China

Area Total 9,596,960 sq km
Climate extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north
Natural Resources coal, iron ore, helium, petroleum, natural gas, arsenic, bismuth, cobalt, cadmium, ferrosilicon, gallium, germanium, hafnium, indium, lithium, mercury, tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, antimony, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, selenium, strontium, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum, lead, zinc, rare earth elements, uranium, hydropower potential (world’s largest), arable land
Imports South Korea 9.7%, Japan 9.1%, US 8.5%, Germany 5.3%, Australia 5.1% (2017) – electrical and other machinery, including integrated circuits and other computer components, oil and mineral fuels; optical and medical equipment, metal ores, motor vehicles; soybeans
Government communist party-led state
Capital Beijing
Population 1.4 billion (July 2018 est.)
Ethnicity Han Chinese 91.6%, Zhuang 1.3%, other (includes Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) 7.1% (2010 est.)
Language Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry)
Exports US 19%, Hong Kong 12.4%, Japan 6%, South Korea 4.5% (2017) – Exports – commodities field listing
electrical and other machinery, including computers and telecommunications equipment, apparel, furniture, textiles

News about China

  • AI-driven Hong Kong stock inflows from mainland China slow as investor options multiply
    by Yulu Ao on April 23, 2026

    Mainland Chinese investors have slowed their purchases of Hong Kong-listed shares this year after last year’s record inflows, as more artificial intelligence investment opportunities have emerged in mainland markets, according to BNP Paribas. Southbound inflows via the Stock Connect cross-border system have reached about US$30 billion so far this year, a […]

  • (SP)CHINA-HAINAN-SANYA-ASIAN BEACH GAMES-BEACH VOLLEYBALL-MEN'S PRELIMINARY-POOL A (CN)
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- SANYA, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Tai Kuan Seng (L) of China's Macao competes during the beach volleyball men's preliminary pool A match between Wang Yanwei/Wu Jiaxi of China and Tam Chit Meng/Tai Kuan Seng of China's Macao at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Bingjie)

  • Interview: Bosch chairman calls China key driver of AI-powered manufacturing
    on April 23, 2026

    "The innovation pace in China is extremely strong. In China, AI is already widely applied across production stages, from workflow design to factory management in collaboration with human teams," said Bosch chairman.by Xinhua writer Li HanlinHANNOVER, Germany, April 23 (Xinhua) -- China is becoming a key global driver of AI-powered smart manufacturing, said […]

  • (SP)CHINA-HAINAN-SANYA-ASIAN BEACH GAMES-AQUATHLON-WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL (CN)
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- SANYA, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Gold medalist Lin Xinyu of China pose during during the awarding ceremony of the women's individual of aquathlon event at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

  • Hostile states will make cyberattacks on UK, security chief says
    on April 23, 2026

    LONDON, U.K.: Urging ​tech firms to help build defenses powered by artificial intelligence, the head of the country's cybersecurity agency warned on April 22 that Britain should brace for a rise in cyberattacks linked to hostile states. Richard Horne, head of the National Cyber Security Center, said his team still deals with about four major cyber […]

  • Beijing auto show highlights China’s premium car ambitions rise
    on April 23, 2026

    BEIJING, China: Chinese automakers are stepping up their challenge to global luxury carmakers, unveiling a wave of premium vehicles at the Beijing Auto Show that combine advanced technology with significantly lower price tags than established European rivals. After years of competing on affordability and innovation in electric vehicles, companies such as […]

  • (SP)CHINA-HAINAN-SANYA-ASIAN BEACH GAMES-JIU JITSU-MEN'S 62KG(CN)
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- SANYA, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Lan Youzhe (down) competes during the Jiu Jitsu men's 62kg round of 16 match between Lan Youzhe of China and Mohammed Ajaj of Palestine at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Bei He)

  • (SP)CHINA-HAINAN-SANYA-ASIAN BEACH GAMES-JIU JITSU-WOMEN'S 52KG(CN)
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- SANYA, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Lu Yue (R) greets her coach after the Jiu Jitsu women's 52kg round of 32 match between Lu Yue of China and Tran Thi Thanh Ha of Vietnam at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 23, 2026 (Photo by Ma Zihan/Xinhua)

  • Why no disaster alarm was raised in Tai Po fire, probe hears – as it happened
    by Jess Ma,Brian Wong on April 23, 2026

    This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The role of Hong Kong’s fire service remained under the spotlight on the 18th day of evidential hearings held by an independent committee investigating the catastrophic blaze at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court. Three […]

