Page 21 - Beijing

Vladimir Putin backs China over 'politicisation' of Beijing Olympics

The US is among several countries which have said they will not send politicians or other representatives to next month's Games in a so-called diplomatic boycott

Covid-19: Diplomats at Beijing Winter Games risk 21 days' quarantine

The notice, sent to diplomatic missions and seen by Bloomberg News, came amid a long list of measures that attendees must comply with to attend the Feb. 4 event

China lifts 1-month lockdown in Xi'an, 2 million in Beijing tested

Chinese authorities lifted a monthlong lockdown on the northern city of Xi'an and its 13 million residents Monday as infections subside ahead of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in less than two weeks. Meanwhile, the 2 million residents of one Beijing district have been ordered to undergo testing following a series of cases in the capital. The government told people in areas of Beijing deemed at high risk for infection not to leave the city after 25 cases were found in the Fengtai district and 14 elsewhere. Fengtai residents have lined up on snow-covered sidewalks in freezing weather for testing. The Olympics are being held under strict controls that are meant to isolate athletes, staff, reporters and officials from residents. Athletes are required to be vaccinated or undergo a quarantine after arriving in China. The announcement by Xi'an's government Monday followed the restart of commercial flights from the city the day before. The major industrial center and former imperial capit

Beijing to maintain Covid emergency status as Winter Olympics loom

A total of 27 domestically transmitted cases with confirmed symptoms and five local asymptomatic carriers have been found in Beijing since Jan. 15

Covid-19: Beijing residents disappointed Olympics will be closed event

Residents of the Chinese capital say they're disappointed at not being able to attend events because of coronavirus restrictions that have seen parts of the city placed under lockdown.

Beijing Winter Olympics marred by rising Covid-19 cases in China: Report

Weeks ahead of the Winter Olympics, China is witnessing a rise in COVID-19 cases in its major cities including Beijing despite the strict lockdown, said a media report.

Chinese Olympic app has security flaws, could expose sensitive data: Report

A smartphone app for athletes and others attending next month's Winter Games in Beijing has glaring security problems that could expose sensitive data to interception, according to a report published

China abstains from selling tickets to general public for Beijing Olympics

China on Monday announced that it will restrain selling tickets to the general public for the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics.As per the organizers, the move comes amid community infections of the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant that have been expanding in China, reported Kyodo News.Spectator tickets for the sporting event, slated to start February 4, are expected to be distributed to a limited number of people through government organizations and state-run companies to prevent the further outbreak of COVID-19 at home.The decision indicated that President Xi Jinping, who has been eager to cement his grip to secure a controversial third term as the leader at the Communist Party's twice-a-decade congress in fall, has given up hosting the Beijing Olympics in complete form, pundits said, reported Kyodo News.In a speech online Monday at a session of the World Economic Forum, Xi was quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency as expressing confidence that China will ...

China blames lone Beijing Omicron case on mail from Canada, US

The detection ahead of February 4 Beijing Winter Olympics sent officials on a leather hunt to prevent it from spreading

China Covid update: Beijing single omicron case draws national attention

A 26-year-old woman in China's capital Beijing who contracted the omicron strain of COVID-19 has drawn national attention on social media for her shopping trips

China anti-virus measures in full-force after Beijing reports Omicron case

Beijing's first reported case of the omicron variant has prompted stepped-up measures in the nation's capital, just weeks before it hosts the Winter Olympic Games. Following the positive test announced Saturday, more than 13,000 people and all places visited by the patient over the previous days have been tested, according to state media. The person's apartment complex and workplace have been sealed off. The infected person lives and works in the city's northwestern district of Haidian and had no travel history outside of Beijing for the past two weeks, according to state media. State media on Monday reported the capital, with its 20 million residents, was considering stronger restrictions on travel. All transit links with Tianjin have already been severed. International flights have been sharply reduced and domestic travellers have been barred if they transferred to a second location before arriving in Beijing. No new cases were reported in Beijing on Monday, although the nearby c

US to ban all flights to China ahead of Beijing Winter Olympics

The US will be banning all commercial flights to China from January 19 as Beijing tries to keep coronavirus infections at bay ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics

Russian President Putin to attend Beijing Olympics opening ceremony

Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Beijing and hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 4

Beijing Games organisers back Covid-19 controls despite Omicron concerns

China has reported some cases of the more infectious Omicron variant of the coronavirus as it battles small-scale outbreaks in several regions, less than a month before the Games are due to kick off

Beijing indicts Chinese activists for discussing 'human rights' at meeting

China has indicted twenty or so lawyers and activists who gathered at a rental villa near the Chinese seaside for discussing besieged human rights movement.Chris Buckley, writing in The New York Times said that a weekend get-together in 2019 offered Beijing a chance to deliver a blow to the "rights defence" movement. Now, two key participants face the prospect of years in prison.The two best-known attendees -- Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi -- are awaiting trial on subversion charges related to the gathering, according to indictments.Get-togethers like this, once common among Chinese rights campaigners, have become increasingly risky under Xi Jinping's hard-line rule.Under him, many journals, research organizations and groups that once sustained independent-minded activists in China have been dissolved, said Buckley.As he prepares to extend his era in power, those who still speak out are wondering how China's human rights movement can survive a tightening ring of monitoring, house arrest, .

N Korea won't attend Beijing Olympics, blames Covid and 'hostile forces'

In a letter to China, North Korea blamed "hostile forces" and COVID-19 risks for not being able to attend the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing

Beijing studying Soviet Union collapse to prevent disintegration of China

China is still learning the lessons from the collapse of the Soviet Union that happened in December 1991 to prevent the disintegration of the communist rule country under Xi Jinping.Dr Laksiri Fernando writing in the Sri Lankan paper Sunday Island questioned What happened 30 years ago in the Soviet Union? Will it happen in China?The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has written thousands of internal papers, held study sessions and even produced a documentary about the downfall of its former rival and ideological cousin, wrote Rebecca Armitage in ABC News.The Chinese Communist Party, already one of the longest-ruling political parties (72 years) in the world, is determined to avoid the scrap heap of history."Why did the Soviet Union disintegrate?" Chinese leader Xi Jinping asked party officials in a leaked speech in 2012.The CCP has made a bid to outlive the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. China has learnt three lessons from the Soviet Union collapse - Embrace capitalism with Chinese .

IOC president Bach confident of safe, secure Winter Olympics in Beijing

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach expressed confidence in a successful Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

US allies divided over Biden's diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics

Ahead of Beijing's Winter Olympics starting February next year, allies and partners of the United States are reportedly divided over the Biden admin's decision to diplomatically boycott the games

Japan says will not send government delegation to Beijing Olympics

Japan announced Friday it won't send a delegation of ministers to represent the government at the Beijing Games