International

China told its citizens yesterday to evacuate from Iran “as soon as possible”, and those in Israel to strengthen preparedness, citing a significant rise in security risks in the Middle East.“Chinese nationals currently in Iran are advised to strengthen safety precautions and evacuate as soon as possible,” the foreign ministry said in a social media statement. The US on the same day authorised the departure of non-emergency embassy staff from Israel, as it threatened strikes on Iran and pressed its biggest military build-up in the Middle East in decades. The US military is building up its forces in the region, with the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, due to arrive off the coast of key US-ally Israel. This came a day after Oman-mediated talks between Iran and the US — which have been seen as a last-ditch bid to avert war — though initial optimism was tempered by Tehran warning Washington must drop “excessive demands” to reach a deal. Beijing’s foreign ministry told its citizens yesterday to avoid travelling to Iran for the time being “in light of the current security situation”. The foreign ministry added that its Chinese embassies and consulates in Iran and neighbouring countries will provide “necessary assistance” to Chinese citizens seeking to relocate via commercial flights or overland routes. China’s embassy in Israel, meanwhile, warned its citizens to remain highly vigilant, strengthen emergency preparedness, and avoid going out unless necessary, state broadcaster CCTV said. They should “familiarise themselves in advance with nearby bomb shelters and evacuation routes to ensure personal and property safety”, CCTV added.

China will buy up to 120 aircraft from European aviation giant Airbus, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said following talks with President Xi Jinping in Beijing Wednesday.Merz's visit comes as Berlin and Beijing seek to build on their decades-old economic ties to weather global uncertainty sparked by US President Donald Trump's tariff blitz and other erratic foreign policy moves.China, the world's number two economy, overtook the US last year to become Germany's biggest trade partner. At the same time, Berlin regards the Communist Party-run state as a systemic rival to the West.Following talks with top Chinese leaders, Merz told reporters that China had agreed to purchase "up to 120" Airbus aircraft, adding that it "demonstrates how worthwhile such trips can be".Other contracts were in the pipeline, Merz added.Earlier in the day, Merz and Xi stressed their commitment to developing closer strategic relations, with the German leader saying he saw the trip as a "great opportunity" to boost economic ties.Xi, in turn, told Merz he was willing to take their ties to "new levels".Merz said that in his meetings he also touched on the sensitive topic Taiwan, the self-ruled island China claims as part of its territory and which it has not ruled out the use of force to annex.Any "reunification" must be done peacefully, Merz said.He also discussed the Ukraine war with Xi, who according to state news agency Xinhua said diplomacy was "key to the issue"."Xi noted the necessity of ensuring the equal participation of all parties to lay a solid foundation for peace, (and) addressing the legitimate concerns of all sides to strengthen the will for peace," Xinhua added.Merz is the latest in a string of Western leaders courting Beijing recently, including Britain's Keir Starmer, France's Emmanuel Macron and Canada's Mark Carney, as they recoil from the mercurial policies of Trump, who is also expected to visit from March 31.Merz said he wished for regular consultations between his government and Beijing — interrupted by political developments in Berlin and the pandemic — to resume "very soon".Export-dependent Germany needs "economic relations all over the world", Merz said before leaving for Beijing with a large business delegation in tow.At a meeting with Premier Li Qiang in Beijing's opulent Great Hall of the People, Merz called for "fair" cooperation, and representatives from both sides signed agreements and memorandums — including on climate change and food security.In an apparent allusion to the US, Li noted that "unilateralism and protectionism have gained ground and even become prevalent in some countries and regions".Flexing its muscle at times of tension, Beijing has restricted exports of critical minerals used in products from microchips and wind turbines to electric-car batteries and weapons systems.Last year, Beijing temporarily halted the export of Nexperia chips to Europe following a dispute with the Dutch government.More broadly, European businesses complain that China, with its low domestic demand, is flooding Europe with goods made cheap through state subsidies and an undervalued currency.Germany's trade deficit with China hit a record 89bn euros ($105bn) last year.As Trump has unsettled allies and rivals alike, China has sought to present itself as a reliable partner and defender of the multilateral order.China's top diplomat, Wang Yi, told Merz at the Munich Security Conference this month that Beijing wanted Germany to be a "stabilising anchor for strategic relations" in the European Union.Merz is joined by business leaders including executives of auto giants Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes.Today, he is set to visit Beijing's Forbidden City, then a Mercedes plant where autonomous driving vehicles will be presented.The chancellor will then travel to AI hub Hangzhou to visit the robotics group Unitree and German turbine maker Siemens Energy.German businesses have given Merz a to-do list on his trip."We expect the chancellor to clearly address problems such as overcapacity, distortions of competition, and export controls on critical raw materials," said Wolfgang Niedermark of the Federation of German Industries.Merz should advocate for "structural reforms to strengthen domestic demand and fairer competitive conditions" in China, he said, warning that without change there will be "new trade conflicts with the EU".

