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

  • Wrong radio frequency by Cathay crew led to Nato jet interception: report
    by Ambrose Li on August 14, 2026

    The cockpit crew of a Cathay Pacific Airways flight from Hong Kong to London selected the wrong radio frequency when mistakenly responding to instructions for another aircraft, leading to a loss of communication with air traffic control in Romanian airspace last month, a Hong Kong investigation report has revealed. The government said on Friday that the […]

  • Hong Kong garners 16,000 submissions from consultation for city’s first 5-year plan
    by Matthew Cheng,Natalie Wong,Leopold Chen on August 14, 2026

    Hong Kong authorities received more than 16,000 public submissions for the city’s inaugural five-year plan by the close of its consultation on Friday, with an official noting general support for more focused integration into national development and the strategic cultivation of emerging sectors. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Janice Tse […]

  • Maritime operations boost China's commercial space industry
    on August 14, 2026

    HAIYANG, Shandong, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The successful Aug. 5 launch of a Smart Dragon-3 (SD-3) carrier rocket with two AI hyperspectral satellites from sea waters in east China underscores the country's growing capabilities in maritime space operations, advancing its commercial space industry's push into offshore launch and recovery.The mission, the 27th […]

  • US missionary freed months after abduction
    on August 14, 2026

    Kevin Rideout was kidnapped in Niger last year and no group has claimed responsibilityAn American missionary abducted in Niger last year has been released after spending more than nine months in captivity, the Christian organization Serving In Mission (SIM) said on Friday."Kevin is in good health and is currently in the care of US officials," the group […]

  • "PM prioritises fake image over country's security": Rahul Gandhi, Kharge question alleged increased Chinese activity in Arunachal
    on August 14, 2026

    New Delhi [India], August 14 (ANI): Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Friday raised concern over reports that China has stopped Indian Army patrols at several places in Arunachal Pradesh and questioned the Centre's response.Congress MP said the reported development was 'extremely alarming' and questioned the silence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home […]

  • Investment scam cases in Hong Kong drop 15%, but losses remain high at HK$1.65b
    by Jess Ma on August 14, 2026

    Hong Kong recorded a 15 per cent drop in investment scam cases in the first half of this year, but losses remained high at HK$1.65 billion (US$210 million), with police warning of fraudsters posing as representatives of legitimate overseas firms to swindle investors. Senior Superintendent Fanny Kung Hing-fun said on Friday that some of these firms of […]

  • Hong Kong raises economic forecast after best half-yearly performance in 5 years
    by Wynna Wong on August 14, 2026

    Hong Kong has raised its full-year economic growth forecast for 2026 to a range of 3.5 to 4.5 per cent following a 4.3 per cent expansion in the second quarter, supported by buoyant external trade and resilient domestic demand. Releasing its half-yearly economic report on Friday, the government revised its 2026 growth forecast from the previous range of 2.5 […]

  • The Viewpoint: Behind China's cool rooms lies a clean, resilient power system
    on August 14, 2026

    BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- While summer heat can be unforgiving in many parts of the world, "air-conditioning (AC) freedom" has become a trending phrase in China. It refers to the simple pleasure of stepping inside, grabbing the remote, and letting cool air wash over you. Comfort, right when you need it.The real story behind this freedom partly lies in […]

  • SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE-SAO TOME-CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE-MARTIAL ARTS INJURIES-TRAINING
    on August 14, 2026

    (260814) -- SAO TOME, Aug. 14, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Participants attend a training program on the prevention and treatment of martial arts injuries at the Confucius Institute at the University of Sao Tome and Principe, in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe, Aug. 12, 2026. The university's Confucius Institute and the 20th Chinese medical team to Sao Tome and […]

  • US accuses India of operating 'shadow network' to aid China
    on August 14, 2026

    Forty trading partners, including India, are aiding China by operating a "shadow trans-shipment network," a new report claims A new US report that includes India among the countries allegedly helping China to evade steep American tariffs has added another wrinkle to India-US relations. The White House […]

  • US accuses India of operating shadow network to aid China
    on August 14, 2026

    Forty trading partners, including India, are aiding China by operating a shadow trans-shipment network, a new report claimsA new US report that includes India among the countries allegedly helping China to evade steep American tariffs has added another wrinkle to India-US relations.The White House report, titled 'The Great Transshipment Scam', flagged over […]

  • Hong Kong teen’s will to fight illness ‘incredibly low’ after near-death scares
    by Cannix Yau on August 14, 2026

