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

  • Hong Kong police officer removed from duties after swearing at passer-by
    by Cannix Yau on July 24, 2026

    A Hong Kong police officer has been removed from duties after he repeatedly swore at a passer-by with a loudspeaker in a patrol car, a source has said. According to a video clip circulated on social media on Friday, a police car marked “AM 7155” on its roof arrived at Cho Yiu Chuen housing estate in Lai King with its siren on. Someone inside the vehicle […]

  • Hong Kong exchange’s biggest reform in 8 years opens gates to more IPOs
    by Enoch Yiu on July 24, 2026

    Stock exchange operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) will allow all listing applications to remain confidential and will reduce market-capitalisation requirements for listings by start-ups and international firms immediately, it announced on Friday. Confirming a report by the South China Morning Post, HKEX will proceed with confidential filing as […]

  • Hong Kong insurers ride affluent demand to record sales as longevity and legacy needs grow
    by Enoch Yiu on July 24, 2026

    Life insurance sales in Hong Kong rose 51 per cent in the first quarter to another record high, driven by affluent customers from mainland China and overseas buying policies for wealth transfer, protection and medical needs. The industry wrote HK$141.1 billion (US$18 billion) in new life policies in the first quarter, compared with HK$93.4 billion a year […]

  • China issues orange alert for Typhoon Noul, Level-IV emergency response
    on July 24, 2026

    BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China's national observatory on Friday morning issued an orange alert, the second-highest in its four-tier system, for Typhoon Noul, the 12th typhoon of the year, as it forms and heads toward the coast of southeastern China.At 5 a.m. on Friday, the center of Typhoon Noul was located about 560 km northeast of Manila, the […]

  • Cathay to raise passenger fuel surcharges by up to 41% amid Middle East tensions
    by Elizabeth Cheung on July 24, 2026

    Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways will raise fuel surcharges by up to 41 per cent on most passenger flights from August, citing escalating tensions in the Middle East. The airline said on Friday that the higher passenger and cargo fuel surcharges would take effect on August 1, following a brief period of declines after prices peaked in April. […]

  • Woman arrested over power theft after Hong Kong flat fire kills 5 pets
    by Ambrose Li on July 24, 2026

    A Hong Kong woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing electricity after a fire broke out in her Mong Kok flat, killing three cats and two dogs. Investigators said on Friday that the 56-year-old, surnamed Chan, had left her Tung Choi Street flat at about 6pm the previous day with the air conditioner running. The flat was believed to have caught fire due […]

  • Thousands of fans throng 5-day animation, comics and games fair in Hong Kong
    by Veronica Qi on July 24, 2026

    Thousands of visitors have flocked to an animation, comics and games fair in Hong Kong, drawn to Hello Kitty plush toys, Spider-Man figurines and spinning top contests, among other collectibles and interactive activities. The five-day Ani-Com & Games Hong Kong fair opened on Friday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, with many […]

  • Chinese automakers deepen integration into Spain's auto industry
    on July 24, 2026

    MADRID, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese automaker Geely Auto and U.S. automaker Ford announced a new cooperation agreement in Spain on Thursday, as Chinese automotive companies continue to grow in the country in terms of vehicle sales, local production and mobility technologies.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez attended the event, held at Ford's Almussafes […]

  • Visa and Lianlian Advance Trusted B2B Agentic Commerce Through LoopXPay's First Live B2B Agentic Transaction
    on July 24, 2026

    PRNewswireSingapore, July 24: Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, and Lianlian DigiTech Co., Ltd. ('Lianlian'), an AI-native global financial infrastructure provider, today announced the first live B2B agentic transaction completed using LoopXPay, Lianlian's AI agent. Small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) often lack dedicated procurement […]

  • South China Sea threats escalate as Chinese Coast Guard uses water cannons against Philippine vessels
    on July 24, 2026

    Manila [Philippines], July 24 (ANI): Days after the Quad Foreign Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific during their meeting in Manila, tensions in the South China sea intensified after the Chinese Coast Guard deployed water cannons and undertook dangerous manoeuvres against Philippine vessels near Bajo de […]

  • Fresh US tariffs on 60 economies; first China duo win Fields Medal: SCMP’s 7 highlights
    by SCMP on July 24, 2026