China's Ministry of Commerce said that it has noted the US Supreme Court's ruling against the US government's tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and is conducting a comprehensive assessment of its relevant content and impact. The US Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the US government's imposition of tariffs on trading partners under the IEEPA is illegal, according to a ministry spokesperson. While responding to media inquiries, the ministry spokesperson said that China has always opposed all forms of unilateral tariff hikes, emphasizing that there are no winners in a trade war and that protectionism leads to a dead end. The unilateral measures of the US side, such as the imposition of reciprocal tariffs and fentanyl tariffs, not only violate international economic and trade rules but also contravene domestic laws of the United States, and are not in the interests of any party, the spokesperson added. "China urges the United States to lift the unilateral tariffs imposed on trading partners," the spokesperson said, stressing that when China and the United States cooperate, both benefit; and that when they fight, both suffer. The spokesperson further stated that China has noted that the US side is preparing to use alternative measures, such as trade investigations, in an attempt to maintain tariffs imposed on its trading partners."China will closely monitor this and firmly safeguard its own interests," he said.

Tourists queue to climb Monte Fort during the Chinese New Year holiday in Macau on Friday.

Eight people were killed and two others injured in an explosion at a fireworks shop in Dong'an District, Donghai County, eastern China.According to local authorities, the explosion occurred when someone improperly lit fireworks near the shop. The resulting fire was extinguished following a swift rescue operation.

Keir Starmer yesterday began the first visit to China by a British prime minister ‌since 2018, encouraging businesses ‍to seize opportunities on a trip aimed at strengthening ties with Beijing as relations with the US become more volatile. Starmer said that while courting the world’s second-largest economy, Britain must also remain vigilant ‍about potential security threats. “They say that eight days is a long time in politics. Try eight years, because it’s eight years since a British prime minister stepped on Chinese soil. So on this delegation you’re making history,” Starmer told more than 50 business leaders visiting with him. “You’re part of the change that we’re bringing about ... Because everything you’re doing here, everything I’m doing here is focused on how do we benefit people at home,” he said before meeting President Xi ‌Jinping and Premier Li Qiang today. The visit could mark a shift in ties between Britain and China after years of deep acrimony over Beijing’s crackdown on political freedoms in Hong Kong, China’s support for ‍Russia in the Ukraine war and allegations by British security services that ‌China regularly spies on politicians and officials For China, the visit offers the country a chance to portray itself as a stable and reliable partner at a time of global disorder. “It doesn’t make sense to stick our head in the ground and bury it in the sand when it comes to China, it’s in our interests to engage,” Starmer told reporters earlier.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday agreed on a raft of measures from trade to tourism at the first meeting between the countries' leaders in Beijing in eight years.The Canadian premier hailed a "landmark deal" under a "new strategic partnership" with China, turning the page on years of diplomatic spats, retaliatory arrests of each other's citizens and tariff disputes.Carney has sought to reduce his country's reliance on the US, its key economic partner and traditional ally, as President Donald Trump has aggressively raised tariffs on Canadian products."Canada and China have reached a preliminary but landmark trade agreement to remove trade barriers and reduce tariffs," Carney told a news conference after meeting with Xi.Under the deal, China - which used to be Canada's largest market for canola seed - is expected to reduce tariffs on canola products by March 1 to around 15%, down from the current 84%.China will also allow Canadian visitors to enter the country visa-free.In turn, Canada will import 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) under new, preferential tariffs of 6.1%. "This is a return to the levels that existed prior to recent trade frictions," Carney said of the EV deal.Welcoming Carney in the Great Hall of the People, Xi said China-Canada relations reached a turning point at their last meeting on the sidelines of the Apec summit in October."It can be said that our meeting last year opened a new chapter in turning China-Canada relations toward improvement," Xi told the Canadian leader."The healthy and stable development of China-Canada relations serves the common interests of our two countries," he said, adding he was "glad" to see discussions over the last few months to restore cooperation.Ties between the two nations withered in 2018 over Canada's arrest of the daughter of Huawei's founder on a US warrant, and China's retaliatory detention of two Canadians on espionage charges.The two countries imposed tariffs on each other's exports in the years that ensued, with China also accused of interfering in Canada's elections.But Carney has sought a pivot, and Beijing has also said it is willing to get relations back on "the right track".The Canadian leader, who on Thursday met with Premier Li Qiang, is also scheduled to hold talks with business leaders to discuss trade.Canada, traditionally a staunch US ally, has been hit especially hard by Trump's steep tariffs on steel, aluminium, vehicles and lumber.Washington's moves have prompted Canada to seek business elsewhere.

