Category: BBC

US and Chinese officials will hold a second day of trade talks in Spain on Monday as the deadline for the Chinese owner of TikTok to find a buyer or face a ban in America looms. The negotiations, led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, are the latest attempt to end a trade war between the world’s two biggest economies. Top level trade delegations from Beijing and Washington last met in July, when they struck a deal to extend their tariffs truce by another…

US space agency Nasa has blocked Chinese citizens with valid US visas from its facilities – a move that effectively bars them from working at one of the most respected space research centres. Chinese nationals, who could only work at Nasa as contractors or students contributing to research, found out on 5 September that they had lost all access to Nasa’s systems and facilities, Bloomberg news reported, citing sources. Nasa then confirmed this, saying Chinese nationals would be restricted from using the agency’s “facilities, materials and networks to ensure the…

Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that the warming of relations between China, Russia and their allies poses a challenge to the US on the global stage. The US president told reporters in the Oval Office that he had “a good relationship” with President Xi Jinping and that China “needs us more than we need them”. It comes as Xi prepares to host world leaders at a “Victory Day” parade in Beijing on Wednesday – a showcase of China’s military might. Xi will be joined by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un…

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have kicked off bilateral talks in Beijing, on the eve of a massive military parade in the Chinese capital. Putin hailed relations between both countries saying they were on an “unprecedented level”, adding that their “close communication reflects the strategic nature of Russian-Chinese ties.” “Dear friend, both I and the entire Russian delegation are pleased to meet once again with our Chinese friends and colleagues,” Putin told Xi, according to a video published on the Kremlin’s official Telegram messaging app.…

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing next week alongside Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China has said, in what will be a landmark visit. This is Kim’s first multilateral international meeting, making the event a diplomatic win for China’s Xi Jinping who has been pushing for a new Beijing-led world order. It allows Xi to signal his influence – although limited – on both Putin and Kim at a time when Washington is attempting to make a deal with Moscow to end the war in…

President Xi Jinping urged unity on a surprise visit to Tibet, appearing before 20,000 people to mark 60 years since China created the autonomous region after annexing it. In what is only his second presidential visit to the tightly-controlled region, Xi praised the local government for “engaging in a thorough struggle against separatism” – a reference to decades-old Tibetan resistance to Beijing. The visit to Lhasa, which sits at an altitude that could pose health problems for the 72-year-old, suggests a desire to stamp his authority over the region. His…

India and China should view each other as “partners” rather than “adversaries or threats”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday, as he arrived for a two-day visit to Delhi. Yi met with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar – only the second such meeting between the two sides since 2020 – when deadly clashes in the Galwan valley in Ladakh, a disputed Himalayan border region, led to a complete breakdown of ties between the countries. Relations are now on a “positive trend” towards cooperation, Yi said ahead of a…

Swiss watchmaker Swatch has apologised and pulled an ad featuring a model pulling the corners of his eyes, after the image prompted uproar among Chinese social media users. Critics said the pose resembled the racist “slanted eye” historically used to mock Asians. Calls for a boycott of Swatch products grew on Chinese social media as the ad went viral. Swatch said it had “taken note of the recent concerns regarding the portrayal of a model”. “We sincerely apologize for any distress or misunderstanding this may have caused,” the company said…

The first World Humanoid Robot Games are underway in Beijing, China, with participants from 16 countries including the US, Germany and Japan. Robots athletes will attempt to compete across a range of events including athletics, football, dance and martial arts. Organisers say the purpose of the event is to trial and refine current robotics. They say sports are a way to test a robot’s decision-making, motor skills and controllers that could be later applied in real-life settings like factories and homes. It’s all part of China’s push to become a…

Jailed Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai could die in in prison if found guilty, his son told the BBC. Sebastien Lai was speaking to the BBC’s Danny Vincent ahead of the final stage of his father’s trial for national security offences. The 77-year-old British citizen is accused of colluding with foreign forces, which he denies. He faces life in prison if convicted. He has been in jail since December 2020, serving time for other convictions related to his role in the city’s pro-democracy protests. He was due in court…