    We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Liberation Day 2.0? US slaps fresh wave of tariffs on China, 50-plus economies The United […]

  • Mating season may be behind monkeying around on Hong Kong MTR tracks: expert
    by Ambrose Li on July 24, 2026

    Hong Kong could see more monkey encounters during the animals’ mating season, an expert has said, after one was spotted on MTR tracks for a second day in a row. The MTR Corporation, the city’s rail operator, said staff found a monkey loitering near Tsuen Wan station at around 9am on Friday and informed police and the Agriculture, Fisheries and […]

  • Hong Kong to issue T1 Friday evening as Typhoon Noul nears
    by Ambrose Li on July 24, 2026

    Typhoon Noul is expected to come closest to Hong Kong between Saturday night and Sunday morning, according to the city’s weather forecaster, which will issue the No 1 warning signal on Friday evening. The Hong Kong Observatory said that signal would be issued at 8.40pm. The tropical storm near the Philippines was officially named Typhoon Noul. The name, […]

  • EconomyInFocus | Visa exemption boosts inbound consumption as Chinese designs become new drivers
    on July 24, 2026

    SHANGHAI, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The foreign visitors entering Shanghai increased 22 percent year on year in the first half of 2026, thanks to the country's expanding visa exemption policies.Chinese designer products have emerged as a new driver of inbound consumption. Rather than buying only traditional Chinese specialties such as tea and silk, overseas […]

  • Why foreigners are drawn to China
    on July 24, 2026

    by Xinhua writers Li Kun and Song RuiTIANJIN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- In the morning, Pakistani Muhammad Salman Nasir drives his China-made electric vehicle to the State Key Laboratory of Engines at Tianjin University in north China's Tianjin Municipality.Nasir, 37, first came to China in 2017 to pursue his studies. Now, he has chosen to build his career and […]

  • Retracing Silk Road, young researchers gather to protect shared heritage
    on July 24, 2026

    LANZHOU, July 24 (Xinhua) -- In a conference room in Dunhuang, a vital ancient Silk Road hub in northwest China's Gansu Province, a lecture explored China's various earthen heritage sites and the scientific study of traditional craftsmanship. As images of these relics popped up on screen, Kyrgyz trainee Emirlan Myrzabekov snapped photos via his phone, while […]

  • Hong Kong must wake up to the cold hard geopolitics of AI
    by Bernard Chan on July 24, 2026

    Officials talking about artificial intelligence (AI) often speak in terms of the next industrial revolution or existential risks. Such rhetoric ultimately does little to capture how AI filters into the ordinary workings of a city like Hong Kong. The geopolitics of AI are no longer abstract. They are beginning to shape who can use which tools – and on what […]

  • ‘Rats everywhere’: numbers caught are up 323%. So why are authorities not worried?
    by Theodora Yu,Ambrose Li on July 24, 2026

    Hong Kong resident Yau Suk-ming was startled in her kitchen when her daughter turned on a countertop blender and a rat leapt out into the open. The rodent scurried away before the 74-year-old retiree could catch it, but she was not surprised as she had earlier noticed rat droppings in her flat on Kowloon City’s Bulkeley Street. “Turns out rats are […]

  • How scholar Ackbar Abbas changed the way people thought about Hong Kong
    by Christopher DeWolf on July 23, 2026

    Ackbar Abbas, a Hong Kong-born scholar whose influence extended beyond academia to shape artists, filmmakers, writers and many others, died on July 13 at the age of 84 after a brief battle with cancer. Over decades of teaching at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the University of California, Irvine (UCI), Abbas did not simply analyse Hong Kong – he […]

  • Hongkongers increase cross-border shopping splurges, spending data shows
    by Daisy Wu on July 23, 2026

    Even as local retail spending remains resilient, Hong Kong consumers are shopping more across the border in mainland China, drawn by lower prices and wider adoption of digital payments, according to data from payment giant UnionPay International. Offline UnionPay card spending in mainland China by Hong Kong residents rose nearly 30 per cent year on year in […]

  • U.S.-PHILADELPHIA-MATHEMATICIANS-FIELDS MEDALS-PRESS CONFERENCE
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- PHILADELPHIA, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu (L) and Wang Hong pose for a group photograph at a press conference after the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, the United States, July 23, 2026. Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu and Wang Hong were awarded the Fields Medals […]

