Vladimir Putin has said he will discuss Xi Jinping’s 12-point plan to “settle the acute crisis in Ukraine”, during a highly anticipated visit to Moscow by the Chinese president. “We’re always open for a negotiation process,” Mr Putin said, as…
Doctor who exposed China’s cover-up of Sars crisis dies aged 91
A military surgeon who exposed the Chinese government’s cover-up of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) epidemic 20 years ago and lived for years under intermittent house arrest has died in Beijing. He was 91. Dr Jiang Yanyong died of…
China appoints Li Qiang, a trusted ally of Xi Jinping, as premier
China’s rubber-stamp legislature has appointed Li Qiang, a long-time aide of leader Xi Jinping, as premier, the man tasked with reviving the world’s second-largest economy after three years of zero-Covid restrictions. The National People’s Congress endorsed Li in a largely…
CIA Chief: China has doubt on ability to invade Taiwan
U.S. intelligence shows that China’s President Xi Jinping has instructed his country’s military to “be ready by 2027″ to invade Taiwan though he may be currently harboring doubts about his ability to do so given Russia’s experience in its war…
Remote Tajikistan region shaken by magnitude 6.8 earthquake
A series of earthquakes has hit a remote region of Tajikistan bordering China, with the strongest temblor measured at magnitude 6.8, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The quake struck at about 5:37am (00:37 GMT) on Thursday about 65km…
European Commission bans TikTok on staff devices
Staff working at the European Commission have been ordered to remove the TikTok app from their phones and corporate devices. The commission said it was implementing the measure to “protect data and increase cybersecurity”. TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance,…
Photo of Chinese balloon captured by U2 spy plane
The Pentagon has released a photograph of a U2 spy plane soaring over the suspected Chinese surveillance balloon as it transited the mainland United States earlier this month, providing a new glimpse of the information US officials gathered about the…
Elderly in China protest over slashed health benefits
Crowds of retirees in China have again taken to the streets to protest against cuts to their medical benefits. They gathered on Wednesday for a second time in Wuhan, where Covid was first detected, and also in the north-eastern city…
US backs Philippines in South China Sea laser dispute
The United States on Monday said it stood with the Philippines after Manila accused China’s coast guard of using a laser to try to disrupt a resupply mission to troops in the South China Sea. “The United States stands with…
South China Sea: Philippines says China used ‘military-grade’ laser against boat
The Philippines has accused China of shining a “military grade” laser light to scuttle a resupply mission to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The laser glare temporarily blinded the crew of the Filipino coast guard boat, forcing…