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 home market maintains upwards momentum as eager buyers snap up new flats
    by Daniel Ren,Cheryl Arcibal on May 9, 2026

    Hong Kong homebuyers snapped up new flats on offer on Saturday, fuelling optimism that the bull run in the city’s property market will continue. All 154 units at Sun Hung Kai Properties’ Lime Spark project sold out as of 4.30pm, while 147 homes, or 93 per cent of the 158 flats available at Henderson Land’s Highwood Phase 2 project, found buyers, […]

  • Heroism and grief: 6 residents’ stories from Wang Fuk Court fire hearings
    by Leopold Chen on May 9, 2026

    Stories filled with tragic bravery, outrage at heedless officials and horror as loved ones perished were among those shared by 24 residents of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court estate, as they testified at a public hearing investigating Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades. Over multiple sessions that began on March 19, some told the presiding committee […]

  • Update: China's foreign trade maintains solid growth as resilience holds
    on May 9, 2026

    BEIJING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade maintained solid growth as coordinated policy efforts across regions and departments boosted momentum, highlighting the resilience and vitality of imports and exports, official data showed Saturday.China's foreign trade in yuan-denominated terms grew 14.2 percent year on year to reach 4.38 trillion yuan […]

  • Wanted ‘Hong Kong Parliament’ member could be deported from Thailand
    by Matthew Cheng on May 9, 2026

    A wanted member of the overseas opposition group “Hong Kong Parliament” has been arrested in Thailand for overstaying her visa, and is reportedly set to be deported to mainland China. The opposition group said on Friday that Zhang Xinyan, who took part in what it called a parliamentary election and was sworn in as a member last year, was recently […]

  • Global gold ETF demand rebounds USD 6.6 billion in April; India extends inflow streak to 11 months: World Gold Council
    on May 9, 2026

    New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): Global investors began rotating back into gold ETFs in April as India recorded positive flows of USD 297 million, marking its 11th consecutive month of inflows, according to a report by the World Gold Council (WGC).Following notable outflows in March, global physically backed gold ETFs recorded inflows of USD 6.6 billion […]

  • TSMC, Sony Semiconductor Solutions to establish image sensor joint venture in Kumamoto
    on May 9, 2026

    Taipei [Taiwan], May 9 (ANI): Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corp., on Friday, announced plans to establish a joint venture in Kumamoto, Japan, to develop and produce next-generation image sensors. According to a report by Focus Taiwan, the two companies signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) […]

  • Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy members reject Central service takeover by Carlyle & Co
    by Denise Tsang,Lam Ka-sing on May 9, 2026

    An exclusive Hong Kong sports club will press ahead with an imminent change of operator for its Central clubhouse despite objections by some of its members about unfair access and incompatibility of their client profiles, the South China Morning Post has learned. The controversy began about a fortnight ago after private members’ club Carlyle & Co […]

  • Hongkongers pack major supermarkets amid ‘price war’ on eve of Mother’s Day
    by Connor Mycroft on May 9, 2026

    Hongkongers packed the aisles of supermarkets with carts full of daily necessities as the city’s major grocery chains engaged in what some were calling a “price war” ahead of Mother’s Day. Hong Kong’s two major supermarket chains, CK Hutchison Holdings-backed ParknShop and Jardine Matheson’s Wellcome, each offered 12 per cent off everything in […]

  • New US sanctions target Iran's military procurement networks under Trump's "Economic Fury" campaign
    on May 9, 2026

    Washington DC [US], May 9 (ANI): The US Treasury Department on Friday (Local Time) announced sweeping new sanctions targeting individuals and companies accused of helping Iran procure weapons, UAV components and missile-related materials as part of the US President Donald Trump administration's 'Economic Fury' campaign.In a statement, the Treasury […]

  • CHINA-JIANGXI-YUDU COUNTY-DEVELOPMENT (CN)
    on May 9, 2026

    (260509) -- NANCHANG, May 9, 2026 (Xinhua) -- An aerial drone photo taken on April 16, 2026 shows a view of a fruit and vegetable planting base in Yudu County of Ganzhou City, east China's Jiangxi Province. TO GO WITH "Across China: Where the Long March began, more Chinese look for strength in roads ahead" (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

  • COSTA RICA-SAN JOSE-PRESIDENT-CHINA-XI JINPING-SPECIAL ENVOY-MEETING
    on May 9, 2026

    (260509) -- SAN JOSE, May 9, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping's Special Envoy Chen Xiaodong, also chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, in San Jose, Costa Rica, May 7, 2026. At the invitation of Costa Rica, Chen attended Costa Rica's presidential handover ceremony at […]

