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

  • It’s your funeral: former academic gives Hongkongers more end-of-life choices
    by Jimmy Chow on October 16, 2026

    After years of teaching Hongkongers about death and end-of-life arrangements, Dr Ng Kwai-lun realised there was a gap between what people were told they could do and the services actually available to them. Determined to bridge that gap, he left a stable university career to become an entrepreneur. Ng had worked at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s […]

  • Tapping into tech and talent
    by SCMP Plus on October 16, 2026

    Download the PDF This is the fourth in a series of factsheets about Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Part I – Hong Kong’s new chapter Part II – The story begins ... Part III – Sharpening Hong Kong’s edge Part IV – Tapping into tech and talent The series has been produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR […]

  • Sharpening Hong Kong’s edge
    by SCMP Plus on October 16, 2026

    Download the PDF This is the third in a series of Factsheets on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Part I – Hong Kong’s new chapter Part II – The story begins ... Part III – Sharpening Hong Kong’s edge Part IV – Tapping into tech and talent The series has been produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR […]

  • Hong Kong to carry out 24-hour patrols near Apec meeting venue and delegate hotels
    by Simpson Cheung,Jess Ma on October 16, 2026

    Hong Kong police will conduct round-the-clock patrols in Wan Chai from Friday as part of enhanced security arrangements for the coming Apec Finance Ministers’ Meeting, as delegates begin arriving in the city, the South China Morning Post has learned. Delegates from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies will travel to Hong Kong as early […]

  • Tapping into tech and talent
    by SCMP on October 16, 2026

    This is the fourth in a series of factsheets about Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Part I – Hong Kong’s new chapter Part II – The story begins... Part III – Sharpening the city’s edge Part IV – Tapping into tech and talent The series has been produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR government. To see the […]

  • Sharpening the city’s edge
    by SCMP on October 16, 2026

    This is the third in a series of Factsheets on Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and 2026 policy address. Part I – Hong Kong’s new chapter Part II – The story begins... Part III – Sharpening the city’s edge Part IV – Tapping into tech and talent The series has been produced with support from the Hong Kong SAR government. To see the […]

  • Hong Kong Apec meeting to showcase ‘China’s voice’ in stability, treasury chief says
    by Denise Tsang on October 16, 2026

    The coming Apec finance ministers’ meeting in Hong Kong will demonstrate “China’s voice” in regional stability, with the city uniquely placed to bring together regional leaders for important exchanges in a geopolitically charged world, the treasury chief has said. In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post on Thursday, Secretary for […]

  • AUSTRIA-VIENNA-HUANGMEI OPERA-HAN ZAIFEN
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- VIENNA, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Huangmei Opera artist Han Zaifen (R) performs in Vienna, Austria, Oct. 15, 2026. (Xinhua/He Canling)

  • 5 killed, 16 injured in Houthi attack on Yemen's Aden presidential palace
    on October 15, 2026

    Aden [Yemen], October 16 (ANI): Five people were killed and 16 injured in a Houthi attack targeting the al-Maashiq Presidential Palace in Yemen's southern city of Aden, Al Jazeera reported, citing Yemeni Health Minister Qasim Mohammed Buhaibeh, amid escalating hostilities between the Houthi movement and government forces.In a post on X, Houthi rebels […]

  • "Noose is tightening around Iran's economy": US announces new sanctions targeting 16 people, 10 entities
    on October 15, 2026

    Washington DC [US], October 16 (ANI): The United States has announced new Iran-related sanctions targeting 16 individuals and 10 entities, with the US Treasury Department saying the measures aim to disrupt Tehran's alleged international financial networks, shadow banking operations and channels used to finance its military and regional proxy groups.The […]

  • AZERBAIJAN-BAKU-CHINA-CICA SUMMIT-WANG YI
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- BAKU, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as Special Representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and delivers a speech in […]

  • Paris Motor Show highlights deepening China-Europe auto cooperation
    on October 15, 2026

