Page 13 - China

Takaichi's 'work, work, work' pledge named Japan's catchphrase of the year

The pledge by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to work, work, work, work and work for her country has been named the catchphrase of the year, recognising the effort Japan's first female leader had to make to reach the top. The ultraconservative Takaichi uttered the phase in October when she was elected as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Many were initially as worried about her work ethic as supportive of her enthusiasm. In a country notorious for long working hours, especially for working women who are also burdened with homemaking and caregiving, overwork is a sensitive topic. The recognition triggered a mixed reaction, with some interpreting it as satire. Accepting her award from a private committee this week, Takaichi said she only wanted to stress her enthusiasm. I have no intention of encouraging other people to overwork, or suggesting long working hours as a virtue, Takaichi said. I hope there is no misunderstanding. Takaichi, within weeks of taking office

China's Xi, France's Macron pledge cooperation on global crises, trade

China and France pledged deeper cooperation on global issues like the war in Ukraine and trade, as France prepares to take on the presidency of the Group of Seven next year. French President Emmanuel Macron met with China's Xi Jinping on Thursday morning as part of a three-day state visit focusing on trade and diplomacy. France seeks help to end Ukraine war --------------------------------------- The French leader is seeking to involve Beijing in pressuring Russia toward a ceasefire with Ukraine after a recent burst of diplomacy around a U.S.-led peace plan. We are facing the risk of the disintegration of the international order that brought peace to the world for decades, and in this context, the dialogue between China and France is even more essential than ever, Macron said Thursday. I hope that China will join our call, our efforts to achieve, as soon as possible, at the very least a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes targeting critical infrastructure, he said.

Macron eyes energy cooperation, Airbus deals and 'pandas' on China visit

French President Emmanuel Macron's three-day China visit brings top ministers and CEOs as France pushes for progress on energy, trade, agriculture and panda diplomacy

Xi courts Emmanuel Macron in diplomatic efforts to isolate Japan's Takaichi

A three-day visit that kicks off Wednesday comes as the democratically-ruled island claimed by Beijing is back in the spotlight

Taiwan records 10 PLA aircraft, 6 PLAN vessels around its territory

Sharing the details in a post on X, MND said that 4 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern ADIZ

US to deepen minerals supply chain with 8 nations in AI race with China

The initiative, which builds on efforts dating back to the first Trump administration, unfolds as the US looks to cut dependence on China

Taiwan observes 9 Chinese aircraft, 11 naval vessels around its territory

Taiwan had recorded the presence of 27 PLA aircraft, 11 PLAN vessels and 3 official ships operating around its territory on Sunday

China's factory activity slumps for longest stretch on record in Nov

The official manufacturing purchasing managers' index was 49.2, remaining below the 50 mark that separates growth and contraction for an eighth month

Alibaba's cloud growth highlights China's two-speed economy, tech ambitions

The concerns are well founded in the context of larger general questions about the lack of killer AI apps and solid ways to achieve profitability

China's EV profit distress fuels market anxiety over challenging 2026

The sector was riding high - with Xpeng Inc.'s year-to-date gain exceeding 130 per cent earlier this month. But signs of pressure at even established firms like BYD Co. have raised new questions

Beijing urges France to back one-China policy during feud with Japan

China has tried to rally diplomatic support during its dispute with Japan by sending a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last week accusing Takaichi of violating international law

China warns of bubble risk in booming humanoid robotics industry

The authorities will speed up efforts to build mechanisms for market entry and exit to create an environment of fair competition, Li said at the briefing

11 killed, 2 injured after train hits railway workers in China's Yunnan

Following the crash, railways and local government authorities immediately activated their emergency response to manage rescue efforts

Explained: Why China's lead in open source AI models is a concern for US

Over 80 per cent of surveyed information technology decision-makers reported that at least a quarter of their company's AI platforms are based on open source

Taiwan detects 17 Chinese sorties, 6 naval vessels near its territory

Earlier on Wednesday, the MND detected 20 Chinese military sorties and five naval vessels in its territorial waters as of 6 am (local time)

Tesla chooses suppliers based on quality, not country, says executive

Tesla's procurement decisions are based on quality, total cost, technical maturity and the continuity of long-term supply, Grace Tao, a Tesla vice president in China, wrote on Weibo

Did Trump ask them to lower temperature on Taiwan? No comment, says Japan

Takaichi hasn't retracted remarks she made on Nov 7 that linked Japan's security to a Taiwan contingency, the first such instance for a sitting prime minister

Taiwan plans extra $40 billion in defence spending to counter China

China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, has ramped up military and political pressure over the past five years to assert its claims, which Taipei strongly rejects

China's pressure on Japan follows familiar tactics, could last for a while

Just days after China issued an advisory against travelling to Japan, the cancellations started. About 3,000 Chinese visit Rie Takeda's tearoom in an alley in Tokyo's historic Asakusa district every year. Some 200 have already cancelled bookings for her tea ceremony class, as far ahead as January. "I just hope the Chinese tourists return by Chinese New Year," she said, referring to the major holiday period in February. Past experience suggests it may take longer than that. China's government is turning to a well-used playbook to express its displeasure with Japan for refusing to retract a statement by its new prime minister on the hot-button issue of Taiwan. As with its tariffs on Australian wines in 2020, and restrictions on Philippine banana imports in 2012, Beijing is using its economic clout to pressure Tokyo while also hurling a torrent of invective at its government. The only question is how far China will go and how long the measures will last. "China's countermeasures are

China asks airlines to extend Japan flight cuts until March 2026

Cancellations by would-be tourists are already extending through April 2026, according to data from China Trading Desk, a market researcher that specializes in China travel data