Tag Archives: Beijing

The incumbent president of Hong Kong’s legislature has announced that he will not seek re-election in December’s poll, citing family considerations, his age and personal reasons for his retirement. Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, 74, who has chaired the Legislative Council for nine years, said on Monday that he hoped his early announcement would give capable candidates sufficient time to prepare for …

China’s full artificial intelligence technology stack was on display at this year’s Apsara Conference, the annual gathering of Alibaba Cloud users and developers held every September in Hangzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province. Downpours on Wednesday failed to keep crowds away following an opening speech by Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming, where he announced new AI infrastructure spending beyond the …

Iran has recalled its ambassadors to Britain, France and Germany, according to its state media. The move came hours after the UN Security Council voted down a resolution backed by China and Russia seeking to prevent the reimposition of global sanctions against the Islamic republic. China and Russia tabled a draft resolution on Friday aimed at halting the snapback mechanism …

Obtaining a visa to enter mainland China often requires filling out pages of paperwork, paying more than US$100, and waiting days for the documents to be processed. But for a growing number of visitors, some hurdles have been lowered or removed entirely as Beijing continues to relax visa-free entry rules to attract more foreign visitors and boost the nation’s tourism …

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday said he saw new signs that both Kyiv and Moscow may be edging towards negotiations to end the three-year war in Ukraine, reviving his joint peace push with China and urging the United Nations to take a central role. Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr …

As China drafts its 15th five-year plan – the next entry in a line of expansive blueprints that have set the tone for the country’s development over more than seven decades – we examine how these documents inform and reflect high-level policy priorities, what to expect in the coming iteration and whether it will expand on existing initiatives to boost …

Despite frictions on trade and geopolitics that hang over their bilateral ties, leaders from the European Union and China vowed to work together to tackle global challenges on Wednesday, a day after US President Donald Trump ridiculed the “green scam” of climate change. Europe wants to work more with China on climate and biodiversity, even as it called on Beijing …

The military parade in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression drew global attention. In Hong Kong and Macau, where the ceremony was broadcast live, the emotions and reflections inspired were unique – admiration and pride mingling with questions and contemplation. Some ask, as decennial parades have become …

The successful launch of a batch of carrier-based fighter jets from China’s most advanced aircraft carrier signalled the country’s enhanced military influence in the western Pacific region and intensified competition within the second island chain, analysts observed. The J-15T fighter jet, the fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighter and the airborne early warning aircraft KJ-600 successfully completed catapult launches and arresting gear …

Beijing has strongly condemned an Israeli lawmaker’s visit to Taiwan, calling the politician a troublemaker and accusing him of undermining bilateral relations. In Taipei last Tuesday, Knesset member Boaz Toporovsky met Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te, who thanked the Israeli parliament for “staunchly backing Taiwan’s international participation”, according to a readout of the meeting from Lai’s office. In response, Beijing’s …