China

BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- As the Chang'e-4 probe made the first-ever soft landing on the far side of the moon, a senior Chinese space expert said China will deepen its lunar exploration and venture further into the unknown.

BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- China announced Friday that the Chang'e-4 mission, which realized the first-ever soft-landing on the far side of the moon, was a complete success.

With the assistance of the relay satellite Queqiao (Magpie Bridge), the rover Yutu-2 (Jade Rabbit-2) and the lander of the Chang'e-4 probe took photos of each other.

The scientific instruments aboard the probe worked well, and the images taken by the probe and detection data have been sent back to ground control, said the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

BEIJING (AP) — The United States and China gave no indication of their next step after wrapping up talks aimed at resolving a tariff fight that threatens to chill global growth.

The two sides will “maintain close contact,” China’s Ministry of Commerce said Thursday. But they announced no agreements or date for meeting again during the 90-day truce declared on Dec. 1 by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping in their fight over Beijing’s technology ambitions.

BEIJING, January 10. /TASS/. Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that China is ready to actively facilitate the process of nuclear denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, Xinhua reported on Thursday.

"It is in our interests to act in the same direction with you, uniting efforts with other interested parties. To ensure peace and security, we will facilitate denuclearization and play a constructive role in maintaining long-term peace in the region," Xi said.

BEIJING (AP) — Three days of U.S.-Chinese talks aimed at ending a costly tariff battle wrapped up Wednesday in an optimistic atmosphere after President Donald Trump said they were “going very well!”

No details were immediately announced, but stocks rose after talks planned for two days were extended to three. Hong Kong’s main market index closed up 2.1 percent and Tokyo rose 1.1 percent.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, announced the talks had ended. Lu said he had no details and an official statement would be issued later.

BEIJING (AP) — A special train believed to be carrying Kim Jong Un departed Beijing on Wednesday after a two-day visit by the North Korean leader to the Chinese capital.

Kim could not be seen, but he was presumed to be on board the long train as it crossed on elevated tracks over a busy Beijing street and headed toward eastern China and the border with North Korea.

ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) — China is allowing more than 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs to abandon their Chinese citizenship and leave the country, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said, in a sign that Beijing may be starting to feel a mounting backlash against its sweeping crackdown on Muslims in the far west region of Xinjiang.

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng has stressed energy security and high-quality growth for the energy sector.

Measures should be taken to boost oil and gas supply such as enhancing exploration, said Han, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

More efforts should be made to balance supply and demand among different regions such as improving energy infrastructure, Han said after an inspection of the National Energy Administration in Beijing Tuesday.

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — One of China’s major cities has reached an environmental milestone: an almost entirely electric-powered taxi fleet.

The high-tech hub of Shenzhen in southern China announced at the start of this year that 99 percent of the 21,689 taxis operating in the city were electric. Last year, it still had 7,500 gasoline-powered taxis on the roads. A few can still be found, but electric ones far outnumber them.

BEIJING (AP) — Talks between the U.S. and China on ending their tariff war were ending their second day Tuesday without word on whether they’ve made any progress, as an official newspaper warned not to push Beijing too hard.

China is strong and has its own needs, said the Global Times, published by the ruling Communist Party. Washington “cannot push China too far” and must avoid a situation that “spins out of control.”