  • Film on Manila hostage crisis sparks debate over ‘secondary trauma’ in Hong Kong
    by Theodora Yu on April 23, 2026

    A Hong Kong film adapted from the 2010 Manila hostage crisis, which led to the deaths of eight Hongkongers, has stirred online debate, with some questioning whether it could cause “secondary trauma” and others saying it offers lessons from the past. Titled Beyond Hostage Crisis, the film was released in Malaysia in April and is set to open in Hong Kong […]

  • Update: China's defense minister to visit Russia, Kyrgyzstan, attend SCO defense ministers' meeting
    on April 23, 2026

    BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- From April 23 to 28, Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun will visit Russia and Kyrgyzstan and attend a meeting of defense ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, China's defense ministry said on Thursday.During the meeting, Dong will deliver a speech and meet with […]

  • Photo Flash | Remains of 12 Chinese martyrs from Korean War buried in homeland
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- SHENYANG, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A burial ceremony for the remains of 12 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs is held at the CPV martyrs' cemetery in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, April 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

  • TRKIYE-ISTANBUL-CHINA-TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT ORCHESTRA-FLASH MOB PERFORMANCE
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- ISTANBUL, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Nanjing University's traditional instrument orchestra from China and students of Bogazici University play during a flash mob performance of Chinese folk music at Basilica Cistern in Istanbul, Trkiye, April 22, 2026. Nanjing University's traditional instrument orchestra, in collaboration with […]

  • Reading the world and bridging cultures: Xi's story with books
    on April 23, 2026

    BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- "I have many hobbies. I love reading most," Chinese President Xi Jinping once said.For Xi, reading is more than a personal hobby -- it is a way of life.As China's top leader, Xi often draws on books that have long enriched his intellectual world, using them as a diplomatic bridge to connect China with the wider world and […]

  • Bangladesh Awami League's temporary ban not sustainable over longer term: International Crisis Group
    on April 23, 2026

    Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 23 (ANI): The International Crisis Group on Thursday urged the new government of Bangladesh to address the ban on the Awami League.'The BNP government will also have to address the politically sensitive question of the Awami League's future. Given its pivotal role in Bangladesh politics since independence, the party's temporary ban […]

  • 600 families seek second visit as residents return to worst-hit Wang Fuk Court tower
    by Edith Lin,Vivian Au,Kristen Cheung on April 23, 2026

    About 600 families from Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court have requested a second visit to their flats, authorities have said, as residents of the most severely damaged tower return to salvage their belongings. While some survivors on Thursday morning recalled harrowing escapes from the worst-hit block and retrieved large items such as a television […]

  • Foreign investors eye long-term opportunities as China opens wider
    on April 23, 2026

    TIANJIN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- A woman from Mongolia recently finished her first round of chemotherapy at Perennial General Hospital Tianjin, China's first wholly foreign-owned tertiary general hospital. Following the treatment, her tumor marker levels dropped significantly."Booking an appointment was easy. The medical team was professional and attentive, […]

  • Being annoying is not just an annoyance, it’s harassment under tort law
    by Martin W H Wong on April 23, 2026

    The law of tort, from its Latin and Old French origin meaning “wrong”, saw a major development in Hong Kong at the beginning of this year. After years of debate in the lower courts, Hong Kong’s top court has made it clear that, with Sir Elly Kadoorie & Sons Limited v Samantha Jane Bradley [2026] HKCFA 2, harassment is now a recognised tort under […]

  • Hong Kong’s education hub cannot be a one-market wonder
    by Ken Ip on April 23, 2026

    The numbers tell a revealing story. The city’s eight publicly funded universities, once primarily judged by academic output and global rankings, are now generating record income from knowledge transfer. Patents, licensing deals, industry partnerships. These are not side activities. They are becoming core business lines. Universities are no longer just […]

  • 6th Asian Beach Games opens in Sanya
    on April 23, 2026

    SANYA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The 6th Asian Beach Games opened on Wednesday evening in China's tropical resort city of Sanya, with the opening ceremony held at the seaside Yasha Park.Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin declared the Games open after 45 delegations marched in for the continental event, which had originally been scheduled to take place in […]

  • (SP)CHINA-HAINAN-SANYA-ASIAN BEACH GAMES-AQUATHLON-MEN'S INDIVIDUAL (CN)
    on April 23, 2026

    (260423) -- SANYA, April 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Athletes start during the men's individual of aquathlon event at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, April 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Pan Yulong)

