China

BEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday dismissed the decision by Canada and the United Kingdom to join Washington’s diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games as a “farce.”

China is also not concerned that the officials’ absence would spark a chain reaction, and numerous heads of state, government leaders and members of royal families have registered to attend, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing.

BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- China has made significant contributions to the successful conclusion of negotiations on the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on Services Domestic Regulation, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

China actively participated in the negotiations and took the initiative to put forward proposals, marking significant contributions to the successful conclusion of the negotiations, a MOC official said.

BEIJING, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's precise macro policies, stressing cross-cyclical adjustment, have proved to be an effective recipe for steady economic recovery this year despite headwinds from home and abroad.

China's economic performance has come under the global spotlight with its GDP for the first three quarters recorded at 9.8 percent, well above its annual growth target of over 6 percent.

BEIJING, Dec 7 (APP): China on Tuesday called on the international community to provide necessary support and assistance to Afghanistan. “We once again call on the international community to provide necessary support and assistance to Afghanistan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Zhao Lijian said during his regular briefing held here.

BEIJING, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday questioned the qualification of the United States that disregards democracy to hold a summit on democracy.

He said that the United States had failed to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic despite having the most abundant medical resources and the most advanced medical technologies.

BEIJING, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Tuesday questioned the qualification of the United States that disregards democracy to hold a summit on democracy.

He said that the United States had failed to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic despite having the most abundant medical resources and the most advanced medical technologies.

BEIJING, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade maintained growth momentum in the first 11 months of the year amid signs of global economic recovery and resilient demand.

During the Jan.-Nov. period, total imports and exports of the country expanded 22 percent year on year to 35.39 trillion yuan (5.55 trillion U.S. dollars), official data showed Tuesday.

The figure, already surpassing the 32.16-trillion-yuan total for all of 2020, marked a 24-percent increase from the pre-epidemic level in 2019, according to the General Administration of Customs.

BEIJING (AP) — China accused the United States of violating the Olympic spirit on Tuesday after the Biden administration announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Games over human rights concerns.

Rights groups have pushed for a full-blown boycott of the Games, accusing China of rights abuses against ethnic minorities. The U.S. decision falls short of those calls but comes at an exceptionally turbulent time for relations between the powerhouse nations and was met with a barrage of criticism from China.

HONG KONG (AP) — The bustling, cosmopolitan business hub of Hong Kong may be losing its shine among foreign companies and expatriates with its stringent anti-pandemic rules requiring up to 21 days of quarantine for new arrivals.

The restrictions are discouraging both visitors and business travelers and add to other challenges the semi-autonomous Chinese territory faces as Beijing exerts ever more control over the former British colony.

BEIJING (AP) — Asia stock markets followed Wall Street higher Tuesday as anxiety about the coronavirus’s latest variant eased.

Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong advanced. Oil prices gained for a second day.

Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 index gained 1.2% after the chief White House medical adviser said the omicron variant might be less dangerous. That might allow travel and business restrictions to ease.