BEIJING - Amid the further containment of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), China is powering ahead in returning to work and resuming business and production. The following are the latest facts and figures: - China is set to orderly open up public places and entertainment venues, according to a guideline issued by the State Council on May 8. Shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and...

BEIJING - Chinese authorities released a guideline to promote digital technologies in rural areas as part of their efforts to advance agricultural and rural modernization. The guideline, jointly issued by four government departments including the...

As the globe contends with the coronavirus pandemic, still looming large now more than ever is the threat posed by Communist China, which is something Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) warns should not be taken lightly. ......

Celia Hatton, BBC Asia Pacific Regional Editor It's rare for Chinese leaders to admit wrongdoing. Li Bin said the commission would fix the problems by centralising its...

David Lewis is professor of social policy and development at the Department of Social Policy, LSE.

The post On Watching Contagion: What Do We Learn? appeared first on Inter Press Service.

In recent years there has been a marked change in attitude towards foreign investment screening. A range of jurisdictions globally have taken steps to strengthen their ability to review and actively intervene in transactions. Most recently, the EU p...

Shattered ceasefires, a $6.7-billion price tag, and Italy’s migrant amnesty: updates on how COVID-19 is disrupting humanitarian efforts around the globe.

The 234 passengers are expected to undergo quarantine for 14 mandatory days.

The pandemic has ratcheted Sino-American tensions up to 11.

As the pro-democracy movement has roiled Hong Kong and people worldwide lament China’s lack of transparency surrounding the coronavirus outbreak, it seems like auspicious timing ...

Doug Strable, a freelance learning and development designer based in Tokyo, lays out some ideas, advice and warnings surrounding the new type of classroom that ...

The 61-year-old, who led NPB in home runs in 1988, is enjoying his new role in charge of the Wei Chuan Dragons, who will join ...

A long-term struggle between the Beijing and Washington is at a turning point, with the United States rolling out new weapons and strategy in a ...

While it is unclear what kind of chase it was, the Japan Coast Guard ordered the vessels to leave and deployed a ship to guard ...

Kitchen Talks is a social project that aims to connect different groups in Israeli society.

Don’t let Beijing exploit the coronavirus chaos to position itself at the center of a new global order.

One of the most hopeless aspects of unrepentant sinners’ lives is that they have no answer for anxiety. They’re forced to put their hopes in flimsy, fallible plans and institutions. They aren’t able to rest firmly in the unchanging promises of God—they have to ride out every wave of calamity, every unexpected disaster.

China’s exports returned to growth in April, beating forecasts and suggesting that an expected demand shock from coronavirus containment efforts around the world will come further down the line.April exports rose by 3.5 per cent from a year earlier, reversing the 6.6 per cent fall in March and much better than the combined minus 17.2 per cent collapse in January and February. April’s return was much better than the expectations of a Bloomberg poll of analysts, which had predicted an 11 per cent…

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing’s core business has been profitable, president Jean Liu Qing said for the first time, as ride orders in its domestic market recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.In a rare interview, Liu told the CNBC that Didi’s core business has been profitable, without providing specific figures or explaining how or when the company had measured its profitability. The company has no plans for job cuts or raising capital, Liu said in the interview that…

Car sales in China likely rose in April from a year earlier, its top industry body said on Thursday, ending almost two years of declines and signalling that the world’s biggest market is recovering from the coronavirus shock.April’s sales of 2 million units likely pushed sales up 0.9 per cent from a year earlier, and 39.8 per cent from March, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said in a post on its official WeChat account.It added its forecast was based on sales data it…

Negotiations between China and its Southeast Asian neighbours for a South China Sea code of conduct have been postponed as the nations involved put their efforts into containing the Covid-19 pandemic, creating uncertainty about whether the two sides can work together amid rising tensions in the contested territory.Southeast Asian nations are increasingly caught in a dilemma whether to maintain relations with Beijing during the pandemic while also fearing that tensions over the disputed waters…

China’s officials must stay “sober-minded” to handle the variety of coronavirus-related challenges that lie ahead, as mistakes could undermine relations with major developed nations and harm the country’s economic outlook, according to outspoken former Chongqing mayor Huang Qifan.Issues over the origin of the virus, compensation claims by the United States and decoupling worries have all appeared in the wake of the outbreak, but for Huang, the government should focus on domestic recovery after…

China says it supports World Health Organisation efforts to investigate the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, but rejects any “presumption of guilt”, after the global body said it was talking to Beijing about sending another delegation to the country.The remarks came as Beijing is under mounting international pressure – particularly from the United States – to allow an inquiry into how the pandemic started, and if it was linked to a laboratory in Wuhan, the city where the new virus strain was…

A surprise jump in Chinese exports in April will be short-lived, analysts said, with the world’s second largest economy unable to stay sheltered from the demand shock to come from the global economic downturn.A 3.5 per cent rise in shipments last month caught economists by surprise and left them scrambling for explanations as the consensus forecast was for an 11 per cent contraction.The rise was, in part, due to factories coming back online in China in March and April to fulfil orders that had…

