Month: April 2026

China has demanded that the European Union remove Chinese businesses and individuals from its latest sanctions list related to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Ministry of Commerce in Beijing also warned the bloc that it would take whatever measures were necessary to protect the rights and interests of its citizens and companies. “[We should] find a way to resolve our respective concerns through dialogue and consultation,” the ministry said, adding that the consequences of not lifting the sanctions would be “borne by the EU”. Advertisement On Thursday, the EU announced…

China has pledged to help Myanmar’s new government to engage more with multilateral platforms and eradicate telecoms scam operations. Capping a five-day trip to Southeast Asia on the weekend, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta leader-turned-president, on Saturday that China “firmly supports Myanmar in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”. “This year marks the first year of Myanmar’s new government. Both sides should seize this opportunity to carry forward their traditional friendship and open up new prospects for bilateral relations,” Wang said in…

Chinese scientists have developed a method to generate electricity and achieve higher energy efficiency than conventional burning, while producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, by placing coal inside a “battery”. “Coal-fired power” conjures images of heavy pollution, steep carbon footprints and modest efficiency. But a novel, direct coal power technology challenges that stereotype by eliminating combustion entirely and sidestepping the CO₂ emissions that have long defined coal use. A team led by Xie Heping, a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences with Shenzhen University, has for the first time built…

In the span of a few days earlier this month, developments that usually sit in separate policy compartments began to converge. Abu Dhabi’s crown prince arrived in Beijing as President Xi Jinping used the visit to set out China’s four-point position on the Iran war. Pakistan, now central to keeping US-Iran diplomacy alive, said no date was fixed for the next round of talks. Washington escalated pressure on buyers of Iranian oil and the banks handling related funds. Reports circulated of yuan use in connection with payments tied to passage…

Southwestern China’s busiest airport was mopping up and struggling to resume operations on Sunday after a massive hailstorm grounded flights, damaged aircraft and stranded passengers. Hailstones, some as big as fists, battered Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, Yunnan province, when the storm struck early on Saturday. The storm lashed runways, terminal roofs and some of the more than 110 aircraft at the facility on Saturday morning, with water seen seeping down into terminal concourses and air bridges. Advertisement “The airport was hit by unusually severe convective weather with intensive…

Once a niche destination, Central Asia is quickly emerging as a key market for Chinese travellers, supported by robust traffic growth, expanding air links and deeper economic ties under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, according to analysts. Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China showed that passenger traffic to Central Asia grew 59.3 per cent in 2025 from a year earlier, marking one of the fastest growth rates among all regions tracked, said Mayur Patel, commercial and industry affairs leader for Asia-Pacific at OAG Aviation. Advertisement He added that…

India has reportedly signed a deal to buy Russian missiles that target support aircraft as its arch-rival Pakistan and China continue to integrate their aerial weapons profiles. Russia has cleared the export of around 300 R-37M ultra-long-range air-to-air missiles in a US$1.2 billion deal, according to media reports. Malaysia-based news platform Defence Security Asia said deliveries of the missiles could begin within 12 to 18 months. India is also developing its own Astra Mk 2 and Mk 3 missiles, which are expected to be ready to use around the same…

A new wave of South Korean content creators is descending on Chinese cities, cameras in hand, transforming the streets of Shanghai, Shenzhen and beyond into lively backdrops for travel vlogs and lifestyle videos. Dubbed the “Korean v-blogger influx” by some online users, their ranks have swelled since China extended its unilateral visa-free policy for South Korean passport holders for another year, allowing stays of up to 30 days for tourism, business and family visits. Introduced in 2024 and extended in November last year, the measure has lowered a major barrier…