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☆ China wants to prevent Ukraine crisis from getting out of control
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Feb 24 (Reuters) - China wants to prevent the Russia-Ukraine crisis from getting out of control, noting that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable ways to resolve the conflict, a position paper from the Chinese foreign ministry released on Friday said. On the one-year anniversary of Russia invading Ukraine on Feb. 24, China called for a comprehensive ceasefire to the fighting and gradual de-escalation and easing of the situation. In its position, China said unilateral sanctions and maximum pressure cannot solve the issue and that "they only create new problems." "China opposes unilateral sanctions unauthorised by the U.N. Security Council. Relevant countries should stop abusing unilateral sanctions and 'long-arm jurisdiction' against other countries."

☆ Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes Tajikistan, near border with China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, Feb 23 (Reuters) - An earthquake of about 7.2 magnitude occurred in Tajikistan at around 8:37 a.m. (0037 GMT), at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), Chinese state television CCTV reported on Thursday，citing the China Earthquake Networks Center. The epicenter is about 82 km from the nearest border with China and was strongly felt in Kashgar and Artux in the western part of the Xinjiang region, CCTV reported. The average elevation within 5 km of the epicenter is about 4,655 meters (15,300 feet), according to CCTV. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's COVID-19 epidemic has 'basically' ended, but not completely over
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Tingshu WangBEIJING, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Health authorities in China said on Thursday the country's COVID-19 epidemic has "basically" ended, but it is not completely over as it found seven imported cases of the highly-transmissible XBB.1.5 variant since Jan. 8. Officials, speaking at a news event with several departments attending, said China's "major decisive victory" over COVID has set an example for populous nations in prevention and control. Health officials and experts were also monitoring the XBB.1.5 sub-variant of Omicron for months. Officials said on Thursday one local case of the variant was linked with an imported case on Feb. 3. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Writing by Bernard Orr; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Emelia Sithole-MatariseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: China's role as Ukraine peacemaker raises doubt as it 'deepens' Russia ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Martin Quin Pollard | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A year after Russia invaded its southwestern neighbour, its "no limits" partner China is offering to broker peace. It says it will issue a "position paper" on Ukraine and President Xi Jinping is expected to give a "peace speech" this week, Italy's foreign minister said. "At the moment China’s peace effort will stay at the rhetorical level," said Li Mingjiang, associate professor of international relations at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Still, China is unlikely to provide Russia with military aid any time soon, at least not overtly, experts and diplomats said. "China still sees Russia as a central element of its overarching strategy to weaken U.S. power and influence and build a multipolar world," he said.

☆ South Korea to scrap COVID test on arrival rule for travellers from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Feb 22 (Reuters) - South Korea will not require travellers from China to test for COVID-19 upon arrivals from next month although they will still need to take pre-departure tests, a South Korean official said on Wednesday, its latest easing of rules to stop the virus. South Korea imposed several restrictions on passengers from China after it lifted its stringent zero-COVID policy late last year, but it has been easing them, citing an improved COVID situation in its neighbour. Effective March 1, South Korea will also allow flights from China to land in airports other than its main Incheon International Airport, which has been the sole gateway for flights from China since early January. Mandatory PCR tests before departure for passengers from China will remain in place until March 10, Kim said, to monitor and evaluate the impact of the rule relaxation. South Korea earlier resumed issuing short-term visas for travellers from China, followed by Beijing's lifting of similar visa curbs that were imposed in a response for Seoul's border restrictions.

☆ China's Xi calls for technological self-reliance amid tension with U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Feb 22 (Reuters) - China must resolve issues in key technological fields from the bottom up as it deals with a growing number of mainly U.S. export controls on advanced technology, President Xi Jinping has said. Xi told a study session of the 24-person Politburo on Tuesday that China needed to strengthen basic research in the fields of science and technology if it is to achieve self-reliance and become a global tech power, the state news agency Xinhua reported. "To cope with international science and technology competition, achieve a high level of self-reliance and self-improvement ... we urgently need to strengthen basic research and solve key technology problems from the source and the bottom," Xi was quoted as saying. The call comes as China deals with the latest round of technology export controls imposed by the United States, which this month reached an agreement with Japan and the Netherlands to restrict shipments of some advanced chip-making equipment to China. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Tom Hogue, Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi met with Chinese counterpart Qin Gang in Jakarta, ahead of a round of negotiations on the code starting in March. Qin added that China and ASEAN will jointly safeguard peace and stability in the strategic trade corridor, through which about $3.4 trillion of goods pass each year. China would work with ASEAN countries to accelerate consultations on the code, he said. Beijing claims much of the South China Sea and has built islands from which it is capable of deploying advanced weaponry. China and ASEAN countries agreed in 2002 to work towards creating a code of conduct and it was 15 years before moves were underway to create a framework for negotiations.

