China

China launched a crewed spacecraft with three astronauts heading to a year-long space station mission, advancing its goal of a crewed Moon landing before 2030.

China revised the death toll from a coal mine explosion in Shanxi province to 82, marking the country’s worst mining disaster in 16 years.

SMILE Satellite Launch Marks First China-ESA Mission-Level Cooperation The SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) satellite has successfully launched, marking the first mission-level space cooperation between China and the European Space Agency. Mission Highlights: This is the first mission-level space collaboration between China and ESA, a significant milestone SMILE will provide the first global imaging of Earth’s magnetopause and magnetotail, helping scientists understand how Earth defends against solar storms Launched aboard a European Vega C rocket Scientific Significance: ...

Iran’s seizure of a Chinese security vessel reveals the limits of its alliances, adding complexity to US-China-Iran dynamics.

US President Trump arrives in China for the first face-to-face summit with Xi Jinping in a decade. Iran war, trade, and Taiwan are key topics. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joins the delegation.

A former senior World Bank official publicly called on China to reduce its food and fertiliser reserves, arguing the stockpiling exacerbates global market volatility.

Trump’s China Visit Faces New Complications from Iran War President Trump’s upcoming trip to China — the first by a sitting US president in nearly a decade — could prove more fraught than his first-term visit, as the ongoing Iran conflict adds a new layer of tension to US-China relations. What’s on the Agenda Trump and Xi are expected to discuss Iran, nuclear issues, trade, and artificial intelligence across multiple sessions. The Iran war’s impact extends far beyond the Middle East, creating ripple effects across the US-China relationship. ...

Trump plans to discuss the Iran crisis with Xi Jinping during his China visit, seeking Beijing’s leverage to bring Tehran back to negotiations.

China Announces Suspended Death Sentences for Former Defense Ministers China has officially announced suspended death sentences for several former defense ministers who were recently ousted. The sentencing marks a new phase in the ongoing upheaval at the highest levels of Beijing’s military establishment, representing the most severe punishment in recent years of anti-corruption campaigns within the armed forces. Details of the Sentencing “Suspended death sentence” is a unique provision in Chinese criminal law. Convicted individuals who commit no intentional crimes during a two-year probation period typically have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. The judgment reflects both severe punishment for serious violations and a degree of leniency. ...

China reported record-high export and import figures for April, with the trade surplus widening further, signaling economic resilience despite tariff headwinds.