Page 31 - China

China races to unlock secrets of longevity with billion-dollar drive

Longevity labs, 'immortality islands' and grapeseed pills are part of China's national project to conquer aging, despite sometimes shaky science and extravagant claims

Chinese company bags contract to print Nepal's Rs 1,000 bank notes

A Chinese company has bagged a contract to design and print 430 million pieces of Nepal's Rs 1,000 denomination banknotes, officials said on Saturday. Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) issued a letter of intent to the China Banknote Printing and Minting Corporation on Friday for the design, printing, supply and delivery of the notes, the bank officials said. The total project cost has been fixed at USD 16.985 million, according to the Currency Management Department of the bank. The Chinese company was selected on the basis of the lowest evaluated bid. The firm has previously printed Nepalese banknotes of Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 100, and Rs 500 denominations, the officials said.

Musk expects Tesla's full self-driving software to get China's nod in 2026

The Tesla system, known as FSD for short, has been partially approved in China since February. Before that Tesla owners could use a less advanced and cheaper autopilot option

Nvidia has no plans to ship AI chips to China amid standoff: Jensen Huang

The 62-year-old founder has repeatedly said he'd like to do more business in China, but political tensions between the American and Chinese governments have derailed those ambitions

China commissions new aircraft carrier as it seeks to extend power

China has commissioned its latest aircraft carrier after extensive sea trials, state media reported Friday, adding a ship that experts say will help what is already the world's largest navy expand its power farther beyond its own waters. The official Xinhua news agency reported Friday that the Fujian was commissioned in Sanya on Hainan island on Wednesday in a ceremony attended by top leader Xi Jinping. The Fujian is China's third carrier and the first that it both designed and built itself. It is perhaps the most visible example so far of leader Xi Jinping's massive military overhaul and expansion that aims to have a modernized force by 2035 and one that is world class by mid century which most take to mean capable of going toe-to-toe with the United States. With it, Beijing takes another step toward closing the gap with the US Navy and its carrier fleet and network of bases that allow it to maintain a presence around the world. Carriers are key to Chinese leadership's vision of

Norway transport firm tightens security after Chinese buses found hackable

A leading Norwegian public transport operator has said it will introduce stricter security requirements and step up anti-hacking measures after a test on new Chinese-made electric buses showed the manufacturer could remotely turn them off. Transport operator Ruter said test results published last week showed that Chinese bus maker Yutong Group had access to their control systems for software updates and diagnostics. In theory, this could be exploited to affect the bus," it said. The tests with buses driven in underground mines to strip away external signals were conducted both on brand-new Yutong buses and on three-year old vehicles from Dutch bus manufacturer VDL, the company said. It said the tests showed that the Dutch buses didn't have the ability to conduct over-the-air software updates, while the Chinese-made buses did. Yutong did not immediately respond to requests from The Associated Press on Wednesday seeking comment. The Guardian newspaper, which reported on the issue,

China bans foreign AI chips in state-funded data centres amid US tensions

Under the new directive, China has ordered data centres that are less than 30 per cent complete to remove foreign chips and scrap any plans to buy them

Rapeseed planting to hit record high on good weather, Chinese demand

The combined planting area for rapeseed and closely related mustard is expected to increase by 7% to 8% this year

Imports of seamless pipes, tubes from China rise two-fold in FY25: Report

Imports of seamless pipes and tubes from China have increased by more than two-fold annually to 4.97 lakh metric tonnes in FY25, according to domestic manufacturers' body STMAI. The country had imported 2.44 lakh metric tonnes of seamless pipes and tubes from China in the preceding financial year. Imports in FY23 were 1.47 lakh tonnes as against the total shipment of 82,528 metric tonnes in the fiscal year 2021-22, the industry data showed. Seamless Tube Manufacturers' Association of India (STMAI) President Shiv Kumar Singhal said that imports of Chinese pipes have increased nearly five-fold in the last fiscal year compared to that of FY22. "Chinese pipe imports have increased exponentially over time...despite strong support from the Indian government through various safeguard measures aimed at protecting the domestic seamless pipe industry. These efforts have proven largely ineffective in curbing imports from China," Singhal explained. Chinese players are dumping seamless pipes i

India loses top spot to China in QS Asia University Rankings 2026

India has been overtaken by China as the most represented country in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, even as it maintained leadership in research productivity and faculty strength.

Trump's bipolar G2 dream is fundamentally unstable, lacks global influence

What is clear is that both G1 and G2 know that their field of geographical dominance cannot increase any more than it already has

China's Xi seeks to boost investment, deepen economic ties with Russia

Xi met Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People, a day after Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a meeting with Mishustin in Hangzhou

Boyu Capital seeks around $1.4 billion loan for Starbucks China takeover

Starbucks announced on Tuesday that it will sell a majority stake in its China retail operations, which are valued at $4 billion

China started reducing reliance on the West years before Trump tariffs

Two decades of sustained effort to build national self-reliance and minimize imports have antagonized trade partners but fortified what a senior adviser called Beijing's "bulwark" against conflicts

Starbucks sells 60% stake in China retail business in $4 billion deal

Starbucks has said it is forming a joint venture with Chinese investment firm Boyu Capital to operate Starbucks stores in China. Under the agreement, Boyu will pay USD 4 billion to acquire a 60 per cent interest in Starbucks' retail operations in China. Starbucks will retain a 40 per cent interest in the joint venture and will own and licence the Starbucks brand. Starbucks entered China almost 30 years ago, and has been credited with growing coffee culture in the country. China is Starbucks' second-largest market outside the US, with 8,000 locations. But in recent years, the Seattle coffee giant has struggled in China with cheap, fast-growing Chinese startups like Luckin Coffee. As a result, Starbucks has been looking for a partner to help it grow its business in China, particularly in smaller cities. In July, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said the company was evaluating around 20 offers for a stake in the company.

Thomas Cook, SOTC revive China tours as Indian travel demand surges

New China portfolio by Thomas Cook India and SOTC offers curated itineraries for leisure, MICE, and bleisure travellers as demand rebounds with renewed flight connectivity

As China ages, inheritance transfers give rise to family disputes

With the Chinese society aging and the slowing economy, the middle class is starting to argue over money as well, tearing apart long-held social norms such as family harmony and filial duty

Pressure and burnout shadow Xiaomi's rapid pivot from smartphones to EVs

In April, Chinese media reported that Xiaomi was requiring employees to work at least 11.5 hours a day, and those who worked less than eight hours were told to submit a formal explanation

China's October factory growth slows as new orders weaken: PMI data

On the price side, the divergence of rising raw material prices and falling finished goods prices remains, keeping corporate profit margins under pressure

Taiwan reports 5 PLAN vessels, 6 PLA aircraft sorties near territory

MND stated that one out of the six sorties crossed the median line and entered the country's eastern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone