Page 9 - Beijing

Himalayan Airlines resumes flight from Kathmandu to Beijing after 3 years

The Himalayan Airlines, a joint venture between Nepal and China, on Saturday resumed its direct flight between Kathmandu and Beijing after a three-year interval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an official statement. Bishnu Pukar Shrestha, Ambassador of Nepal to the People's Republic of China, flew to Beijing in the resumed first direct flight of the Himalayan Airlines, according to a press release issued by the Nepal Embassy in Beijing. "We are pleased to announce that Himalaya Airlines (H9) is re-launching its flight operation between Kathmandu- Beijing- Kathmandu every Saturdays starting from June 24, 2023, which was on halt due to COVID-19 Pandemic, said the statement issued by issued by the Himalayan Airline. In a statement, Nepal's Embassy in Beijing said: "The resumption of direct flight between Kathmandu and Beijing plays a significant role in promoting tourism, socio-economic and cultural relations between Nepal and China".

Beijing sizzles under heat wave, authorities ask people to stay indoors

Beijing and parts of northern China are experiencing record temperatures, with authorities urging people to limit their time outdoors. The Nanjiao observatory in southern Beijing on Saturday for the first time recorded temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for a third consecutive day, according to the China Meteorological Administration. In nearby Hebei province and the port city of Tianji, temperatures have also soared above 40 C over the past few days, prompting authorities to issue red alerts for extreme weather. In China's four-tier weather alert system, the red indicates the most severe conditions. On Thursday, Beijing experienced its second-hottest day on record with temperatures soaring to 41.1 C (106 F). It was also the highest temperature ever recorded in China's capital during the month of June. Beijing's all-time high of 41.9 C (107 F), since modern records began, occurred on July 24, 1999. Chinese meteorologists say the current heat wave has

Blinken begins talks in Beijing on mission to ease US-China tensions

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has opened a second and final day of critical meetings with senior Chinese officials as the two sides expressed willingness to talk but showed little inclination to bend on hardened positions that have sent tensions soaring. Blinken was meeting Monday morning with China's top diplomat Wang Yi and an encounter with President Xi Jinping was still in the cards before he departs in the late evening. Neither Blinken nor Wang made any comment to reporters as they greeted each other and sat for their discussion. In the first round of talks on Sunday, Blinken met for nearly six hours with Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang after which both countries said they had agreed to continue high-level discussions. However, there was no sign that any of the most fractious issues between them were closer to resolution. The two sides both said Qin had accepted an invitation from Blinken to visit Washington but Beijing made clear that the China-U.S. relationship is a

Beijing to cover IVF, fertility treatments to boost China's birth rate

Starting July 1, services ranging from sperm optimisation to in-vitro fertilisation will be reimbursed in 16 medical facilities, CCTV reported, citing the Beijing Municipal Medical Insurance Bureau

Here's why Messi was detained by Chinese authorities at Beijing airport

A video shows Lionel Messi standing in the Beijing airport, holding his passport, surrounded by a group of police officers

Russian PM to visit China amid criticism of Western arms sales to Ukraine

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will visit Beijing next week for talks, China's Foreign Ministry said Friday, marking the latest exchange in a relationship in which Russia is becoming increasingly reliant on China for economic and diplomatic support. During the visit, the two sides will have an in-depth exchange of views on practical cooperation in bilateral relations and issues of common concern, ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing. We look forward to further strengthening cooperation between the two sides, deepening people-to-people and local exchanges (and) injecting strong momentum into the recovery of the world economy, Wang added. Mishustin's visit is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Meanwhile, China's Deputy Permanent U.N. Representative Geng Shuang again criticised Western arms sales to Ukraine, saying it would only lead to escalation, more civilian casualties and displacement, and make it harder to obtain a ceasefire and start peace ...

Beijing had access to app data: Fired ByteDance executive in law suit

A former executive fired from TikTok's parent company ByteDance made a raft of accusations against the tech giant Friday, including that it stole content from competitors like Instagram and Snapchat, and served as a "propaganda tool" for the Chinese government by suppressing or promoting content favourable to the country's interests. The allegations were made in a complaint Friday by Yintao Yu, the head of engineering for ByteDance's US operations from August 2017 to November 2018, as part of a wrongful termination lawsuit filed earlier this month in San Francisco Superior Court. Yu claims he was fired for disclosing "wrongful conduct" he saw at the company. In the complaint, Yu alleges the Chinese government monitored ByteDance's work from within its Beijing headquarters and provided guidance on advancing "core communist values." Yu said government officials had the ability to turn off the Chinese version of ByteDance's apps, and maintained access to all company data, including ...