    A teenager who fears dying young has narrowly escaped death twice this year after contracting influenza and respiratory virus infection, enduring what he described as his “most emotionally devastating breakdown”. Chen Tsz-kin, 17, was diagnosed with the incurable muscle-wasting disease at the age of 18 months and was told that people with the condition […]

  • US accuses allies of China tariff scam
    on August 14, 2026

    The White House claims more than 40 countries have served as hubs for rerouting Chinese goodsThe White House has accused more than 40 nations, including some of its closest partners, of helping Chinese goods evade US tariffs by exploiting differences in levies imposed on third countries.A new 25-page report titled 'The Great Transshipment Scam', released by […]

  • US accuses allies of China tariff 'scam'
    on August 14, 2026

    The White House claims more than 40 countries have served as hubs for rerouting Chinese goods The White House has accused more than 40 nations, including some of its closest partners, of helping Chinese goods evade US tariffs by exploiting differences in levies imposed on third countries.  A new 25-page re

  • ACs surge out, tourists flock in -- Decoding economic dynamics behind "China Cool"
    on August 14, 2026

    BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- As record-breaking heat waves baked much of the Northern Hemisphere this summer, China has emerged as both a key global supplier of affordable cooling appliances and a favored destination for international travelers seeking cooler climes.Across Europe, Chinese-made air conditioners (ACs) and other cooling gadgets -- […]

  • CHINA-HUNAN-CHANGDE-BIO-MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY (CN)
    on August 14, 2026

    (260814) -- CHANGDE, Aug. 14, 2026 (Xinhua) -- A staff member works at a fermentation workshop of the Hunan Biology Manufacturing Pilot Base Co., Ltd. in Jinshi City of Changde, central China's Hunan Province, on Aug. 13, 2026. In recent years, Jinshi City has stepped up efforts to develop its bio-manufacturing industry which dates back to the 1950s. The […]

  • Diamond buyer jailed for stealing HK$11 million in gems to fund gambling habit
    by Brian Wong on August 14, 2026

    A Hong Kong court has sentenced a former jewellery procurement manager to six years and eight months behind bars for stealing HK$11 million (US$1.4 million) worth of diamonds from suppliers to fund his gambling habit. Mui Ka-fai, 63, pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of theft for reselling the small diamonds he misappropriated for personal gain while […]

  • Man admits molesting girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter, taking over 200 photos, videos
    by Fiona Chow on August 14, 2026

    A moving services manager has admitted to repeatedly molesting the 11-year-old daughter of his girlfriend in their Hong Kong home, and possessing more than 200 videos and photos he took during the seven assaults. Deputy District Judge Ivy Chui Yee-mei on Friday condemned the “despicable and sickening” acts of the defendant, who was 35 years older than […]

  • Smart manufacturing fuels construction industry upgrade
    on August 14, 2026

    TIANJIN, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Even in the blazing summer heat of Urumqi in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, workers at a residential project are kept surprisingly cool by a "residential building machine" whose giant canopy shades the entire construction area.From a distance, the smart platform looks like a blue square cap perched atop the […]

  • PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore Named Among Singapore's Top 10 Hotels by Travel + Leisure and Featured on 50 Best Discovery
    on August 14, 2026

    PRNewswireSingapore, August 14: In the heart of Singapore's Marina Bay, a 13-metre green wall opens onto a lush indoor atrium, welcoming guests into a stay shaped by nature, wellness and genuine care. That vision at PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore has now earned recognition from two leading travel and hospitality names, Travel + Leisure and 50 […]

  • World Insights: Do recent powerful earthquakes signal heightened seismic activity in South America?
    on August 14, 2026

    by Xinhua writers Tan Huiting and Tian RuiMEXICO CITY/CARACAS, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A series of powerful earthquakes in Venezuela and Colombia, along with recent seismic events in Peru and Chile, has raised concern over whether South America is entering a period of unusually intense seismic activity.Experts, however, said there is no evidence of an abnormal […]

  • Actor Henry Cavill draws crowds as neon-lit set evokes memories of old Hong Kong
    by Connor Mycroft on August 14, 2026

    Hong Kong’s once-iconic neon signs and outdoor hawker stalls were brought back to life as hundreds flocked to Central for a glimpse of British actor Henry Cavill, who was in the city filming a new movie. Cavill, known for his roles as Superman and also Geralt in the television series The Witcher, was filming in the city on Thursday night. It followed an […]