  • Travel scheme could allow Hong Kong, Macau yachts to sail to 6 Greater Bay Area ports
    by Lam Ka-sing on April 23, 2026

    A long-awaited cross-border solo travel scheme will allow yachts from Macau and Hong Kong to easily sail to about six designated ports in the western waters off the Greater Bay Area, with the policy to be finalised as early as this summer, the South China Morning Post has learned. A Guangdong provincial government document, seen by the SCMP, also showed […]

  • ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-AFRICA-ENTREPRENEURS SUMMIT-SIDELINES
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- ADDIS ABABA, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Guests attend the sidelines of the inaugural meeting of the China-Africa Entrepreneurs Summit at the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, April 21, 2026. Officials and experts from China and Africa have called for further deepening China-Africa collaboration in infrastructure […]

  • What Hong Kong’s conservative stablecoin licence roll-out reveals
    by Kun Tian on April 22, 2026

    The most revealing fact about Hong Kong’s stablecoin launch is not that licences were issued. It is who got them, and who did not. By handing the first approvals to HSBC and the Standard Chartered-led joint venture Anchorpoint Financial, regulators made clear from the start that digital money in Hong Kong will be bank-led. That choice matters because Hong […]

  • ETHIOPIA-ADDIS ABABA-CHINA-CIIE-HQF-PROMOTION SYMPOSIUM
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- ADDIS ABABA, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Jiang Feng (1st L), head of the Chinese Mission to the African Union (AU), speaks during the high-level promotion symposium on the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the ninth Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF) at the AU headquarters in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, April 21, […]

  • CAMEROON-MBALMAYO-CHINESE MEDICAL TEAM-DONATION
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- MBALMAYO, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on April 22, 2026 shows the handover ceremony of medical supplies to the Mbalmayo District Hospital in Mbalmayo, Cameroon. The 25th batch of the Chinese medical team in Cameroon on Wednesday donated a consignment of medical supplies to the Mbalmayo District Hospital, located about 50 km from the […]

  • Woke in Brussels, pragmatic in Beijing: Spain is making its move in China
    on April 22, 2026

    Four trips, dozens of deals, and one message: Madrid is moving closer to Beijing - on its own terms When Spain's Pedro Sanchez arrived in Beijing in April for his fourth visit in four years, he did so for a tightly choreographed round of high-level meetings with Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials, […]

  • China rebukes Trump over claim of "gift" to Iran on seized ship
    on April 22, 2026

    Beijing [China], April 22 (ANI): China on Wednesday dismissed US President Donald Trump's claim that a vessel intercepted by US forces in the Strait of Hormuz may have been carrying a 'gift from China' to Tehran, reiterating that it has always complied with its international obligations.Responding to a question on Trump's comments during a regular press […]

  • China's shadow over Taiwan: Transparency laws risk weaponisation by China
    on April 22, 2026

    Taipei [Taiwan], April 22 (ANI): In a development that raises fresh concerns about external interference, Control Yuan officials have warned that Taiwan's political transparency framework could be exploited by China to intimidate donors and influence democratic processes, as reported by The Taipei Times.According to The Taipei Times, speaking at a press […]

  • CAMBODIA-PHNOM PENH-CHINA-FOREIGN MINISTERS-DEFENSE MINISTERS-STRATEGIC DIALOGUE-FIRST MEETING
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- PHNOM PENH, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- The first meeting between foreign ministers and defense ministers of China and Cambodia under the "2+2" strategic dialogue mechanism is held in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, April 22, 2026. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun co-chaired the meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime […]

  • CAMBODIA-PHNOM PENH-PM-CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER-DEFENSE MINISTER-MEETING
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- PHNOM PENH, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Defense Minister Dong Jun in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, April 22, 2026. Wang and Dong are in Cambodia for the first meeting between foreign ministers and defense ministers of China and Cambodia under the "2+2" strategic […]

  • Hungary's Szeged welcomes Chinese investment, mayor says
    on April 22, 2026

    Botka said Chinese automotive giant BYD's investment in Szeged has been "the largest industrial investment in the city's history," and that its success is in the interest "not only of Szeged, but of the entire Hungarian economy."SZEGED, Hungary, April 22 (Xinhua) -- The southern Hungarian city of Szeged welcomes Chinese investment and sees broad prospects […]

  • Families seek review of coroner’s findings in Lamma ferry disaster inquest
    by Danny Mok on April 22, 2026