  • Budding Mother’s Day competition as Hong Kong florists prune prices
    by Theodora Yu on May 9, 2026

    Competition among Hong Kong florists heated up on the day before Mother’s Day as stores slashed bouquet prices and offered more innovative products, with some vendors reporting weaker business and lower profit margins compared with last year. Despite the wet weather on Saturday, vendors at the Mong Kok Flower Market touted colourful bouquets of […]

  • Hong Kong’s MTR Corp to host exhibition with retired trains, driving simulator
    by Fiona Sun on May 9, 2026

    Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation will launch a large-scale railway exhibition at Hung Hom Station on May 16, featuring four retired trains and a new immersive train driving simulator. The rail giant said on Saturday that the exhibition, titled “Station Rail Voyage: Explorer”, would feature an expanded layout with a refreshed look. “The exhibition retains […]

  • China's durian appetite cultivates new growth for Southeast Asian orchards
    on May 9, 2026

    NANNING, May 9 (Xinhua) -- At a fruit logistics center in Pingxiang near the Friendship Pass, a key gateway for ASEAN produce in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the recent May Day holiday saw tourists and wholesalers crowding around neatly stacked durians, lured by the promise of fresher taste and hard-to-beat prices."Many visitors come for […]

  • Chinese scientists identify wood-based material option for future green intelligent sensors
    on May 9, 2026

    LANZHOU, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese scientists have made progress in the study of flexoelectricity in natural biomass materials, experimentally observing considerable flexoelectricity in wood and expanding understanding of wood's functional properties, according to Lanzhou University.Conducted by researchers from Lanzhou University, the study has been […]

  • A Chinese classroom at the edge of the algorithm
    on May 9, 2026

    HEFEI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The first language used in Yang Weiyun's live-stream is not always Chinese. Sometimes it is a thumb. Sometimes it is a heart. Sometimes it is a crying face.In the small room where she teaches, in an old residential building in Huainan, a former coal-mining city in east China's Anhui Province, these icons have become a kind of […]

  • Trump Says He Expects Iranian Response To Peace Proposal Soon
    on May 9, 2026

    New posts12:18Staple Food Prices Soar In Iran As Inflation Hits 'Unprecedented Levels'An Iranian woman shops in a local market in Tehran. (file photo)Year-on-year inflation for basic food staples surged sharply in Farvardin 1405 (March 21-April 21, 2026), according to new data from the Statistical Center of Iran.Amid continuing reports of soaring prices in […]

  • Xinjiang's smart farming revolution on cotton fields
    on May 9, 2026

    URUMQI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- How many hectares of cotton can two people plant? In northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ai Haipeng and Ling Lei, both born in the 1990s, have a striking answer -- 200 hectares.The two young men have fully mechanized their cotton field in Yuli County, on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, covering every step from […]

  • 2 bike-sharing apps vie for Hong Kong riders amid industry’s roller-coaster development
    by Eric Jiang on May 9, 2026

    Hong Kong has proved a brutal market for companies offering online bike sharing. The number of operators rose to a peak of seven in 2017 before falling to just two today: home-grown Locobike and mainland China’s Helloride. They are going head to head in several districts as they seek to overcome challenges in a city that has proven fatal for past […]

  • India still relevant for emerging market investors despite lower MSCI weightage: Jefferies
    on May 9, 2026

    New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): India remains a critical destination for emerging market investors, even as it faces a 'reverse AI trade' that has impacted its MSCI Emerging Markets Index weightage to 12 per cent, according to a Jefferies Greed & Fear report.'If India has been out of favour as the reverse AI trade, at least it has not been reduced to […]

  • Indian still relevant for emerging market investors despite lower MSCI weightage: Jefferies
    on May 9, 2026

    New Delhi [India], May 9 (ANI): India remains a critical destination for emerging market investors, even as it faces a 'reverse AI trade' that has impacted its MSCI Emerging Markets Index weightage to 12 per cent, according to a Jefferies Greed & Fear report.'If India has been out of favour as the reverse AI trade, at least it has not been reduced to […]

  • Asian U17 Boxing C'ships 2026: Indian boys confirm 5 medals with strong QF showing
    on May 9, 2026