☆ China's Xi calls for tech self-reliance amid U.S. tension
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Eduardo Baptista | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Feb 22 (Reuters) - President Xi Jinping said China must resolve issues in key technological fields from the bottom up, state media reported, as the country deals with a growing number of mainly U.S. export controls on advanced technology. "To cope with international science and technology competition, achieve a high level of self-reliance and self-improvement ... we urgently need to strengthen basic research and solve key technology problems from the source," Xinhua quoted Xi as saying. The call comes as China faces growing headwind in its years-long effort to close the gap with the United States and its allies in advanced semiconductor technology. In January, Japan and the Netherlands agreed to comply with export restrictions against China's chip sector that the U.S. government had announced in October 2022, media reported. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Robert Birsel and Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China’s property crash is prompting banks to offer mortgages to 70-year-olds
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Some banks in the cities of Nanning, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Beijing have extended the upper age limit on mortgages to between 80 and 95, according to a number of state media reports. China’s property market is in the midst of a historic downturn. The mortgage borrower’s age plus mortgage length should not usually exceed 70 years, according to previous rules published by the banking regulator. Separately, a branch of Citic Bank has extended the upper age limit on its mortgages to 80, the paper said, citing a bank client manager. Other than Beijing, some banks in Nanning, the provincial capital of Guangxi province, have raised the upper age limit on mortgages to 80, according to the city’s official newspaper Nanguo Zaobao.

☆ China declares 'decisive victory' over COVID-19
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Jennifer LorenziniBEIJING, Feb 17 (Reuters) - China's top leaders declared a "decisive victory" over COVID-19, claiming the world's lowest fatality rate, although experts have questioned Beijing's data as the coronovirus tore across the country after largely being kept at bay for three years. China abruptly ended its zero-COVID policy in early December, with 80% of its 1.4 billion population becoming infected, a prominent government scientist said last month. Though there were widespread reports of packed hospital wards and mortuaries, China recorded only about 80,000 COVID deaths in hospitals in the two months after dropping its curbs. "With continuous efforts to optimise COVID-19 prevention and control measures since November 2022, China's COVID-19 response has made a smooth transition in a relatively short time," China's Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) said in a meeting on Thursday. The meeting stressed that China will increase the vaccination rate for the elderly, and strengthen the supply and production of medical goods.

☆ Explainer: What we know about China's medical reform protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Laurie Chen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

WHAT ARE THE MEDICAL INSURANCE REFORMS? Beginning Feb. 1, personal medical insurance benefits for Wuhan retirees were slashed from about 5% of the average basic pension to 2.5%, or 83 yuan ($12) per month, according to the Wuhan Healthcare Security Administration. In an essay published Thursday that did not refer to the protests, Finance Minister Liu Kun vowed to "deepen the reform of medical insurance payment methods". Following initial protests in Wuhan last week, the hashtag "Major adjustment in Wuhan medical reform" was viewed over 100 million times before being blocked. Since January, similar insurance reforms have been rolled out in provinces and regions including Jiangxi, Gansu，Shanxi, Qinghai, Sichuan and Guangxi.

☆ China says will craft policies to help economy, improve child care
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Joe Cash | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Feb 16 (Reuters) - China's state planning body and finance ministry on Thursday said they will craft policies aimed at stimulating spending on housing and unlocking consumer savings that have been built up during the pandemic. The announcements, reported by state media, also included plans to help the elderly, improve child care services and encourage couples to have more children. The National Development and Reform Commission, China's state planner, will also work on plans to boost incomes, improve the spending power of low and middle-income citizens while encouraging spending on housing, new energy vehicles and elderly care services, it said in the ruling Communist Party journal Qiushi. Chinese government officials have consistently spoken of the need to boost domestic demand this year after economic growth in 2022 slumped to one of its weakest levels in nearly half a century. Reporting by Joe Cash, Ethan Wang and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Edwina GibbsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BEIJING, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Hundreds of retirees took to the streets in the Chinese cities of Wuhan and Dalian on Wednesday to protest cuts to medical benefits, according to residents and social media posts, following widespread demonstrations last year over COVID curbs. Reuters could not immediately verify images from Dalian and some others from Wuhan widely shared on social media. The retirees were protesting local reforms including a recent cut to the monthly personal medical benefit allowance for retirees, from 260 yuan ($38) per month to 83 yuan, according to Wuhan residents. In China's health benefit system, some money goes to a personal medical allowance and other funds are pooled. Wednesday's protests in Wuhan and in Dalian in China's northeast attracted a heavy security presence, according to videos and pictures on social media.

