The yuan in China has risen 2.2% against the dollar this year. The currency has been propelled by hopes for an economic revival. Three state-run newspapers advise investors to prepare for more foreign exchange volatility. Following more than a week of significant yuan increases, three state financial journals in Shanghai and Beijing cautioned in a … Read more
BEIJING: From human rights to coronavirus and tennis star Peng Shuai, February’s Beijing Olympics have been overshadowed by several controversies. With under two months, until the Games begin, the United States on Monday reacted by announcing a diplomatic boycott. AFP Sports looks at the issues hanging over the Olympics: Peng Shuai There was a grave international concern … Read more
BEIJING: The United States has announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to protest China’s human rights record, particularly its handling of Muslim minorities that Washington considers a form of genocide. Here’s what the move means. What is a ‘diplomatic boycott?’ Under the boycott, the Biden administration will not send any US diplomatic or … Read more
BEIJING: China warned on Tuesday the United States would “pay the price” for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns. The US move — which stopped short of preventing athletes from attending — comes after Washington spent months wrangling over what position to take on the Games beginning in February next … Read more
TOKYO: Only four months have passed since Japan’s Ayumu Hirano competed at the Tokyo Games, now he is gearing up for another crack at Olympic gold — this time on Beijing’s snow in February. Hirano took part in the park competition as skateboarding made its Olympic debut this summer, missing out on the eight-man final … Read more
BEIJING: China on Tuesday said the controversy surrounding Peng Shuai was being “maliciously” hyped up after the Chinese tennis star made sexual assault claims against one of the nation’s most powerful politicians. Read more: Zhang Gaoli: Former China vice premier accused by Peng Peng, a Wimbledon and French Open doubles champion, was not seen for … Read more
BEJING: Players in China said Monday they could no longer access popular survival game Fortnite as its developer Epic Games pulled the plug on a Chinese version amid a crackdown by authorities on gaming and the tech sector. Epic had announced two weeks ago that it would shut down the Chinese version of the game … Read more
WASHINGTON: China has built what appear to be full-scale outlines of American warships including an aircraft carrier, satellite imagery showed, possible targets to practise striking some of the most potent US weapons deployed in the Pacific. The US Navy’s carrier battle groups — centred around massive aircraft carriers — are among the most powerful weapons in the … Read more
BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping, the uncontested leader of the world’s most populous nation, heads a pivotal plenary of the ruling party’s top figures next week that will set the tone for his bid for long-term rule. From Monday to Thursday, some 400 members of the Communist Party’s all-powerful Central Committee gather in Beijing behind closed doors. … Read more
BEIJING: Handing over a piping hot meal at exactly the time promised, Chinese food delivery driver Zhuang Zhenhua triumphantly tapped his job as complete through the Meituan app — and was immediately fined half of his earnings. A glitch meant it inaccurately registered him as being late and he incurred an automatic penalty — one … Read more
BEIJING: China insisted Wednesday that Taiwan had no right to join the United Nations, after the United States ratcheted up tensions with a call for the democratic island to have greater involvement in the world body. In a statement marking 50 years since the UN General Assembly voted to seat Beijing and boot out Taipei, … Read more