  • KYRGYZSTAN-CHOLPON-ATA-CHINESE FM-UZBEK FM-MEETING
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- CHOLPON-ATA, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov ahead of the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States […]

  • KYRGYZSTAN-CHOLPON-ATA-CHINESE FM-BELARUSIAN FM-MEETING
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- CHOLPON-ATA, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov ahead of the Meeting of the Council of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member […]

  • KENYA-MARSABIT-CHINESE-BUILT WATER PROJECT
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- MARSABIT, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on July 14, 2026 shows water storage tanks at the Marsabit Water Treatment Plant, a modern water supply facility built by Power Construction Corporation of China, in Marsabit, Kenya. TO GO WITH "Feature: Chinese-built water project transforms life in Kenya's arid town" (Xinhua/Liu Qiong)

  • Update: Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu, Wang Hong awarded Fields Medals
    on July 23, 2026

    PHILADELPHIA, United States, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu and Wang Hong were awarded the Fields Medals at the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians opened here on Thursday, marking the first time Chinese mathematicians have won the prestigious honor.At the opening ceremony of the congress, held at the Pennsylvania Convention […]

  • U.S.-PHILADEPHIA-MATHEMATICIANS-FIELDS MEDALS
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- PHILADEPHIA, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mathematician Wang Hong (3rd R) is awarded the Fields Medal at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, the United States, July 23, 2026. Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu and Wang Hong were awarded the Fields Medals at the opening ceremony of the 2026 […]

  • Thai film festival organisers allege Chinese embassy pressure over Taiwan ministry logo
    on July 23, 2026

    Bangkok [Thailand], July 23 (ANI): Organisers of the Taiwan Documentary and Film Festival in Thailand have alleged that the Chinese embassy attempted to pressure them into removing Taiwan's Ministry of Culture logo from the festival's promotional material, according to the Taipei Times.As reported by the Taipei Times, the festival is jointly organised by […]

  • Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says Taiwan saved US semiconductor sector
    on July 23, 2026

    Seoul [South Korea], July 23 (ANI): Nvidia Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jensen Huang stated that Taiwan saved the United States' semiconductor and computing industries rather than undermining them.Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the opening ceremony for Taiwan-based Wistron Corp's first US manufacturing site in Fort Worth, Huang addressed the […]

  • US reaffirms commitment to free, open Indo-Pacific during ASEAN FMs' Meeting
    on July 23, 2026

    New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): The United States on Thursday reiterated its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific as leaders gathered in Manila for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, underscoring Washington's focus on strengthening its partnership with Southeast Asian nations. In a post on X, the US Embassy in India said the United States and the […]

  • The West wants a new order, but has no plan for one
    on July 23, 2026

    As the Montreux Convention comes under pressure and Hormuz grows more unstable, military power alone is proving unable to sustain orderTwo recent developments, one in the Black Sea and the other in the Persian Gulf, illustrate how rapidly the international order is unravelling. They also reveal something else: while Western powers are increasingly willing […]

  • Asian Games 2026: India men's, women's kabaddi teams placed in Group A
    on July 23, 2026

    New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): India's men's and women's kabaddi teams have been placed in Group A for their respective events at the forthcoming Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with the group-stage draws confirmed on Thursday.The Asian Games 2026 are scheduled to take place in Japan's Aichi prefecture from September 19 to October 4, with the […]

  • Attacks on seafarers, civilian shipping or infrastructure cannot be countenanced: EAM Jaishankar
    on July 23, 2026

    Manila [Philippines], July 23 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has firmly stated that targeted violence against seafarers, commercial shipping, or vital infrastructure cannot be tolerated under any circumstances, calling for strict adherence to international maritime safety during the 21st East Asia Summit (EAS) in Manila.Advocating diplomatic […]

  • BELGIUM-BRUGELETTE-PAIRI DAIZA ZOO-BABY CHINESE GOLDEN MONKEYS-100-DAY CELEBRATION
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- BRUGELETTE, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This photo shows Chinese golden snub-nosed monkeys and a baby monkey at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium, on July 23, 2026. The Pairi Daiza zoo on Thursday revealed the names of two baby Chinese golden snub-nosed monkeys born here during a 100-day ceremony held for them. The two baby golden monkeys […]