    Families of victims who died in Hong Kong’s Lamma ferry disaster 13 years ago have filed an application for a judicial review against a coroner’s findings in an inquest, saying the conclusions showed irrationality and failed to weigh contradictory evidence. Four individuals lodged the application in the High Court on Wednesday. They acted without […]

  • CHINA-HUBEI-TAIWAN BUSINESSMAN-FARM COMPLEX (CN)
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- WUHAN, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Kuo Yang-fu is pictured in the office in his farming complex in Ezhou, central China's Hubei Province, March 18, 2026. TO GO WITH "Feature: Cross-Strait bridge of love built on 75-year-old Taiwan businessman's farmland" (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun)

  • HUNGARY-SZEGED-MAYOR-INTERVIEW
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- SZEGED, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Szeged Mayor Laszlo Botka receives an interview with Xinhua in Szeged, Hungary, April 21, 2026. TO GO WITH "Interview: Hungary's Szeged welcomes Chinese investment, mayor says" (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

  • PORTUGAL-LISBON-CHINA-MACAO SAR CHIEF EXECUTIVE-VISIT
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- LISBON, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Sam Hou Fai (R) attends a presentation on the achievements of the successful implementation of "one country, two systems" in Macao, in Lisbon, Portugal, April 20, 2026. Speaking at a media briefing at the end of his visit, Sam said the visit had […]

  • Xinhua Headlines: China makes major strides in fight against desertification, shares lessons with world
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- BEIJING, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on June 30, 2025 shows the border area between the Tengger Desert and a sand-controlling project in Zhongwei, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

  • CHINA-BEIJING-HAN ZHENG-GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT-CONFERENCE-FOREIGN ATTENDEES-MEETING (CN)
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- BEIJING, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with foreign attendees of the Third High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development in Beijing, capital of China, April 22, 2026. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

  • EcoChina | Przewalski's horses in NW China's Xinjiang see steady growth in wild population
    on April 22, 2026

    CHANGJI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A total of 30 Przewalski's horses were successfully reintroduced to the Kalamaili Nature Reserve on Wednesday after completing rewilding training.The Przewalski's horse, a globally endangered species under first-class national protection in China, was once extinct in the wild within the country. In 1985, China launched a […]

  • CHINA-TIANJIN-FOREIGN INVESTMENT (CN)
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- TIANJIN, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Staff members work at Airbus' second A320 family final assembly line in Tianjin, north China, Nov. 17, 2025. TO GO WITH "Economic Watch: Foreign investors eye long-term opportunities as China opens wider" (Airbus/Handout via Xinhua)

  • Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva govt moves to block strategic mineral sales, drafts new national policy
    on April 22, 2026

    Sao Paulo [Brazil], April 22 (ANI): In a significant policy shift aimed at safeguarding national interests, the government of Brazil is advancing plans to strengthen state oversight of its strategic mineral resources. The move follows controversy surrounding the sale of the Serra Verde mining company to a United States-based firm, raising concerns about […]

  • "Skies are connected once again": Air China restores Beijing-Delhi aerial link
    on April 22, 2026

    Beijing [China], April 22 (ANI): In a significant move for regional connectivity, Air China has officially resumed its direct flight operations between Beijing and Delhi as of April 21. The restoration of this key aerial link marks a milestone in easing travel and strengthening people-to-people ties between the two neighbouring nations.The announcement was […]

  • China accused of letting Tibetan prisoners' health collapse amid medical neglect
    on April 22, 2026

    Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 22 (ANI): The health of two imprisoned Tibetan writers has sharply worsened due to what sources describe as systematic denial of medical care by Chinese authorities, as reported by Tibet Times.According to Tibet Times, writer-activists Gangkye Drubpa Kyab and Tsering Dolma are facing severe medical crises after […]

  • China scales up offshore wind capacity to accelerate low-carbon transition
    on April 22, 2026

    BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China is ramping up its offshore wind capacity by developing a number of advanced offshore wind projects, accelerating its energy transition, and solidifying its leading edge in the global wind power sector.Several major offshore wind projects have come online or broken ground across the country's coastal regions this year, […]

  • ChineseToday | Volunteers build green future on sandy land in NW China
    on April 22, 2026

    (260422) -- MINQIN, April 22, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Volunteers water tree seedlings at the Zhonglin ecological public welfare forest base of Minqin County, northwest China's Gansu Province, April 20, 2026. Minqin, sandwiched between China's third- and fourth-largest deserts -- the Badain Jaran and the Tengger, has 94 percent of its land area covered by desert […]

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