    In the view of Serge Gachot, director of the Paris Motor Show, Chinese and European automakers have broad prospects for cooperation. He encouraged Chinese companies to invest in local production, research and development and supply chains.PARIS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing 2026 Paris Motor Show not only features cutting-edge innovations in the auto […]

  • Beyond baby bonuses: Hong Kong needs to attract couples with liveability
    by Jane Lee on October 15, 2026

    Hong Kong’s efforts to boost the number of newborns in the city should be considered in the context of talent retention relating to Hong Kong’s liveability. When the Census and Statistics Department reported in August that births in Hong Kong had fallen by an annualised 15.6 per cent to a historic low of fewer than 30,000, it injected a sharp sense of […]

  • Vegas bettor pleads guilty to game-fixing, point-shaving schemes
    on October 15, 2026

    (Photo credit: John Jones)A Las Vegas-based sports bettor, who was indicted in three high-profile federal gambling cases, pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to betting schemes on Wednesday in federal court in Philadelphia.Shane Hennen's indictments concerned point-shaving and game-fixing schemes for NBA, NCAA and Chinese Basketball Association games […]

  • USISPF chief Mukesh Aghi outlines what to expect from Rubio's India visit
    on October 15, 2026

    New Delhi [India], October 16 (ANI): US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) President and CEO Mukesh Aghi said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's upcoming visit to India is expected to focus on bilateral ties, geopolitical developments and the Quad, with discussions likely to cover West Asia, Russian oil and technology cooperation.Speaking to ANI on […]

  • AZERBAIJAN-BAKU-CHINA-WANG YI-BAHRAINI FM-MEETING
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- BAKU, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, in Baku, […]

  • AZERBAIJAN-BAKU-CHINA-WANG YI-PALESTINIAN FM-MEETING
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- BAKU, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin on the sidelines of the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, in Baku, […]

  • "He is always talking about sports": Indian track and field stars Prachi, Ancy Sojan speak on meeting PM Modi after Asian Games success
    on October 15, 2026

    By Vipul Kashyap New Delhi [India], October 15 (ANI): Indian athletes Ancy Sojan and Prachi Choudhary expressed happiness after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi following their Asian Games 2026 medal wins at Aichi-Nagoya, highlighting PM Modi's keen interest in sports and how he presented his vision of 'Viksit Bharat' to the athletes. PM Modi […]

  • AZERBAIJAN-BAKU-CHINA-WANG YI-AZERBAIJANI FM-TALKS
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- BAKU, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Junfeng)

  • Cross-border friendship takes root, grows into forest
    on October 15, 2026

    Through the friendship with Chinese desertification control expert Yin Yuzhen, Ronald Sakolsky, a retired American history teacher, hopes to encourage more people to cross national borders and work together to protect their common home, the Earth.ROME, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- "We do not speak the same language, we do not look the same, but we are brother and […]

  • Firm accused of cost-cutting, false declarations over fire-safety parts in 48 lifts
    by Danny Mok on October 15, 2026

    Hong Kong authorities have uncovered alleged corner-cutting and false declarations involving fire-safety components in a contractor’s replacement of 48 lifts at two public housing estates. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department said on Thursday that surprise inspections had found serious deficiencies in projects carried out by Taizoom Elevator […]

  • Chinese desertification control expert calls for global unity to protect planet
    on October 15, 2026

    Yin Yuzhen, a leading Chinese expert on desertification control, hopes to share her experience with communities facing land degradation, drought and desertification. Although conditions vary across regions, she believes that determination, and locally adapted approaches can help restore degraded land and improve people's lives.ROME, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- A […]

  • Iga Swiatek collects 150th WTA 1000 win at Wuhan
    on October 15, 2026

    (Photo credit: Sam Greene)Seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland reached a milestone and moved into the quarterfinals with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Ashlyn Krueger at the Wuhan Open on Thursday in China.The 94-minute match marked the 150th WTA 1000 win of her career. Since 1990, Swiatek is just the third player to hit that total within her first 50 such […]

  • ITALY-ROME-FAO-100 WOMEN HEROES-CHINA-YIN YUZHEN
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- ROME, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Yin Yuzhen attends a ceremony for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' (FAO) 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 15, 2026. Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen has been named among the FAO's 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural […]