    Tashkent [Uzbekistan], May 9 (ANI): India's young boxing contingent delivered a stellar performance at the Asian U17 Boxing Championships, with five boxers advancing to the semifinals and confirming at least five medals for the country.In the quarterfinals, Yash Yadav (50kg) secured a hard-fought 4:1 victory over Kubanychbek Bolushov of Kyrgyzstan (KGZ). […]

  • IOMed announces landmark maritime dispute settlement at Global Mediation Summit
    on May 9, 2026

    HONG KONG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Global Mediation Summit kicked off in Hong Kong on Friday, hosted by the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) as its first major international event since its inauguration last October.Gathering in-person or online participants from more than 60 jurisdictions, including government officials, representatives of […]

  • China's Xinjiang speeds up digital reading in rural areas
    on May 9, 2026

    URUMQI, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Shemshinur Batur, a villager in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, loves reading and ever since a rural library was established in her village, her family knows exactly where to find her whenever she goes "missing."Now she has another option. By accessing a digital reading platform on her smartphone, she can listen […]

  • Hong Kong schools record net student rise for 2 years straight
    by William Yiu on May 9, 2026

    Hong Kong schools have recorded net student rises for two consecutive years, with the current academic year seeing an increase of about 7,200 pupils, a surge that an industry leader has attributed to the influx of dependants of admitted talent. The Education Bureau published enrolment figures on its website on April 28. The data covers all government, […]

  • NORWAY-OSLO-CHINA-GREEN COOPERATION-SEMINAR
    on May 8, 2026

    (260508) -- OSLO, May 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Participants attend the third China-Norway Green Cooperation Seminar in Oslo, Norway, on May 7, 2026. TO GO WITH "Industry representatives of Norway, China call for deeper EV cooperation" (Photo by Chen Yaqin/Xinhua)

  • From market to military: Germanys private sector is imploding.
    on May 8, 2026

    Public spending is coming to the rescue for an economy that is facing severe structural problemsAfter two years of recession, it seemed that Germany's economy had stabilized in 2025 and was even inching in the direction of a return to growth. Sure, nobody was sounding the trumpets of a full-fledged recovery, but it seemed the worst had passed.That was, […]

  • 'Theatre of the absurd': Foreign Affairs expert Sachdev warns of tactical 'pause' in Iran-US conflict ahead of Trump-Xi summit
    on May 8, 2026

    New Delhi [India] May 8 (ANI): Foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev has characterised the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran as a 'theatre of the absurd,' describing a paradoxical state of 'Schrodinger's War' where a ceasefire and active combat appear to exist simultaneously.Speaking with ANI, Sachdev suggested that the current […]

  • Satwiksairaj hits back at trolls after expressing concern over lack of reception following Thomas Cup bronze
    on May 8, 2026

    New Delhi [India], May 8 (ANI): Star Indian doubles badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy on Friday cleared the air over his statements on lack of reception for Team India's Thomas Cup bronze medal win, saying that his remarks 'did not come from a place of wanting personal fame or taking credit away from other's achievements', but his message is to […]

  • Trump is punishing Germany for not enough appeasement
    on May 8, 2026

    Berlins years of obedient Atlantic loyalty have ended in troop cuts, shelved missiles, and fresh humiliation from WashingtonDespite what Western mainstream media, think-tanks, and some propagandists with academic titles have been telling us, NATO-EU Europe has never "appeased" Russia.In reality, the NATO-EU European elites, with Germany among the leaders, […]

  • Global reputation of US sinks below Russias rating survey
    on May 8, 2026

    Americas reputation has been deteriorating for two years straight, according to a globalist pro-NATO nonprofitAmerica's reputation has been worsening under US President Donald Trump and the country now lags behind China and Russia, an annual study commissioned by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation indicates.The Denmark-based nonprofit was founded by […]

  • CHINA-HONG KONG-GLOBAL MEDIATION SUMMIT (CN)
    on May 8, 2026

    (260508) -- HONG KONG, May 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Guests attend a panel discussion during the Global Mediation Summit held in Hong Kong, south China, May 8, 2026. TO GO WITH "Roundup: IOMed announces landmark maritime dispute settlement at Global Mediation Summit" (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

  • CHINA-DING XUEXIANG-INSPECTION TOURS-BASIC RESEARCH (CN)
    on May 8, 2026

    (260508) -- BEIJING, May 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, inspects Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai, east China, April 30, 2026. Ding has stressed that the country needs to comprehensively improve its basic […]

  • "Important step towards strengthening ties": Brazil President Lula after Trump meet
    on May 8, 2026

