Page 5 - China

Xi Jinping helps Trump on Iran war as China assists in ceasefire bid

Hours after a ceasefire publicly brokered by Pakistan was announced, Iranian officials reportedly credited a last-minute push by China with securing their acceptance, a claim soon validated by Trump

China calculates its next steps in Iran ceasefire ahead of Trump's visit

With a fragile ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran holding for now, China is calculating its role in helping find a durable endgame to the war in the Middle East. After prodding China, which is more reliant on Persian Gulf oil than the US, to get involved in reopening the choked-off Strait of Hormuz, US President Donald Trump told French news outlet Agence France-Presse this week that he believed China played a part in encouraging Iran to agree to this week's temporary truce. Three diplomats who were familiar with China's behind-the-scenes efforts also confirmed that Beijing, the biggest purchaser of Iranian oil, used its leverage to urge the Iranians back to the negotiating table. It was a major moment for Beijing, which had decried the US and Israel's war against its economic partner Iran as misguided before getting directly involved in the push to call off the fighting, including discouraging strikes by Iran. Talks between the sides are expected to begin in Pakistan this

China denies reports of support to Iran's military during war with US

China's Defence Ministry on Thursday denied reports that Chinese firms provided satellite imagery and semiconductor chip manufacturing equipment to the Iranian military in the midst of the US-Israeli war against Iran. China firmly opposes the dissemination of speculative and insinuating disinformation targeting China by relevant parties, Defence Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said. He was responding to questions on reports stating that Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) had provided chip manufacturing equipment to the Iranian military, and a Chinese commercial satellite company had released images of US military bases in the Middle East. Zhang said China firmly rejected remarks by US officials who claimed they were aware of actions taken by China and Russia to help Iran and would respond if necessary. "China's position on the Iran issue is above-board and straightforward. We have always upheld an objective and impartial stance," Zhang said, noting th

China's supercomputing centre may have suffered major data breach: Report

The data has reportedly been stolen from the National Supercomputing Centre in Tianjin (NSCC), a major computing hub that supports more than 6,000 users

Chinese oil tankers join line to test hormuz exit amid US-Iran ceasefire

A successful crossing is not yet guaranteed, as several vessels have turned back at the last moment and there has been little change in traffic over the past day

How China is becoming the world's most powerful opposition to US power

Like any ambitious opposition party, Beijing is pointing out the weaknesses of the incumbent while portraying itself as a steadier, more predictable partner with fresh ideas

Chinese officials likely encouraged Iran to find path to ceasefire with US

China, which is Tehran's biggest trade partner, spoke with the Iranians to get them on board to look for a path toward a ceasefire in war with the US, sources said. Chinese officials were in touch with Iranian officials as the negotiations were evolving, two officials who were not authorised to comment publicly spoke on condition of anonymity. Beijing primarily had been working with intermediaries, including Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt, as it tried to use its influence, said one of the officials. The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier Tuesday, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said, "All parties need to demonstrate sincerity and quickly end this war that should not have happened in the first place." She said China was "deeply concerned" about the impact the conflict has on the world economy and energy security.

Iran conflict may ease China deflation fears, dimming rate cut bets

Unlike most economies, China didn't see the sharp spurt in inflation that followed reopening from the pandemic

Taiwan Oppn leader visits China for talks as Beijing pushes reunification

Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun arrived in China on Tuesday at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, in what she's calling a "journey for peace" as Beijing pushes for the self-ruled island to come under its control. The visit is the first by a Taiwanese opposition leader in a decade and comes ahead of a meeting in Beijing between Xi and US President Donald Trump scheduled to take place in May. Meanwhile, Taiwan's opposition-controlled parliament has stalled attempts by its government to pass a USD 40 billion special defence budget, expected to fund arms deals with the United States and the development of Taiwan's indigenous defence industry. China claims the self-ruled island as its own territory and has not excluded the use of force to take it. Beijing has been ramping up its military pressure against the island by sending warplanes and naval vessels near it almost daily, while its military occasionally stages live-fire drills around the island, the latest in December. Th

Russia, China veto UN resolution on Hormuz ahead of Trump's deadline

Russia and China on Tuesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz that had been repeatedly watered down in hopes those two countries would abstain. The vote - 11 in favour, two against and two abstentions - took place just hours before an 8 pm Eastern deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to open the strategic waterway or face attacks on its power plants and bridges. One-fifth of the world's oil typically passes through the strait, and Iran's stranglehold during the war has sent energy prices soaring. It's doubtful the resolution, even if it had been adopted, would have impacted the war, now in its fifth week, because it was been significantly weakened to try to get Russia and China to abstain rather than veto it. The initial Bahrain proposal would have authorised countries to use "all necessary means" - UN wording that would include military action - to ensure transit through the Strait of Hormuz and deter attempts to close ...

China hikes gasoline, diesel prices for second time in fortnight

China on Tuesday announced an increase in gasoline and diesel prices for the second time in about a fortnight due to rising international oil prices triggered by the ongoing war in West Asia. China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), announced that the new round of price hikes will take effect from Wednesday. China already increased gasoline and diesel prices on March 23 as part of preparations for a fuel crisis amid apprehensions around the current US-Israel-Iran war. Since the adjustment of domestic oil prices in late March, international crude oil prices have experienced significant fluctuations, the NDRC said in a statement. Because of control measures, the prices of gasoline and diesel will increase by 420 yuan (USD 61) and 400 yuan (USD 58) per tonne, respectively, it said. China's three biggest oil companies, namely China National Petroleum Corporation, China Petrochemical Corporation and China National Offshore Oil Corporation, as

Trump floats seizing Iran oil as he weighs expanding US energy dominance

Trump's proposal reflects push for energy dominance, but raises risks of deeper conflict and global fallout

OpenAI, Anthropic, Google join hands to combat AI model copying in China

Rare collaboration signals concern that China-based users are cloning their AI models, threatening prices, stealing customers, and raising serious national security risks

Not China's war, but Beijing's long-term energy strategy is paying off

Long concerned about geopolitical crises, China redoubled efforts to secure energy security when US President Trump started raising the stakes in his first term

Trump may be remembered as the US president who lost Asia to China

As US policy grows more erratic, developing nations increasingly see China's steady- if mercantilist- approach as the more reliable bet, reflected in rising adoption of Chinese technology across world

All talk, no walk, China shock: Coal gasification edge becomes clear

China patiently invested capital, skill and technology in coal gasification. Unlike it, we won't move from words to action. As crude prices decline, we lose interest

Ship carrying Iranian oil shifts course from India to China, says Kpler

Iranian crude tanker reroutes from Gujarat to China amid tightening payment terms, underscoring rising sensitivity of oil trade flows during West Asia tensions

China charts a different path on AI: Late-mover advantage holds promise

For India, it may be prudent to focus on applications that advance economic and social aims rather than chase the magic bullet of AGI

China to regulate 'digital humans', bans addictive services for children

China proposes strict rules for digital humans, mandating labels, curbing misuse and protecting minors amid rapid AI expansion