  • Hongkongers stranded after storm disrupts trains and roads to Narita airport
    by Lo Hoi-ying on August 14, 2026

    Hong Kong tour groups returning from Japan’s capital are seeking alternative routes to Narita airport after a record rainstorm on Thursday disrupted transport and left thousands of travellers stranded, including Hongkongers who spent the night on trains and in other facilities. Cathay Pacific Airways, the city’s flag carrier, said on Friday it would […]

  • China tests canal link to Southeast Asia; rocket failure concerns: SCMP’s 7 highlights
    by SCMP on August 14, 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. China completes milestone test of US$10.8 billion canal link to Southeast Asia Chinese […]

  • Update: Ecuadorian president to visit China
    on August 14, 2026

    BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President of the Republic of Ecuador Daniel Roy-Gilchrist Noboa Azin will pay a state visit to China from Aug. 16 to 23, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.Noting Ecuador is an important Latin American country, and China and Ecuador are comprehensive […]

  • If attention not paid early, then it will be too late: Ex-Australian PM Morrison on China's growing influence in Indo-Pacific
    on August 14, 2026

    Sydney [Australia], August 14 (ANI): Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned that China's expanding influence across the Indo-Pacific, particularly the Indian Ocean region, needs to be addressed early, cautioning that delaying strategic attention could make it too late to respond effectively.Speaking online at the Indo-Mediterranean […]

  • New evidence reaffirms Japan's germ warfare crimes in China
    on August 14, 2026

    HARBIN, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- A new collection of historical records about Unit 731, the notorious Japanese germ warfare division during World War II (WWII), has unveiled more evidence of Japan's war atrocities in China.Released Wednesday by the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army in northeast China's […]

  • Taiwan detects nine PLA aircraft, 12 PLAN vessels, two official ships around its territory
    on August 14, 2026

    Taipei [Taiwan], August 14 (ANI): Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence on Friday (local time) said it detected nine sorties of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 12 People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels and two official ships operating around its territorial waters. In a post on X, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said six of the nine PLA […]

  • Uncovering Unit 731's dark history requires broader int'l cooperation, says Singaporean historian
    on August 14, 2026

    SINGAPORE, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- "More than 80 years have passed, and only now are we beginning to realize how much Japan still hasn't told us," said Lim Shao Bin, a Singaporean historian who has spent decades tracing Japan's biological warfare activities in Southeast Asia, in a recent interview with Xinhua.As each new discovery serves as a reminder of how […]

  • Relief after 9 blistering days as Hong Kong issues amber rainstorm warning
    by Olga Wong on August 14, 2026

    Temperatures have dropped in Hong Kong after a streak of nine very hot days, with the city’s weather forecaster issuing the amber rainstorm warning on Friday morning. The Observatory recorded temperatures between 23 and 29 degrees Celsius (73 and 84 Fahrenheit) in various districts across the city as of 8.45am, significantly lower than the 33 degrees or […]

  • Hong Kong’s university town: where’s the money and what will success look like?
    by William Yiu,Edith Lin on August 14, 2026

    Hong Kong is betting big on the Northern Metropolis with a university town as a core engine. In this third of a five-part series on the city’s first five-year blueprint, we look at the talk of the town. Read part one here and part two here. Hong Kong is a city that has among the highest concentration of top universities with at least eight making it to […]

  • Transit giant CRRC sets down marker in Hong Kong as sales pitch to overseas cities
    by Frank Chen on August 14, 2026

    Nearly 30 years after the closure of Hong Kong’s iconic Kai Tak Airport, state-owned giant China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) hopes to provide the nearby waterfront area – a narrow stretch of land that juts into Victoria Harbour – with a route to better transit connectivity. Executives from the world-leading railway vehicle manufacturer […]

  • "Huge opportunity, will cut costs": Ex-envoy backs Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor expansion plan
    on August 13, 2026

    Gurgaon (Haryana) [India], August 14 (ANI): Former Indian Ambassador to Russia, Ajai Malhotra, on Thursday backed the expansion of the Chennai-Vladivostok maritime corridor into a wider connectivity network through the Bering Strait, Northern Sea Route, and Northern Europe, calling it a huge opportunity for India. In an interview with ANI, Malhotra said the […]

  • Japan is arming for a long range fight, and China is worried
    on August 13, 2026

    Tokyo is building a military and intelligence architecture very different from the one that defined its postwar eraReleased in early August, the Japanese Ministry of Defense's latest white paper signals that Tokyo, under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is converting years of incremental modernization into a more integrated and far-reaching national-security […]