☆ China says U.S. balloons flew into its airspace
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Yew Lun Tian | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Feb 14 (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday that more than ten high-altitude balloons released by the United States since May 2022 flew into its airspace and that of other countries. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the high-altitude balloons "flew around the world and illegally entered the airspaces of China and other relevant countries at least ten times". Wang did not provide details on the other countries involved, declined to specify which parts of Chinese airspace the incursions happened or provide photos as evidence. Earlier on Monday, he said the U.S. balloons entered Chinese airspace more than ten times since January 2022. "The United States should conduct a thorough investigation and give China an explanation," Wang said on Tuesday.

The Chinese balloon, which Beijing denies was a spy vessel, spent a week flying over the United States and Canada before President Joe Biden ordered it shot on Feb. 4. China says the balloon shot down on Feb. 4 was a civilian weather-monitoring aircraft. It has accused Washington of sending its own balloons into Chinese airspace, an allegation Beijing reiterated on Tuesday. 'COMMERCIAL OR BENIGN PURPOSE'The U.S. military said on Monday it had recovered critical electronics from the suspected Chinese spy balloon as well as large sections of the vessel itself. But it has not yet recovered debris from the most recent three objects shot down, with tough weather conditions making recovery operations difficult.

☆ Tesla, after recent cuts, raises starting price of Model Y in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Model Y cars are pictured during the opening ceremony of the new Tesla Gigafactory for electric cars in Gruenheide, Germany, March 22, 2022. Patrick Pleul/Pool via REUTERSCompanies Tesla Inc FollowSHANGHAI/BEIJING, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) has increased the starting price of its Model Y crossovers by 0.8% to 261,900 yuan ($38,577.11) in China, after the company's aggressive price cuts at the beginning of the year ignited demand. Tesla raised the price for the rear-wheel drive version of Model Y by 2,000 yuan from 259,900 yuan previously, according to the price information listed on the company's Chinese website on Friday. The U.S. automaker planned to step up output at its Shanghai plant over the next two months to meet demand stoked by aggressive price cuts on its best-selling models, Reuters reported previously. Tesla kept the prices for other versions of Model Y and the Model 3 cars unchanged.

☆ Let's work to keep peace, China tells visiting Taiwan KMT official
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING, Feb 10 (Reuters) - A top Chinese official told a senior Taiwan opposition figure on Friday that both China's Communist Party and Taiwan's Kuomintang (KMT) should oppose Taiwan independence and interference by external forces. Wang Huning, the Communist Party's fourth ranked leader, told Andrew Hsia, Taiwan's opposition KMT's deputy chairman, during a meeting in Beijing that both parties should maintain peace in the Taiwan Strait, Chinese state television reported. China claims democratically ruled Taiwan as its own and has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to get the island to accept Chinese sovereignty. "Senior Chinese Communist Party officials must think about constructive, meaningful and pragmatic ways to handle" relations, it said in a statement. China says Tsai has to accept that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to "one China", which she has refused to do.

☆ China says proposed U.S. ban on Chinese buying U.S. property violates market rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Feb 10 (Reuters) - The United States is violating the principles of market economy and international trade rules in considering a ban on Chinese citizens buying property in the United States, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday. "Generalizing the concept of national security and politicising economic, trade and investment issues violate the rules of market economy and international trade rules," spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing. Mao was responding to a question when asked about Texas and Florida considering a ban on Chinese citizens in the United States from buying property. Over the years, Chinese enterprises have invested in the United States and made important contributions to promoting domestic employment and economic development in the United States," said Mao. The move comes as the United States proposes increased retaliatory measures after a Chinese spy balloon was shot down after entering U.S. airspace.