US President Donald Trump’s threat to ‌slap a 25% tariff on countries that trade with Iran risks reopening old wounds with Beijing, ‌Tehran’s biggest trading partner. Iran became a ‍flashpoint in US-China ties during Trump’s 2017-21 first term as president as Washington tightened sanctions on Tehran and put China’s Huawei, accused of selling technology to the Islamic Republic, in its crosshairs. The arrest of Meng Wenzhou, the daughter of Huawei’s founder, in Canada at Washington’s request sparked retaliation and a hostage crisis, ‍with bitter recriminations lingering for the remainder of Trump’s first administration. With Iran in his sights once again, the duty would see Chinese shipments to the US incurring levies exceeding 70%, higher than the effective 57.5% tariffs in place before Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck a deal in October to de-escalate their trade war.It remains unclear which countries with Iranian business links Trump might target, and he has not named China. The US president has also made offhand remarks that threatened to upend US foreign policy without acting on them ‌before.“China will call (Trump’s) bluff. I can assure you that Trump will not impose the extra 25% tariffs on China, and if he does, China will retaliate and he will be punished,” said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International ‍Studies at Fudan University, “just like in Meng Wenzhou’s case.” Some Chinese experts questioned why Trump seemed intent on revisiting one of the most contentious foreign policy issues from his first term, despite having already made Beijing think twice about providing economic support to Tehran. “China and Iran are not as close as in the public imagination,” said a Beijing-based Chinese academic who advises the foreign ministry on Iran policy, and requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to media. China has sharply reduced Iranian imports in recent years, according to Chinese customs data, with Chinese companies wary of being sanctioned by the US government. China bought just $2.9bn of Iranian goods in the first 11 months of last year, the latest customs figures show, compared with a peak of $21bn in 2018 during Trump’s first presidency. That said, Beijing moves around 80% of Iran’s shipped oil through small independent ​refiners trading off the books to skirt ‌US sanctions over the country’s nuclear ambitions.China’s state-backed oil majors have not done any business with Iran since 2022. Some analysts say the independents’ shipments means the total value of China’s purchases remains in the ‍tens of billions of dollars. “China is just an excuse, a kind of disguise for the Trump administration, to impose new pressure (on) Iran,” said Wang Jin at the Beijing Club for International Dialogue think tank. When asked at yesterday’s regular press conference on Trump’s tariff threat, China’s foreign ministry said that Beijing would “resolutely safeguard its legitimate rights and interests”.Still, Iran remains substantially bigger business for China than Venezuela, where Trump acted to curb Beijing’s stake with a commando raid ​to capture President Nicolas Maduro to face drug charges in the US.Analysts said Trump’s renewed push to cut off Iran from global trade flows is likely to deepen scrutiny of Xi’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative, where Iran is a strategic hub for the passage of Chinese goods to the Middle East.

China’s foreign minister said Beijing supported ‌Somalia in ‌safeguarding its ‍sovereignty and territorial integrity in a phone call yesterday ‍with his Somali counterpart, a Chinese ministry statement said. Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the ‌phone call during his visit to Africa, and ‍said China opposed ‌so-called Somaliland’s “collusion with Taiwan authorities to seek independence”, referring in the statement to Somalia’s breakaway region.Somalia was scheduled to be part of the ​Chinese ‌diplomat’s annual New Year tour of Africa, ‍which also includes Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho, but the visit to the ​East African nation was postponed due to what the Chinese embassy said was a “schedule change”.

China called on the United States on Sunday to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro after Washington carried out a strike on Caracas and captured the leader."China calls on the US to ensure the personal safety of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela," the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement.

