United States (US) President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have begun their first direct talks since November, amid growing US concern over Beijing’s relationship with Russia and its stance on the increasingly brutal war in Ukraine.Biden and Xi began speaking at 13:00 GMT on Friday, the White House said, amid warnings from Washington that China may be considering providing military support to Russia.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday the country will "stick with" its zero-COVID strategy, state TV reported, as the world's most populous nation battles its largest outbreak since the early days of the pandemic.The country where the virus emerged in late 2019 has largely kept subsequent outbreaks under control thanks to a combination of strict border controls, lengthy quarantines and targeted lockdowns, and has not reported any coronavirus-related deaths for over a y

China, the country where the coronavirus was first detected in 2019, is among the last remaining devotees to a zero-COVID approach to the pandemic.But after two years of virtually closed borders, mass testing, targeted lockdowns and quarantines, the strategy is being stress-tested like never before as cases surge across the country.With millions currently under lockdown, can China's approach hold out against the march of the Omicron variant?What Is Zero-COVID?China essentially closed its

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February was the beginning of a third world war that has the potential to destroy our civilization.

With war raging in Ukraine, China’s annual “Two Sessions” convey an image of a country in denial. As the Communist Party and its advisory body gather in Beijing this month, there has been little or no mention of a seismic disruption in the world order – an omission that is all the more glaring in view of China’s deep-rooted sense of its unique place in history. With its unabashed great power aspirations, modern China may well be at a decisive juncture.

Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had met face-to-face in Beijing, culminating in a joint document – and then they went off to see the opening of the Winter Olympic Games. Days after the Games ended, Russia invaded Ukraine.China's government has neither condemned nor condoned the attack and has even refrained from calling it an "invasion" in the first place.

President Xi Jinping declared the Beijing Winter Olympics open Friday as China tried to turn the page on a build-up overshadowed by human rights concerns, COVID and a United States (US)-led diplomatic boycott.Fireworks exploded over the "Bird's Nest" as the lattice-shaped stadium took centre stage, just as it did at the 2008 Games, as Beijing becomes the first city to host both a Summer and Winter Olympics.Xi, under whose rule China has adopted a more muscular attitude internat

China has faced criticism for its lending practices to poorer countries, accused of leaving them struggling to repay debts and therefore vulnerable to pressure from Beijing.But that is rejected by China, which accuses some in the West of promoting this narrative to tarnish its image.It says: "There is not a single country that has fallen into [a] so-called 'debt trap' as a result of borrowing from China."What Do We Know About China's Lending?China is one of the world&

Chen Kun was living in Indonesia with his wife and daughter when he learned from his brother Mei’s boss that he had been “taken away for investigation” by Chinese police.He immediately suspected it was to do with his brother’s website, a citizen news project called Terminus 2049.

Two dangerous flashpoints, in Europe and Asia, could bring the United States (US), Russia, and China into open conflict. The crises over Ukraine and Taiwan can be resolved, but all parties must respect the others’ legitimate security interests. Acknowledging those interests objectively will provide the basis for a lasting de-escalation of tensions. Consider Ukraine.