Beijing | DD News

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...

June 19, 2024 8:32 PM

Why has a visit by U.S. lawmakers to India upset China?

A delegation of U.S. lawmakers met the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Wednesday in India's northern town of Dharamsala. The meeting annoyed Beijing, which urged the United States on Tuesday to "fully recognise the anti-China and separatist nature of the Dalai clique" and refrain from "any form of contact with it". WHY IS THE DELEGATION IN INDIA? The bipartisan seven-member group of American lawmakers is visiting India to meet the Nobel peace laureate, the Dalai Lama. The U...

June 19, 2024 2:08 AM

Putin flies into North Korea with promise to back it against the US

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in North Korea on Wednesday for his first visit in 24 years, vowing to deepen trade and security ties with the reclusive nuclear-armed state and to support it against the United States. Russian state media showed Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shaking hands, embracing and talking beside Putin's plane. It touched down in Pyongyang around 2:45 a.m. following a stopover in Russia's far east. The leaders then rode in the same limousine and walked ...

June 18, 2024 6:04 PM

US lawmakers in India to meet Dalai Lama, discuss Tibet-China dispute bill

A group of U.S. lawmakers arrived in India on Tuesday to meet Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, with the head of the delegation saying President Joe Biden would soon sign a bill that aims to press China to resolve the Tibet dispute. The bill seeks to push Beijing to hold talks with Tibetan leaders, stalled since 2010, to secure a negotiated agreement on Tibet and spur China to address Tibetan people's aspirations on their historical, cultural, religious and linguistic identity. The visi...