China launched live-fire drills around Taiwan Monday that it said would simulate a blockade of the self-ruled island’s key ports, prompting Taipei to condemn Beijing’s “military intimidation”. Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its sovereign territory and has refused to rule out using military action to seize the island democracy. The latest show of force follows a bumper round of arms sales to Taipei by the US, Taiwan’s main security backer. Beijing warned Monday that “external forces” arming Taipei would “push the Taiwan Strait into a perilous situation of imminent war”, but did not mention any countries by name. Foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said any attempts to stop China’s unification with Taiwan were “doomed to fail”. Reporters in Pingtan - a Chinese island that is the closest point to Taiwan’s main island - saw two fighter jets soaring across the sky and a Chinese military vessel in the distance. Visitors said they had been unaware of the drills as they milled around snapping photos. A tourist surnamed Guo, from Inner Mongolia, said she thinks a unification will “definitely happen”. “It’s just a matter of time,” she said. China said early Monday it was conducting “live-fire training on maritime targets to the north and southwest of Taiwan” in large-scale exercises involving destroyers, frigates, fighters, bombers and drones. Military spokesman Shi Yi said Beijing would send army, navy, air force and rocket force troops for drills code-named “Justice Mission 2025”. He said the drills would focus on “sea-air combat readiness patrol, joint seizure of comprehensive superiority, blockade on key ports and areas, as well as all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain”. Chinese authorities published a map of five large zones around Taiwan where the war games would take place. Taiwan said China’s designated exercise zones, some of which are within 12 nautical miles of its coast, have affected international shipping and aviation routes. The island’s government condemned China’s “disregard for international norms and the use of military intimidation to threaten neighbouring countries”, presidential office spokeswoman Karen Kuo said. Its defence ministry said it had detected 89 Chinese military aircraft near its shores Monday - the highest number in a single day since October 2024. It also said it had detected 28 warships and coastguard vessels. Taiwan’s civil aviation administration said China had declared a “Temporary Danger Area” for 10 hours today. It also said “more than 100,000 (air) passengers” on 857 domestic, international and transit flights would be affected by the drills today. Taiwan’s military said it had established a response centre, deployed “appropriate forces” and “carried out a rapid response exercise”, while its coastguard said it “immediately deployed large vessels”. The drills by China’s ruling Communist Party “further confirm its nature as an aggressor, making it the greatest destroyer of peace”, Taipei’s defence ministry said. Chinese military spokesman Shi said the drills were “a stern warning against ‘Taiwan Independence’ separatist forces, and... a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity”.

Eleven people were killed and two others injured in the early hours of Thursday, after a test train collided with maintenance workers on the track in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.The accident happened at the Luoyangzhen station in Kunming, according to the China's News Agency (Xinhua).The cause of the accident is under investigation, and the railway station has so far resumed operations.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang welcomed increased participation from Italian companies in the Chinese market and expressed hope for a fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors in Italy, the state-run Xinhua news agency said on Sunday.Li's comments follow his meeting with Italian President Giorgia Meloni on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg. Beijing will continue to promote two-way openness with Italy and maintain bilateral engagement at all levels, Li said, according to Xinhua."China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Italy within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the G20 and building broader consensus," he said. Italy, despite supporting a 2024 decision by the European Commission to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, has tried to stay in Beijing's good books, frequently highlighting the value of Chinese investment and collaboration in Europe.Meloni's office said she and Li had agreed on the "importance of maintaining constructive dialogue across all areas of common interest," in particular balanced growth in trade and mutual investment and strengthening cooperation in the scientific and cultural fields.The Italian leader "stressed the need to ensure a level playing field for companies operating in international markets and to guarantee the security of global supply chains, especially with regard to components essential for industrial production," her office said in a statement on Saturday.