  • EU squeezes another $1 billion out of Google
    on July 23, 2026

    The European Commission has pocketed more than $6 billion in big tech fines this month aloneEU regulators have fined Google €890 million ($1 billion) for anti-competitive practices, days after the European Commission confirmed that it will use another €4.6 billion fine against the US tech giant to plug its budget deficit.Two fines were handed down on […]

  • Tracking heavy rainfall via hi-tech mobile container
    on July 23, 2026

    WUHAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese meteorologists are leveraging a container-based mobile meteorological observation system to collect higher-resolution data and decode the multi-scale evolution patterns of heavy rainfall, sharpening the precision and timeliness of weather forecasts and disaster response.The newly-installed Mobile Observing System of […]

  • Update: China says deeply concerned over escalation of situation in Middle East, Gulf region
    on July 23, 2026

    BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- China is deeply concerned over the latest round of escalation in the Middle East and Gulf region, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a daily press briefing, urging the parties concerned to remain calm, exercise restraint, stop hostilities, and resume contact and […]

  • (SpotNews) U.S.-PHILADELPHIA-CHINESE MATHEMATICIANS-FIELDS MEDALS
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- PHILADELPHIA, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mathematician Wang Hong is awarded the Fields Medal at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians in Philadelphia, the United States, on July 23, 2026. Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu and Wang Hong were awarded the Fields Medals at the opening ceremony of the 2026 […]

  • CHINA-TIANJIN-FOREIGNERS (CN)
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- TIANJIN, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Christoph Schrempp, general manager of Airbus Tianjin Delivery Center, participates in the 2026 Badminton Tournament held by the Tianjin Chapter of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, in north China's Tianjin Municipality, June 27, 2026. TO GO WITH "China Focus: Why foreigners are drawn to China" […]

  • Poster | Chinese mathematicians awarded Fields Medals for the first time
    on July 23, 2026

    Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu and Wang Hong are awarded the Fields Medals at the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians, marking the first time Chinese mathematicians have won the prestigious honor.Produced by Xinhua Global Service

  • 6Wresearch: India Export Attractiveness Tracker 2026
    on July 23, 2026

    PRNewswireNew Delhi [India], July 23: In 2031, while the United States constitutes 27% (largest) of India's existing export potential, it is Japan (12.32%) and China (11.14%) that emerge as the most promising markets for entirely new product lines--signalling India's untapped export opportunites beyond existing trade portfolio, as highlighted in the

  • (SP)CHINA-MACAO-VOLLEYBALL-VNL 2026 FINALS-CHN VS USA (CN)
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- MACAO, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Gong Xiangyu (C) of China competes during the quarterfinal match between China and the United States at the Women's Volleyball Nations League (VNL) 2026 Finals in Macao, south China, July 23, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

  • RUSSIA-ST. PETERSBURG-TEA ROAD EVENT
    on July 23, 2026

    (260723) -- ST. PETERSBURG, July 23, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Attendants are pictured at a Tea Road cultural event in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 22, 2026. A cultural exchange event featuring China (Hubei)-Russia Tea Road is held in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, attracting more than 100 participants to experience traditional Chinese culture through tea. (Photo […]

  • Rubio says Iran not serious on talks even as tankers divert on threats
    on July 23, 2026

    DUBAI/MANILA: Four more oil tankers changed direction on the Red Sea after Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen warned ships not to use the southern route, even as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Iran is not serious about peace talks.  Pakistan, which has been helping to mediate, criticized the disruption to this second key energy route, where […]

  • OpenAI reveals AI escaped testing to hack rival infrastructure
    on July 23, 2026

    WASHINGTON D.C.: OpenAI said that one of its advanced artificial intelligence systems autonomously hacked into the infrastructure of AI startup Hugging Face during a security evaluation, describing the incident as an "unprecedented cyber incident" that highlights the growing risks posed by increasingly capable AI models. The ChatGPT maker said it was […]

  • Man held as mainland Chinese dental centre in Hong Kong raided amid promotions
    by Elizabeth Cheung,Veronica Qi,Vivian Au on July 23, 2026

    Hong Kong police have arrested a 72-year-old local man for allegedly practising dentistry illegally at a shop used by a mainland Chinese dental clinic to promote its business in the city, following calls from the local industry for tighter regulatory oversight of such activities. The arrest was made during a joint operation conducted by police and the […]

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