  • Japan is arming for a long-range fight, and China is worried
    on August 13, 2026

    Tokyo is building a military and intelligence architecture very different from the one that defined its postwar eraReleased in early August, the Japanese Ministry of Defense's latest white paper signals that Tokyo, under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is converting years of incremental modernization into a more integrated and far-reaching national-security […]

  • Chinese Huangmei opera heroine brings tale of courage to Edinburgh
    on August 13, 2026

    by Xinhua writers Zhao Jiasong, Yu AicenEDINBURGH, Britain, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Minutes before going on stage in Edinburgh, Han Zaifen sat before a dressing-room mirror, humming softly to herself as the final touches were put on her makeup.Beneath a black embroidered scholar's cap was the face of Feng Suzhen, a young woman Han has played for more than four […]

  • Uttarakhand CM Dhami inaugurates Deeksharambh Session and new infrastructure at Doon University
    on August 13, 2026

    Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], August 13 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday inaugurated the Deeksharambh Session 2026-27 and Youth Dialogue Programme at Doon University. Welcoming the new students joining the university, he extended his best wishes for their bright future. The Chief Minister said university life is not […]

  • New study exposes Beijing's transnational control over Uyghur diaspora: Campaign for Uyghurs
    on August 13, 2026

    Washington, DC [US], August 13 (ANI): The Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU) has welcomed new research examining what it described as the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) expanding efforts to control, intimidate and silence Uyghurs beyond China's borders, according to a report by CFU.The research was conducted by Adrian Zenz, Senior Fellow and Director of China […]

  • US Senate introduces bipartisan Tibet Act to strengthen ties with Tibetan people
    on August 13, 2026

    Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 13 (ANI): The US Senate on Tuesday introduced the Assuring the Future of Tibet Act of 2026 (AFTA), a bipartisan measure aimed at strengthening Washington's long-term engagement with the Tibetan people and enhancing the international standing of their democratically elected leadership, according to a report by […]

  • "It's case of goodbye...until PM Modi, Amit Shah resign, they will not be able to sleep, we will keep them awake": Rahul Gandhi
    on August 13, 2026

    New Delhi [India], August 13 (ANI): Noting that the Congress and other opposition parties have now started 'expressing themselves and it is unstoppable now', Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit out at the BJP-led government, saying the opposition parties will keep Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah 'awake' till they step down […]

  • BRITAIN-EDINBURGH-CHINESE HUANGMEI OPERA
    on August 13, 2026

    (260813) -- EDINBURGH, Aug. 13, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Huangmei Opera actress Han Zaifen puts on makeup before a performance at the Queen's Hall in Edinburgh, Britain, Aug. 12, 2026. TO GO WITH "Feature: Chinese Huangmei opera heroine brings tale of courage to Edinburgh" (Xinhua/Yu Aicen)

  • Uganda withholds Taiwanese travellers' passports, demands Chinese documents: Taiwan Foreign Ministry
    on August 13, 2026

    Taipei [Taiwan], August 13 (ANI): Ugandan immigration authorities reportedly withheld the passports of three Taiwanese travellers and asked them to provide Chinese passports, citing Uganda's 'One China principle', according to a report by Central News Agency (CNA) which cited Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).The three Taiwanese nationals arrived […]

  • India U17 women set for two friendlies against Uzbekistan in Tashkent
    on August 13, 2026

    New Delhi [India], August 13 (ANI): As part of their preparations for the AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers, the India U17 women's team will play two friendly matches against Uzbekistan at the UFA National Football Centre in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on August 27 and 30, 2026. Both matches will be played behind closed doors.The two outings will […]

  • "Several measures" to make Kailash Mansarovar Yatra affordable, accessible and safe: MoS MEA Kirti Vardhan Singh
    on August 13, 2026

    New Delhi [India], August 13 (ANI): Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Thursday said the government has taken several measures to make the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra affordable, accessible and safe for Indian citizens, while outlining steps taken to improve pilgrim safety, medical support and connectivity.Responding to an unstarred […]

  • UK rules out deporting ex-Hong Kong opposition leader after entry hiccup
    by Jeffie Lam,Danny Mok on August 13, 2026

    Former Hong Kong opposition leader Wu Chi-wai, who has been granted permission to enter the United Kingdom, will not be deported despite earlier complications in his attempt to settle in the country, the British immigration minister has confirmed. In a written reply on Thursday to former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten, UK Minister for Migration and […]

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