  • Long March legacy takes root in greener landscapes of revolutionary heartlands
    on October 15, 2026

    BEIJING, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Perched on a hillside in Changting County of southern China, visitors soak in lush scenery stretching beside the glistening Tingjiang River.But things weren't always so picturesque.Changting, an old revolutionary base area in Fujian Province, was among the counties hardest hit by soil erosion in China's red-soil region, which […]

  • Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority appeals for liver donor for boy, 13
    by Jeffie Lam on October 15, 2026

    Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority has appealed to the public for a liver donation for a 13-year-old boy suffering from severe liver failure who urgently needs a transplant. The authority, which is also seeking help from mainland China, said on Thursday evening that the boy, being treated at Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam, was now in a serious condition. […]

  • CHINA-BEIJING-LI QIANG-BOTSWANA-PRESIDENT-MEETING (CN)
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- BEIJING, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Botswana's President Duma Gideon Boko, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

  • CHINA-BEIJING-LI QIANG-TOGO-PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS-TALKS (CN)
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- BEIJING, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with President of the Council of Ministers of Togo Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

  • COTE D'IVOIRE-ABIDJAN-CHINESE NAVY HOSPITAL SHIP-ARRIVAL
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- ABIDJAN, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy hospital ship Auspicious Ark arrives in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, Oct. 14, 2026. Auspicious Ark arrived in Abidjan, the economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, on Wednesday to begin a friendly visit and provide medical services, marking the first visit by a Chinese naval […]

  • BWF World Junior C'ships: Jagsher Singh Khangurra confirms medal for India, reaches semifinal
    on October 15, 2026

    New Delhi [India], October 15 (ANI): India's Jagsher Singh Khangurra assured himself of a medal in the BWF World Junior Badminton Championships after he came from a game down to beat Yuan-Syue Jhuang of Chinese Taipei to reach the boys singles semifinal in Cairo, Egypt on Thursday.Khangurra, who hails from Nabha town in Punjab, defeated Jhuang 6-15, 17-15, […]

  • FearX, Team WE to meet in Demacia Cup grand final
    on October 15, 2026

    (Photo credit: Nick Oza)Team WE advanced to face FEARX in Saturday's best-of-five grand final of the Demacia Cup Global Invitational in Beijing.Team WE posted a 3-2 victory against BRION in the semifinals on Thursday. FEARX defeated KT Rolster on Wednesday.The League of Legends tournament began on Oct. 3, featuring 12 top teams that didn't qualify for the […]

  • Top seed Alexander Zverev rolls into Shanghai semifinals
    on October 15, 2026

    (Photo credit: Geoff Burke)No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev of Germany will meet No. 25 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain in the Rolex Shanghai Masters semifinals.Zverev rolled to a 6-4, 6-4 win in 78 minutes against No. 9 Alex de Minaur of Australia in Thursday's quarterfinals, while Davidovich Fokina was leading 4-1 when France's Arthur Gea retired due to […]

  • Hye-Jin Choi shoots 64 to grab 3-shot lead in Shanghai
    on October 15, 2026

    (Photo credit: Sergei Belski)South Korea's Hye-Jin Choi opened the Buick LPGA Classic with an 8-under-par 64 on Thursday for a three-shot lead in Shanghai.Her bogey-free first round at Sheshan Golf Club included four straight birdies at Nos. 2-5 and birdies at three of the four par-5s.'I really feel like I'm kind of exhausted. Today was -- like I feel like […]

  • South Korean chipmakers could use memory expansion to challenge China
    on October 15, 2026

    Seoul [South Korea], October 15 (ANI): South Korean semiconductor makers could use expanding memory chip production capacity to regain market share from Chinese rivals, as a shortage of conventional memory has created opportunities for Chinese manufacturers, according to a report by The Korea Herald.Kim Hyung-joon, head of the Next Generation Intelligence […]

