embarked on production of a new generation of nuclear-armed submarines. A senior U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said China's new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank...

September 27, 2024 3:07 PM

China launches late stimulus push to meet 2024 growth target

China's central bank on Friday lowered interest rates and injected liquidity into the banking system as Beijing assembled a last-ditch stimulus assault to pull economic growth back towards this year's roughly 5% target. More fiscal measures are expected to be announced before China's week-long holidays starting on Oct. 1, after a meeting of the Communist Party's top leaders showed an increased sense of urgency about mounting economic headwinds. Reuters reported on Friday, citing sources, that ...

September 20, 2024 2:13 PM

Huawei’s $2,800 phone launch disappoints amid supply concerns

Huawei and Apple's latest smartphones went on sale in China on Friday, with many fans of the Chinese company disappointed that its much-anticipated $2,800 phone - more than twice the price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max - was not available for walk-in customers. At Huawei's flagship shop in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, some who described themselves as Huawei "super fans" were annoyed after being told only those whose pre-orders had been confirmed could buy the new, tri-foldable Mate XT. "I...

September 13, 2024 1:02 PM

China’s top health body urges marriage, childbirth at ‘appropriate ages’

China's National Health Commission will focus more efforts on advocating marriage and childbirth at "appropriate ages", an official said, as authorities struggle to boost a declining birth rate that is shrinking its population. Yu Xuejun, deputy head of the National Health Commission (NHC), said the NHC would also call for shared parenting responsibilities to guide young people towards "positive perspectives on marriage, childbirth and family, state backed Global Times reported on Thursday. Th...