US companies based in China grow more pessimistic about bilateral ties

Ties between the two countries have worsened in recent months, with Chinese President in March criticizing the US for what he called a strategy of "containment and suppression"

Beijing hospital fire death toll rises to 29 as public anger grows

Public anger quickly mounted over how such a tragedy had taken place - and at a location less than seven miles away from Tiananmen Square - along with a dearth of media reports about the events

Beijing to impose no-fly zone north of Taiwan for 'aerospace activities

As tensions between Taiwan and China continue to escalate, Taiwan recently tracked the People's Liberation Army's 91 aircraft and 12 naval ships from 6 am on Monday (April 10) to Tuesday (April 11)

Honduras cuts diplomatic ties with Taiwan, paves way for ties with Beijing

Honduras has cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, Chinese state media reported Sunday, paving the way for the Latin American country to establish a formal relationship with Beijing. The announcement by Honduras's foreign ministry on Saturday, which was reported by China's CCTV, comes amid rising tensions between Beijing and the United States, including over China's increasing assertiveness toward self-ruled Taiwan. The move leaves Taiwan recognized by only 13 sovereign states. Honduras is the ninth diplomatic ally that Taipei has lost to Beijing since pro-independence President Tsai Ing-wen first took office in May 2016. China and Taiwan have been locked in a battle for diplomatic recognition since the sides split amid civil war in 1949, with Beijing spending billions to win recognition for its One China policy. China claims Taiwan is part of its territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary, and refuses most contacts with countries that maintain formal ties with the

Apple CEO praises China's innovation, history of cooperation during visit

Cook is in Beijing to attend the China Development Forum, a government-organised event being held again in full force after the country ended its Covid controls late last year

Beijing's population declines for first time in 19 years, shows report

For the first time in 19 years, Beijing witnessed a drop in its population drop in 2022, according to a media report

Taiwan's chip exports sputter on US-China tensions, falling demand

The total amount of semiconductors Taiwan shipped worldwide declined 17.3% last month from a year ago

Beijing asks bankrupt Pakistan to release dues for CPEC power firms

The Chinese embassy has asked Pakistan to release overdue payments to the tune of $1.5 bn to Chinese Independent Power Plants working under the mega $64 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Beijing monitors share prices of Indian companies linked to Chinese biz

China's financial market regulators are monitoring the over valuation of India-listed companies which have business dealings with Chinese-origin companies in Asia, following a recent dispute settlement of two firms from both countries, informed sources said on Friday. The sources cited a judgement by the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) this month, involving India's Kiri Industries and DyStar Global Holdings (Singapore), a subsidiary of the world's largest dye manufacturer from China. The Hong Kong-based sources pointed out that Kiri's hope for a USD 603.8-million buyout of its stake by DyStar is looking dim. The deal, as per the sources, is the buyout of Kiri's 37.57 per cent interest in Dystar which was valued at USD 603.8 million. China's regulatory approvals for such a massive outflow of funds is unlikely, as regulators in Beijing are convinced that the Indian company's stake is highly overpriced due to speculative play in share prices. Hong Kong-based Senda ...

UK PM Rishi Sunak takes nuanced approach to China threat in defence plan

It's a regime that is increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad and has a desire to reshape the world order," Sunak told reporters on his way to the US Sunday

Beijing to increase unification pressure on Taiwan, says US spy agencies

As Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his third term, Beijing will continue to press Taiwan on unification and try to undercut US influence in the region, according to an annual report

Beijing's air quality deteriorates amid dust storm, heavy pollution

Skyscrapers in Beijing disappeared into the haze and air quality plummeted as China's capital was enveloped in a dust storm and heavy pollution on Friday. Concentrations of the tiny PM 2.5 particles that can reach deep into the lungs and bloodstream entered a dangerous range on air quality monitoring sites, with the IQAir website showing an air quality index of 1,093, a hazardous level, many times higher than what are considered unhealthy levels. Beijing was formerly notorious for its terrible air quality, but conditions had much improved in recent years as authorities took heavily polluting vehicles off the roads and moved coal-fired power plants and heavy industry to the surrounding provinces. The capital also used to be known for regular springtime dust and sandstorms caused by winds blowing in from the loess hills along the upper sections of the Yellow River to the west. Anti-desertification efforts have helped reduce both the frequency and intensity of the storms that had ofte

China's foreign minister warns of conflict unless US changes course

China's foreign minister has warned Washington of conflict and confrontation if it fails to change course in relations with Beijing, striking a combative tone amid conflicts over Taiwan, COVID-19 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Qin Gang's language appeared to defy hopes China's might abandon confrontational wolf warrior rhetoric. It followed an accusation by Chinese leader Xi Jinping that Western governments led by the United States were trying to encircle and suppress China. Washington's China policy has entirely deviated from the rational and sound track, Qin said at a news conference Tuesday during annual meeting of China's ceremonial legislature. China's relations with Washington and Japan, India and other Asian neighbours have soured as Xi's government has pursued assertive policies abroad. If the United States does not hit the brake, but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing and there surely will be conflict and confrontation,