China

BEIJING, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- China's Mars probe Tianwen-1 is currently more than 100 million km away from Earth and is functioning normally, according to the China National Space Administration on Tuesday.

As of 9 p.m. on Monday (Beijing Time), the Mars probe had flown in space for 144 days and traveled more than 360 million km. It was more than 100 million km away from Earth and about 12 million km away from Mars.

The Mars probe will likely be about 190 million km away from Earth when it reaches the vicinity of Mars.

BEIJING, Dec 13 (APP): A new batch of the Chinese students enrolled in the Urdu Department of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) in the current academic year started from September reflects that the Urdu language learning is becoming a new trend in China.

“This batch of 16 students, currently studying in Urdu Department of BFSU, came in September this year. We have a new batch in every fourth year,” Zhou Yuan, Head of Urdu Department, School of Asian and African Studies, Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) said on Sunday.

BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- The number of China-Europe freight trains hit 1,238 in November, up 64 percent year on year, data from the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. showed.

The freight trains have played a crucial role in helping stabilize the international logistics supply chain, transporting 115,000 20-foot equivalent units of cargo last month, up 73 percent from a year earlier, according to the company.

Increasing demand for the freight trains came amid China's economic recovery and limited international air and sea transport during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has stressed adhering to systematic thinking in building a holistic national security architecture.

Xi made the remarks Friday while presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on national security.

BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese space capsule bringing back the first moon rocks in more than four decades started its three-day return to Earth on Sunday.

The Chang’e 5 lunar probe, which had been orbiting the moon for about a week, fired up four engines for about 22 minutes to move out of the moon’s orbit, the China National Space Administration said in a social media post.

HONG KONG, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced late Thursday the cancellation of visa-free visit arrangement for holders of U.S. diplomatic passports with immediate effect.

The move followed the central government's counter-measure against the United States.

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media tycoon Jimmy Lai has been charged under the city’s national security law, amid a widening crackdown on dissent, according to local media reports.

Lai, who founded the Apple Daily tabloid, was charged on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces and endangering national security, local broadcaster TVB reported Friday. He is the most high-profile person to be charged under the law since it was implemented in June.

BEIJING, Dec 10 (APP): China’s leading AI company will launch an AI Outbound Calling System for Epidemic Prevention and Control in Pakistan against COVID-19.

“We are to launch an AI Outbound Calling System for Epidemic Prevention and Control in Pakistan next month as the second wave of coronavirus grips Pakistan,” noted iFLYTEK, a Chinese company well-known for its AI products and their sector-based applications, while attending the 12th China Overseas Investment Fair (COIFAIR for short) recently.

BEIJING, Dec 10 (APP): A Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Spokesperson on Thursday reiterated that the India side was totally responsible for the current standoff between the troops of two countries on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

“The merits of the situation at the border area are very clear and the responsibility totally lies with the Indian side,” Hua Chunying said in response to remarks of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar about China-India border situation, during her regular briefing held here.

Beijing, Dec 10 (AP-PTI) China's government on Thursday slapped more taxes on wine from Australia, stepping up pressure in a bitter diplomatic conflict over the coronavirus, territorial disputes and other irritants.

China, Australia's biggest export market, already has blocked imports of its wine, barley, beef and other goods since the Australian government expressed support for a probe into the origin of the coronavirus pandemic that began in China last December.