  • Photo Flash | Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen named among FAO's 100 women heroes
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- ROME, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen (2nd L, front) attends a ceremony in Rome, Italy, Oct. 15, 2026. Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen was named on Thursday among the FAO's 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, a global recognition initiative launched by the Food and Agriculture […]

  • Anjali Patil and Sailesh Rathnakumar's 'Selvi' wins big at Busan International Film Festival
    on October 15, 2026

    Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 15 (ANI): National Award-winning actor Anjali Patil's Tamil film 'Selvi' has won two awards at the 31st Busan International Film Festival, taking home the Taipei Film Commission Award and the Hylife Vision Award.Directed by Sailesh Rathnakumar, the film had its world premiere at the festival on October 9, 2026, and […]

  • CHINA-FUJIAN-JURASSIC FOSSIL-EARLY BIRD EVOLUTION (CN)
    on October 15, 2026

    (261015) -- FUZHOU, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- This paleontological reconstruction picture shows the restored image of Yuezhuornis yangyuanensis. A newly unearthed Jurassic fossil from east China is prompting scientists to rethink one of the most basic assumptions about bird evolution: that early birds always evolved toward better flight capability. The […]

  • Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen named among FAO's 100 women heroes
    on October 15, 2026

    Yin Yuzhen and her family have spent more than four decades combating desertification in the Maowusu Sandy Land in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, transforming stretches of the once-barren landscape into a green expanse, overcoming harsh conditions and shifting sands.ROME, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen has been […]

  • The Foundery Opens Cohort 2: The Search for India's Next Generation of Entrepreneurs Begins
    on October 15, 2026

    NewsVoirMumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 15: The Foundery has opened applications for Cohort 2 of its 90-day residential venture build, sharpening its search for people who have already demonstrated the ability to build, whether teams, products, categories, communities or businesses and are now ready to create something of their own.Founded by Kishore […]

  • Xinhua Headlines: Chinese open-source AI helps African innovators cut costs, develop local solutions
    on October 15, 2026

    Developers across Africa are turning to Chinese open-source AI models to build affordable tools for local needs, from legal services and agriculture to education and insurance. Alongside technological applications, China-Africa cooperation in AI education and skills development is expanding.NAIROBI, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- For Kenyan entrepreneur Sentai Simons, […]

  • Hong Kong loses record 40 kindergartens as birth rate drops, women wait to have kids
    by William Yiu on October 15, 2026

    Hong Kong suffered a record net loss of 40 kindergartens this year amid a shrinking student population and as the median age of women giving birth to their first child rose to its highest yet, according to official figures. In its overview of preschools released on Thursday, the Education Bureau revealed that 930 kindergartens were currently operating in […]

  • Tibetan leader raises concerns over China's religious interference, Dam projects at Prague Democracy Forum
    on October 15, 2026

    Prague [Czech Republic], October 15 (ANI): Sikyong Penpa Tsering, head of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), raised concerns over China's alleged suppression of Tibetan identity, interference in Buddhist religious traditions and environmental policies during the 30th Forum 2000 Conference in Prague, according to a report by the CTA.On the second day […]

  • UAE Team L'IMAD's Lara Gillespie claims silver medal in UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai
    on October 15, 2026

    SHANGHAI,15th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai, China, got underway with a medal for UAE Team L'IMAD. Ireland's Lara Gillespie claimed silver in the Scratch, coming close to the world title before being narrowly beaten by the Netherlands' Lorena Wiebes in a photo finish."The Scratch is not my favourite race. It was a very […]

  • US lawmaker urges Pentagon to expand China research security list over military links
    on October 15, 2026

    Washington, DC [US], October 15 (ANI): John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, has urged Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to expand the Department of War's Section 1286 List by adding Chinese research institutions, universities, laboratories and talent recruitment programmes allegedly linked to China's defence sector, according to a […]

  • Iran's Security Challenges Compounded By Rising Domestic Insurgency
    on October 15, 2026

    Irans vast and restive southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan, located along the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, has witnessed a deadly flare-up of violence in recent weeks.Armed groups and Iranian security forces have clashed almost daily across the impoverished province, the site of a decades-long, low-level insurgency.Separatist groups and […]

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