☆ Chinese earthquake rescue team arrives in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Feb 8 (Reuters) - An earthquake rescue team dispatched by China's government arrived in Turkey's Adana Airport early on Wednesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. The team, comprised of 82 members, brought 20 tonnes of medical and other rescue supplies and equipment, as well as four search-and-rescue dogs, according to CCTV. China has already committed to give a first tranche of 40 million yuan ($5.9 million) in emergency aid to Turkey. The death toll of the devastating earthquake in southern Turkey and Syria jumped to more than 7,800 people on Tuesday. read more($1 = 6.7781 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China car sales plunge 38% in January as subsidies, tax cut end
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SHANGHAI/BEIJING, Feb 8 (Reuters) - China's passenger car sales slumped 38% in January, reversing a 2.4% gain in the previous month, industry data showed on Wednesday, as demand weakened after a tax cut on combustion engine cars and subsidies on electric vehicles (EV) expired. Sales of new energy cars that include pure battery EVs and plug-in hybrids also fell 6.3% in January after a blistering 90% growth in 2022, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said. "New energy car sales in January didn't meet our expectation, with a rare year-on-year decline in a single month sales," said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of CPCA in an online briefing on Wednesday. He said the Lunar New Year and the end of EV subsidies were among the factors leading to the decline. New energy vehicles accounted for a quarter of the total 1.3 million car sales in the month, CPCA data showed, down sharply from 35% in November 2022.

☆ China says it will set up yuan clearing arrangements in Brazil
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Feb 7 (Reuters) - China's central bank has signed a memorandum of understanding on setting up yuan clearing arrangements in Brazil, it said on Tuesday, in a move to help boost the currency's global clout. The establishment of such arrangements for the renminbi (RMB), or the yuan, would be beneficial to cross-border transactions, and further promote bilateral trade and investment facilitation, the People's Bank of China said on Tuesday. China has in recent months signed similar yuan clearing deals with Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Laos. Two-way trade between China and Brazil reached $172 billion in 2022, according to data from Chinese customs. Reporting by Beijing Newsroom, Liangping Gao and Kevin Yao, Editing by Louise Heavens, Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China regrets the airship strays into the U.S. - Foreign Ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 3 (Reuters) - China said on Friday that a balloon that is flying over the United States is for civilian meteorological and other scientific purposes and that it regrets that the airship strayed into U.S. airspace. In a statement late on Friday, China's foreign ministry also said that it will continue to maintain communications with the United States to properly handle the unexpected situation. Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Raissa KasolowskyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China to fully resume travel with Hong Kong, Macau on Feb 6
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, Feb 3 (Reuters) - China said on Friday that cross border travel between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau would fully resume from Feb. 6, dropping existing quotas and scrapping a mandatory COVID-19 test that was required before travelling. Group tours between China and its two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau would resume, while the number of customs checkpoints open will return to pre-pandemic levels, China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said in a statement on its website. Even after China reopened its borders to the world on Jan. 8, a quota system and COVID testing requirement remained for travellers between the mainland and Hong Kong. Hong Kong dropped most of its remaining COVID rules in December, but mask-wearing remains mandatory unless exercising, and students must take daily rapid antigen tests. Reporting by Farah Master and Twinnie Siu in Hong Kong, Liz Lee in Beijing and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's Shenghong Holdings to invest $4.5 bln in energy battery factory, research unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, Jan 31 (Reuters) - China's Shenghong Holdings Group signed a contract on Tuesday to invest 30.6 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) in an energy storage battery gigafactory and a new energy battery research facility in the eastern city of Zhangjiagang. The Suzhou city government announced the pact on its official social media account, adding that the completed project was expected to generate 56 billion yuan in annual revenue. ($1=6.7536 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China domestic tourism picks up over Lunar New Year as COVID curbs end
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A total of 308 million tourism trips within China have been made during the current holiday period, up 23.1% from 2022's Lunar New Year break and marking a recovery to 88.6% of the number in 2019, data from the culture and tourism ministry showed on Friday. Revenue generated from domestic tourism during this year's holiday stands at 375.84 billion yuan ($55.41 billion), or 73.1% of that in 2019, according to the tourism ministry data. Authorities in early January ended a requirement that inbound travellers had to undergo hotel quarantine upon arrival, a policy that had crippled international travel. Despite the jump, international travel over the holiday period has yet to rebound to pre-COVID levels. During the Lunar New Year holiday in 2019, a total of 12.53 million cross-border trips were made, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

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