China says Japan crossing a red line with Taiwan commentsJapan's PM Takaichi says Japan open to dialogue with ChinaTaiwan says China sent "rude and unreasonable" letter to UNChina's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said it was "shocking" for Japan's leader to openly send a wrong signal concerning Taiwan, according to an official statement on Sunday, the latest remarks in a row that has shaken relations for more than two weeks.Wang, the most senior Chinese official to have commented publicly on the issue, said Japan was crossing a red line that must not be touched, according to the statement posted on the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website.He accused Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of attempting to intervene militarily over Taiwan. Wang was referring to comments on November 7 in which she told a questioner in parliament that a hypothetical Chinese attack on democratically governed Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo.The ensuing row, the biggest China-Japan crisis in years, has spread to trade and cultural relations. On Friday China raised the issue with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, vowing to defend itself. Beijing views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out the use of force to take control of the island.Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claims and says only the island's people can decide their future. In response to the letter to the U.N., Japan's foreign ministry on Saturday dismissed China's claims as "entirely unacceptable" and said Japan's commitment to peace was unchanged.Speaking to reporters in South Africa after attending the G20 leaders' summit, Takaichi on Sunday made no mention of Wang's remarks or the letter, saying only that Japan remained open to dialogue with China. "We are not closing the door.But it's important for Japan to state clearly what needs to be said," she said. She added that she had not spoken with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who was also in Johannesburg for the meeting. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned the letter to the U.N. "The letter not only contains rude and unreasonable content but also maliciously distorts historical facts," the ministry said in a statement. "Furthermore, it violates Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force in international relations." Wang said that in responding to Japan's move, "China must resolutely hit back - not only to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also to defend the hard-won postwar achievements secured with blood and sacrifice."If Japan "persists in its wrong course and continues down this path," all countries and people have the right to "re-examine Japan's historical crimes" and "resolutely prevent the resurgence of Japanese militarism", he said. China is Japan's largest export market after the United States, buying about $125 billion of Japanese goods in 2024, mainly industrial equipment, semiconductors and automobiles, according to UN COMTRADE data.

China has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to Japan, following a diplomatic feud sparked by remarks from Tokyo’s new premier about a hypothetical attack on Taiwan. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament on November 7 that use of force against the self-ruled island claimed by China could warrant a military response from Tokyo. On Friday, Beijing said that it had summoned Japan’s ambassador, while Tokyo said it had summoned China’s ambassador after an “inappropriate” and now-removed online post. Tokyo has since said its position on Taiwan, just 100km from the nearest Japanese island, is unchanged. In an online post late Friday, China’s embassy in Japan warned its citizens against travelling to the country. “Recently, Japanese leaders have made blatantly provocative remarks regarding Taiwan, severely damaging the atmosphere for people-to-people exchanges,” the WeChat post said. The situation presents “significant risks to the personal safety and lives of Chinese citizens in Japan”, it added. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese embassy and consulates in Japan solemnly remind Chinese citizens to avoid travelling to Japan in the near future.” **media[382304]** Reacting to the statement, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters Saturday that Beijing’s call was “inconsistent with the promotion of a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship”, Jiji Press reported. The Japanese government has requested the Chinese side to take “appropriate measures”, Jiji reported. In a further development Saturday, China’s largest airlines offered full refunds for flights on Japan routes before the end of the year. Air China, China Southern and China Eastern all published separate statements on the policies, which will allow ticket holders to refund or change Japan itineraries free of charge for flights from Saturday through December 31. Beijing insists Taiwan, which Japan occupied for decades until 1945, is part of its territory and has not ruled out the use of force to seize control. China and Japan are key trading partners, but historical mistrust and friction over territorial rivalries and military spending often test those ties. Takaichi, a conservative and China hawk, has toned down her rhetoric since assuming office last month. But just weeks into her administration, the neighbours are at odds. Addressing parliament on November 7, Takaichi said that an armed attack on Taiwan could warrant sending troops to the island under “collective self-defence”. If an emergency in Taiwan entails “battleships and the use of force, then that could constitute a situation threatening the survival (of Japan), any way you slice it”, she said. Security legislation passed in 2015 allows Japan to exercise the right to “collective self-defence” under certain conditions including if there was a clear danger to the country’s survival. **media[382305]** Despite the escalating diplomatic spat, Takaichi has indicated she has no intention of retracting her statement and insisted it was consistent with Tokyo’s long-standing policy. But she said she would refrain from referring to specific scenarios in the future. Previous Japanese prime ministers have avoided commenting directly on Taiwan’s defence, choosing instead to maintain so-called strategic ambiguity. The United States has also long been deliberately ambiguous on whether it would deploy its military to defend Taiwan. The most recent row escalated last weekend when the Chinese consul general in Osaka, Xue Jian, posted about “(cutting) off that dirty neck”, apparently referring to Takaichi. Japan lodged a protest over the since-removed social media post, and Takaichi’s ruling party passed a resolution calling for the envoy to be declared persona non grata. Before taking power, Takaichi, an acolyte of ex-premier Shinzo Abe, was a vocal critic of China and its military build-up in the Asia-Pacific. Takaichi has visited Taiwan in the past and met Taipei’s representative at a recent Apec summit, where she also held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Three Chinese astronauts whose return to earth was delayed by space debris hitting their vessel last week landed in China yesterday afternoon, according to state broadcaster CCTV.China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) revealed details about the debris damage for the first time yesterday, saying "tiny cracks" were found in a small window of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft's return capsule."The capsule does not meet the safety requirements for a crewed return, Shenzhou-20 will remain in orbit and conduct relevant experiments," the agency said in a statement.The astronauts were due to return to earth nine days ago after completing a six-month mission on China's permanently inhabited Tiangong space station, a programme known as Shenzhou, or "Divine Vessel", when the crack was discovered.The crew left Tiangong on another spacecraft, the Shenzhou-21, according to CMSA, touching down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 4:40pm (0840 GMT).The mission began in April and went smoothly until the debris incident forced the Shenzhou-20's return, originally scheduled for November 5, to be postponed, CMSA said.The delay, while only nine days, was highly unusual for a programme that had run like clockwork and in the past year reached new milestones, with the deployment of astronauts born in the 1990s, a world-record spacewalk and plans to send the first foreign astronaut, from Pakistan, to Tiangong next year.Every Shenzhou mission on the Tiangong ends with a handover, where the departing crew welcomes the arriving crew that will take over the space station's operations. During the handover period of several days, two Shenzhou vessels are docked at the space station.China's manned space programme now has to deal with another logistical headache - how to get the space station's newly arrived crew home in the event of an emergency. The Shenzhou-21 spacecraft and its three-person crew arrived at Tiangong two weeks ago.