The European Union remains central to the global fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, but the rivalry between China and the United States is doing little to help, the EU’s envoy to China said on Thursday.“We are seeing high levels of tensions – strategic, economic, political – growing day after day. It is our opinion that these tensions are not conducive to the cooperative spirit we need today,” ambassador Nicolas Chapuis told an online press briefing.“I am convinced that the EU voice is today…

Chinese researchers have found Covid-19 in the sperm of a small number of men, raising the possibility that the virus could be spread via sex.The study by physicians at China’s Shangqiu Municipal Hospital looked at only 38 men at the hospital who had tested positive with disease, and of that already small group found that a minority – only six – were found to have SARS-CoV-2 in their semen.Eyes are ‘important route’ for coronavirus into body, Hong Kong experts find“The virus responsible for…

The idea of aircraft being powered by plasma drives might sound like something from a science fiction film, but a group of Chinese scientists has developed a prototype that might one day make it a reality.The team, from the Institute of Technological Sciences at Wuhan University, said in a paper published on Tuesday that they had developed a prototype of a plasma jet device capable of lifting a 1kg (2.2lb) steel ball over a 24mm (one inch) diameter quartz tube.While that might not sound like…

Beijing has kicked off a campaign to help graduates entering the labour market as the country faces growing pressure to reboot the sagging economy and tackle unemployment.Ten initiatives were announced to find jobs for this year’s 8.74 million new graduates in an online launch on Wednesday by officials from the labour, education, human resources, and industry and information technology ministries.The “100-day” campaign – highlighting the urgency for young people to find work – includes more…

In response to the global financial crisis in 2008, China rolled out a massive 4 trillion yuan (US$564 billion) stimulus package.With the coronavirus posing an even greater threat to the economy, the outbreak left the top leadership with a decision to make, as the efforts in 2008 also left the nation with a mountain of debt.Before the outbreak, China had already cut the top tier of the value-added tax (VAT) rate to 13 per cent from 16 per cent in April 2019, after a one percentage point cut in…

Tensions are expected to rise in the South China Sea after Beijing’s annual summer ban on fishing in the disputed waters drew protests from rival claimants.China said it would prohibit fishing activities in the waters Beijing has claimed above the 12th parallel – including areas near the Scarborough Shoal, the Paracel Islands, and the Gulf of Tonkin – to conserve stocks.The ban, which came into effect from noon on May 1 runs until August 16 and China’s coastguard has promised to take the …

China’s will face an increasingly hostile world over the next five years, meaning its policy plan should be focused on its vast domestic market, home-grown technological innovation and improving its citizens’ welfare, according to recommendations in a new paper.The report by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), a think tank affiliated with the State Council, foresees the next five years presenting “major changes unseen in a century” for China, as “the strategic game between…

Chinese scientists say they have identified two antibodies that could be candidates for a cocktail treatment for patients with different strains of the coronavirus.The antibodies were found to work together as a team to prevent the virus from latching onto a host cell, in a study led by Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention director George Fu Gao with collaborators from across the country.They said that even a mutant strain was likely to be neutralised because the antibodies…

For years, Western companies have struggled to profit from a Chinese consumer market that thrives on cheap knock-offs of iconic brands. But that frustration is now turning into optimism, as local courts begin to stamp out thieves and cheats, lawyers say.More companies are filing intellectual property (IP) lawsuits amid a shift in attitude towards protecting original ideas, trademarks and patents, according to official data. The rush has accelerated after the phase-one trade deal in the US-China…

Good morning, this is Melissa Zhu from the SCMP tech desk in Hong Kong with a wrap of some of our best stories from this week.First, the bad news. After Wuhan lifted its lockdown in early April and Beijing downgraded its emergency response level last month, satellite images and air quality index (AQI) data are showing a return of air pollution to parts of China, as Coco Feng reports.China's air quality had improved in recent months as result of recent lockdowns and industrial stoppages related…

China’s military may have been spared any coronavirus infections, but the global health crisis has slowed the progress of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plan to transform the People’s Liberation Army into a modern fighting force capable of long-range power-projecting operations, experts say.According to China’s defence ministry, the world’s largest armed force – with about 2.3 million personnel – has had zero confirmed cases of Covid-19. In contrast, the US and Russian militaries, ranked second…

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the importance of implementing China’s agreement to buy US$200 billion of US goods – a key aspect of the interim trade deal between the two sides, sources familiar with the talks have said.US President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from the agreement if China fails to live up to its commitment over the next two years.In a phone conversation between the lead negotiators on Friday, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He and US Trade Representative Robert…

A city in China’s northeastern province of Jilin has upgraded its Covid-19 risk level from low to medium following a new case of the disease, the provincial authorities announced on Saturday morning.It came just two days after China’s government declared the whole country was low-risk after the number of new cases dropped to almost zero and no deaths were recorded for more than three weeks.On Friday the State Council issued a notice allowing shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels and restaurants…

