All articles tagged with #china
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un expressed support for China’s push to build a multipolar world and called for closer ties with Beijing during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Pyongyang, signaling strengthened ties between the traditional allies.
US Vice President JD Vance leads the US delegation in Islamabad for high-stakes talks with Iran amid a fragile ceasefire, as CNN reports US intelligence says China plans to ship MANPADs to Iran in the coming weeks, possibly via third countries, with Pakistan mediating and regional tensions mounting.
Beijing is weighing its next moves on Iran's ceasefire talks ahead of Donald Trump's trip to China, using diplomacy to gain leverage and potentially shape both U.S.-China relations and Middle East policy.
Kim Jong Un voiced support for China’s push toward a multipolar world and called for deeper ties with Beijing during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, reiterating backing for Beijing’s one-China principle and signaling a new phase in DPRK-China relations amid shifting regional geopolitics.
US intelligence reportedly believes China is preparing to deliver shoulder-fired air-defense missiles to Iran within weeks, possibly routing the shipments through third countries to mask origin. The move would be provocative given China’s stated role in brokering a fragile ceasefire, and it comes as Trump and Xi plan talks. Iran’s deepening military ties with China and Russia add complexity, while Beijing denies providing weapons to any party to the conflict.
During talks in Pyongyang, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui agreed to deepen cooperation, signaling closer Beijing–Pyongyang ties as they pursue closer diplomatic alignment.
China's March passenger NEV retail sales reached 848,000 units, up 82.6% from February but down 14.4% year-on-year, while March NEV exports rose 139.9% year-on-year to 349,000 units, according to CPCA data and accompanying charts.
China’s factory-gate prices rose 0.5% year-on-year in March, ending a 41-month streak of declines, while CPI climbed 1% YoY but fell 0.7% month-on-month, signaling rising import-cost pressures linked to the Middle East crisis.
China's producer price index rose 0.5% year over year in March—the first positive reading in more than three years—while consumer prices rose 1%, below forecasts. Oil-market volatility driven by the Iran conflict has pushed Brent near $97 a barrel and gasoline up about 11% month over month, lifting input costs and fueling concerns about potential inflationary pressures even as policy easing remains cautious. Analysts warn margins could be squeezed if costs stay elevated, though China benefits from stockpiles and policy flexibility; first-quarter PPI remains down 0.6% year over year.
The Middle East conflict has damaged U.S. radar interceptors in the region, depleting stocks and forcing Washington to restock. A key bottleneck is gallium, a critical mineral largely processed in China, which could give Beijing leverage as the U.S. seeks to rebuild its weapons cache. Gallium prices have surged and experts warn diversifying and securing resilient supply chains will take years, prompting the U.S. to pursue allied deals (e.g., with Australia), stockpiles, and domestic refining capacity to reduce dependence on China.
A fragile two-week cease-fire in Iran leaves Tehran in control of the Strait of Hormuz and its nuclear program unresolved, while critics say the deal underscores a decline in U.S. credibility and leadership. The episode unsettles allies, strains NATO, and raises energy-security concerns as China emerges as a potential stabilizing partner, prompting questions about the durability of American global influence and reliability in security commitments.
Pakistan and China jointly released a five-point peace plan calling for an immediate ceasefire and protection of key waterways in the Middle East, arguing dialogue is the only viable path to resolve the Iran-US conflict; Islamabad is leveraging its ties with both sides to mediate, hosting regional talks and pressing for de-escalation despite uncertain progress amid broader geopolitical tensions.
Pakistan is pressing China to move beyond rhetoric in mediating US-Iran tensions, with Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar traveling to Beijing to align on a five-point framework for dialogue and translate it into a concrete path forward, while Islamabad-hosted talks with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signal a broader diplomatic push. Analysts differ on China’s exact role: Pakistan is positioned as intermediary, with China likely to backstop rather than guarantee a deal, driven by energy security and regional stability around the Strait of Hormuz. The outcome will hinge on whether Beijing can convert statements into tangible diplomacy amid US-Iran mistrust and rising regional volatility.
Regulators in China unveiled new rules to tackle fraud and price opacity in the funeral industry, amid high burial costs in Beijing and online debate over empty 'bone ash apartments' used to store cremated remains ahead of Tomb-Sweeping Day.
China’s March factory activity rebounded, signaling improving momentum in manufacturing, but growth remains vulnerable to geopolitical headwinds tied to Iran.