Beijing

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...

September 16, 2024 3:24 PM

Jaishankar says 75 percent of disengagement problems sorted out with China

Highlighting the progress on border talks with China, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that 75 percent of disengagement problems with Beijing are sorted out, however, the two nations still have some things to do. Jaishankar also underlined how India and China never had an easy relationship in the past. "We did not have an easy relationship in the past. What happened in 2020 was in violation of multiple agreements, the Chinese moved a large number of troops to the Line of Actual Contr...

September 11, 2024 12:19 PM

Lawmakers review plan to raise retirement age in fast-greying China

China's top legislative body this week assessed an official plan to delay the country's retirement age, among the world's lowest, taking a key step towards changing decades-old labour laws and easing economic pressures stemming from a shrinking workforce. The ruling Communist Party said in July that China would gradually raise the country's retirement age. The retirement age is now 60 for men, about six years below that in most developed economies, while for women in white-collar work it is 55,...

July 19, 2024 3:57 PM

China reaffirms lofty policy goals, offers no implementation details

Chinese leaders reiterated their wide-ranging economic policy goals on Thursday, from modernizing industry to expanding domestic demand and curbing debt and property sector risks, without detailing implementation steps. The pledges were published in the official news agency Xinhua's account of a key meeting of the Communist Party's Central Committee led by President Xi Jinping, known as a plenum, which takes place roughly every five years. The report said Beijing wanted to improve social secur...

July 11, 2024 6:03 PM

Torrential rain in China’s megacity Chongqing kills six

Torrential rain in the megacity of Chongqing in southwestern China triggered mudslides and flooding that killed at least six people and caused widespread disruption, Chinese state media reported. Extreme rainfall has hit southern, central and eastern parts of China in a flood season that started earlier than usual this year. Torrential rain since Wednesday has pelted Chongqing, which has a population of over 32 million, more than the capital Beijing, making it one of China's most densely-popul...

June 21, 2024 3:03 PM

China threatens death penalty for ‘diehard’ Taiwan separatists

China on Friday threatened to impose the death penalty in extreme cases for "diehard" Taiwan independence separatists, a ratcheting up of pressure even though Chinese courts have no jurisdiction on the democratically governed island. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has made no secret of its dislike of President Lai Ching-te who took office last month, saying he is a "separatist", and staged war games shortly after his inauguration. Taiwan has complained of a pattern of ramped u...