China and Russia must fulfil their duties as recognised world leaders and work together to defeat Covid-19, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Friday, in the latest show of solidarity between the long-term allies.Likening the global health crisis to the second world war, which in China is often referred to as a war against fascism, Xi said that Beijing would continue to provide support to Moscow as it battled the deadly disease.“Being among the main victor powers…

Japan said it deployed patrols and issued warnings to a group of Chinese coastguard vessels spotted pursuing a Japanese fishing boat in the hotly contested waters of the East China Sea on Friday.The Japan Coast Guard said on Saturday that four Chinese coastguard vessels entered waters close to the Diaoyu Islands – a group of uninhabited islands controlled by Tokyo and known locally as known as Senkaku – at about 4pm.The face-off took place about 50 minutes later, when two of the Chinese vessels…

The United States has tightened visa rules for Chinese journalists as the tit-for-tat war on the media between the two sides escalated.The rules, which will take effect on Monday, limit visas for Chinese passport holders to 90 days with the option for an extension, the US Department for Homeland Security said on Friday.Journalists with passports from Hong Kong or Macau will not be affected.“The department is issuing this rule to address the actions of the PRC [People’s Republic of China]…

China has told North Korea it is willing to help contain the spread of Covid-19 in a note from President Xi Jinping to his counterpart Kim Jong-un.Xi’s message follows recent rumours about Kim’s health after he failed to appear at a major political event and speculation about the possible spread of the disease in the North, even though it has not reported any cases.Xi said he was very concerned about the situation in North Korea and the health of its people, and said he was pleased that its…

Top Chinese and US trade negotiators will speak as soon as next week on progress in implementing a phase one deal after US President Donald Trump threatened to “terminate” the agreement if Beijing was not adhering to the terms.Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He will be on the call, according to people familiar with the matter. The US will be represented by US Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer, one of the people said.The planned phone call will be the first time Liu and Lighthizer speak…

WeChat, the Chinese messaging app, is systematically monitoring the content sent by international users to build up its censorship algorithms applied against accounts registered in China, a new study has found.Researchers at Citizen Lab, an academic research lab at the University of Toronto, determined that WeChat screens images and documents shared by accounts registered outside China after they are sent, then adds the digital signature – or “hash” – of any files deemed sensitive to a…

US President Donald Trump called on Thursday for involving China in new arms control talks with Russia, telling Russian leader Vladimir Putin that they need to avoid a “costly arms race,” the White House said.“President Trump reaffirmed that the United States is committed to effective arms control that includes not only Russia, but also China, and looks forward to future discussions to avoid a costly arms race,” a statement said.Trump and Putin spoke by phone, also discussing the coronavirus…

After the National People’s Congress removed presidential term limits in 2018, there was much speculation that Xi Jinping would remain in power past the end of his second term in 2023.Then 2019 happened. China’s trade war with the United States dragged on, with no end in sight. Hongkongers took to the streets to protest against Beijing’s backtracking on Hong Kong’s “one country, two systems” form of governance. Relations with Taipei worsened. And finally, Covid-19, a disease outbreak that began…

Congressional Republicans continued their assault on Beijing on Thursday, launching a campaign to change the address of its embassy in Washington in honour of the late coronavirus whistle-blower doctor Li Wenliang, and announcing the establishment of a party-led “China task force” in the House of Representatives.Under new bills introduced in both the Senate and House, the official address of the Chinese embassy in Washington’s leafy northwest would be changed from 3505 International Place to 1…

A US regulator on Thursday pulled approval for dozens of companies making industry-standard masks in China, citing substandard performance, and warned health care providers to reconsider using any of the now-blacklisted products.After the US Food and Drug Administration’s determination that many of the made-in-China N95-style masks filter out less than 95 per cent of particulate matter – the filtration level that gives the N95 mask its name – the approved number of manufacturers dropped to 14…

The Covid-19 crisis has exposed weaknesses in Chinese health care system despite some impressive reforms over the past two decades, witnesses told an advisory arm of the US Congress on Thursday.China has strengthened its Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve the monitoring of outbreaks and better coordinate local public health authorities, US experts on international health care told the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission.This happened after the…

Top trade negotiators from the United States and China spoke by phone on Friday and vowed to continue to support the phase one trade deal, Chinese state media reported, in their first contact since the agreement was signed in January.On the call, China’s Vice-Premier Liu He, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer “vowed to implement their trade deal and boost cooperation on public health”, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.The officials said…

In a series of in-depth articles we look at the global backlash China may face as a result of its response to the pandemic. 1. Who is winning the China-US race to run the world amid the pandemic? Coronavirus crisis has brought potential to redraw the map of global power and influence, but there is ‘deep-seated mistrust’ of Beijing. 2. Has pandemic shifted balance of military force in the Indo-Pacific? Taiwan Strait and South China Sea are settings for China and the US to assert influence…