China has begun designing a new rare earth licensing regime that could speed up shipments, but it is unlikely to amount to a complete rollback of restrictions as hoped by Washington, industry insiders said.The ministry of commerce told some rare earth exporters they will be able to apply for new streamlined permits in the future and in industry briefings outlined the documents that will be required, two sources familiar with the matter said.The export curbs have become Beijing's most potent source of leverage in its trade rivalry with Washington, as China produces over 90% of the world's processed rare earths and rare earth magnets, vital in products ranging from cars to missiles.Following the agreement reached between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, China said last week it would pause for one year the restrictions it imposed in October.However, China's commerce ministry has said nothing publicly about a broader round of controls introduced in April that rattled global supply chains.The White House last Saturday said China had agreed to introduce general licences and characterised such permits as the de facto end of China's rare earth export controls.In private, Chinese officials have said they are working on the licences, three other sources briefed on discussions said, although one said it could take months.However, other industry insiders said the new licenses do not mean China's wide-ranging rare earth export controls introduced in April have been removed.China's ministry of commerce did not immediately respond to questions.The new licences would be valid for a year and probably allow larger export volumes, the first two sources said. Companies are preparing documents, which will require more information from customers, they added.The sources said they expect more clarity by the end of the year.Some Chinese rare earth companies said they have not yet been informed of the change.General licences will likely be harder to acquire for users associated with defence or other sensitive areas, some industry sources said.All sources spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter.Introduced in April and expanded in October, Beijing's rare earth rules require exporters to obtain licences for every cargo, an onerous and lengthy process customers complain is holding up exports. The restrictions created shortages in May which brought parts of the auto industry to a halt.Of the 2,000 applications submitted by European Union firms since April, just over half have been approved.

The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced that the return of the Shenzhou-20 crewed spacecraft, originally scheduled for today, will be postponed due to a suspected impact from a small piece of space debris.The impact analysis and risk assessment are under way, the CMSA said.The decision to postpone the return aims to ensure the safety of the astronauts and the success of the mission.The Shenzhou-20 crew had already completed the handover and takeover procedures in orbit with the Shenzhou-21 crew.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today said China's Premier Li Qiang would visit Australia next year on a trip that may include a stop at Uluru, the giant monolith in central Australia."Premier Li will visit Australia next year, we've discussed that," Albanese told Sky News television, according to an official transcript of his remarks. "Included in that was a discussion about a visit to Uluru that he expressed an interest in. I encourage that.I think that would be a very good thing to showcase Central Australia to what is after all well over a billion people," Albanese added.

China on Sunday sent a new satellite into space from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in its southwestern Sichuan Province.The Gaofen-14-02 satellite was launched aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket and entered the planned orbit successfully.This satellite is capable of efficiently acquiring high-precision stereo imagery on a global scale, providing fundamental geographic information support for national economic development and national defense construction.The launch marked the 603rd flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.