    Sao Paulo [Brazil], May 8 (ANI): Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday described his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House as an 'important step' towards strengthening ties between the two largest democracies in America.Speaking to reporters at the Brazilian Embassy in Washington after the talks, Lula said discussions […]

  • CHINA-BEIJING-WANG YI-FRANCE-TALKS (CN)
    on May 8, 2026

    (260508) -- BEIJING, May 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, holds talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Beijing, capital of China, May 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Dai Tianfang)

  • Hong Kong secures US$3.5 billion to fund Northern Metropolis and green projects
    by Julie Zhang on May 8, 2026

    Hong Kong has raised HK$27.6 billion (US$3.5 billion) through a green and infrastructure bond sale to finance the Northern Metropolis and low-carbon transformation projects. The offering drew investors from more than 30 markets across Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas, signalling global institutional investors’ confidence in Hong Kong’s […]

  • In a land of state giants, 37 Chinese fishermen carve out private path to farthest waters
    on May 8, 2026

    HANGZHOU, May 8 (Xinhua) -- After crashing and foaming, the sea calmed down after about 30 seconds. The Haiying Jiake cut through the water for its first launch, as 37 men standing on the shore wiped tears from their weathered cheeks.They are fishermen, and the owners of this brand-new oceanographic research vessel capable of sailing to the farthest waters […]

  • CHINA-BEIJING-XINHUA-FU HUA-EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR-MEETING (CN)
    on May 8, 2026

    (260508) -- BEIJING, May 8, 2026 (Xinhua) -- President of Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua meets with Egyptian Ambassador to China Khaled Nazmy in Beijing, capital of China, May 8, 2026. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

  • SCMP takes home 3 honours from Global Media Awards, including win for infographic
    by SCMP Reporters on May 8, 2026

    The South China Morning Post has taken home three honours at the International News Media Association’s 2026 Global Media Awards, with its infographic on Hong Kong’s deadly Tai Po fire winning first place for the best use of visual journalism. The awards were announced and presented in Berlin on Thursday, with the SCMP being the only Hong Kong media […]

  • WUC weekly brief highlights Uyghur youth advocacy, Doppa Day celebrations and global forced labour concerns
    on May 8, 2026

    Munich [Germany], May 8 (ANI): Uyghur advocacy efforts, cultural initiatives, and international human rights discussions continued this week amid ongoing concerns over repression, forced labour, and the protection of Uyghur identity and heritage, according to the latest weekly brief issued by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC).The WUC said that beginning April […]

  • China-linked app sparks major spyware fears in Taiwan
    on May 8, 2026

    Taipei [Taiwan], May 8 (ANI): Taiwan's top security officials have warned that the Chinese navigation application AMap may pose a serious national security threat after an internal probe found that the app continues gathering and transmitting sensitive user information to servers in China, as reported by The Taipei Times.According to The Taipei Times, […]

  • US lawmakers introduce bill to block China, foreign adversaries from buying farmland near sensitive sites
    on May 8, 2026

    Washington DC [US], May 8 (ANI): John Moolenaar, Chairman of the Select Committee on China, has introduced the Protecting US Farmland and Sensitive Sites from Foreign Adversaries Act, according to a press release issued by the SCCCP.The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen U.S. national and food security by addressing loopholes in federal oversight […]

  • India on verge of history: Young Tigresses trounce Lebanon in U17 Asian Cup
    on May 8, 2026

    Suzhou [China], May 8 (ANI): India kept their AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2026 quarter-final hopes alive with a commanding 4-0 victory against Lebanon in their final Group B fixture at the Suzhou Taihu Football Sports Centre Pitch 8 on May 8.Pritika Barman starred for the Young Tigresses with a brace, while Alva Devi Senjam and Joya also found the net […]

  • Nepal calls for resolution of Lipulekh issue through diplomatic channels as it maintains claim over it
    on May 8, 2026

    Kathmandu [Nepal], May 8 (ANI): Nepal has called for the resolution of the Lipulekh territorial issue through diplomatic channels with India while maintaining claims over it. Nepal's reiteration over the disputed territory comes in wake of the recent opening of the route to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage via Lipulekh Pass. The pilgrimage, organised by […]

  • Brazilian youth orchestra strikes new chord in China-Brazil cultural exchange
    on May 8, 2026

    TIANJIN, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Warm light washed over the concert hall of the Tianjin Grand Theater as a stream of orchestral music flowed like an audio clear spring, filling every corner of the space. On stage, the Neojiba Orchestra of Brazil was building toward a climax.On May 3, the orchestra made its debut in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin and […]

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