Expanding domestic demand remains a central pillar of China's economic agenda in 2026, yet the strategic approach has undergone a significant shift. Moving beyond a reliance on direct policy-driven stimulus, the current focus centers on stimulating the endogenous dynamism of China's ultra-large market. The goal is to transition domestic demand from being "policy-driven" to "market-led," ensuring that consumption serves as a lasting force for long-term economic growth.

This year's Government Work Report, for the first time, mentioned the need to "support the development of public clouds." "Without public clouds, there can be no intelligent agents; without intelligent agents, the 'AI Plus' initiative will be greatly compromised," Liu Shangxi (Liu), Vice President of the China Society of Macroeconomics, said in a recent exclusive interview with the Global Times (GT). Liu noted that China boasts a mega-scale market, the most comprehensive industrial system and the richest application scenarios, all of which provide unique advantages for the growth of the digital economy. He said that the development of the digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI), from model training to inference, relies heavily on public clouds. He described public clouds as the "railways and highways" in the digital era, serving as a new type of infrastructure.

Recently, as China unveiled its economic growth target for 2026, some voices in the US and Western media have once again revived the hype about a so-called "slowdown" of the Chinese economy. The Wall Street Journal claimed that "China Signals New Era of Slower Economic Growth," while Bloomberg ran a piece titled "Six Charts That Explain China's Weakening Economy." Such claims are completely unfounded.

At a plaza outside the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) venue, humanoid robots dance in sync to music, drawing crowds of Chinese and foreign guests who stop to watch and record the scene on their phones.

Two workers handle rice seedlings at a fully automated smart rice seedling factory in Guangshan county, Xinyang, Central China's Henan Province, on March 26, 2026. During the spring sowing season, local farmers are using agricultural technology to move rice seedling cultivation from outdoors to indoors and from the ground to the “air,” achieving automated and intelligent seedling raising, and boosting the quality and speed of spring plowing. Photo: VCG

Chinese and South Korean industry representatives on Thursday called for deeper cooperation in the innovation and application of cutting edge technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, as several key agreements were signed at the ongoing 2026 Zhongguancun (ZGC) Forum in Beijing on Thursday. A Chinese expert said the move could inject fresh momentum into efforts to bolster the stability of global industrial and supply chains amid rising unilateralism and protectionism.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that he is not aware of the situation mentioned and suggested referring the question to the relevant Chinese authorities, when asked for confirmation of media report claiming that China has banned two executives from an AI-related company from leaving the country.

Construction begins on the new Guangzhou airport project in Foshan, South China's Guangdong Province, on March 25, 2026. Its Phase I involves 41.8 billion yuan ($6.06 billion) and includes two parallel runways, a 260,000-square meters terminal, and 94 stands, with capacity for 30 million passengers and 260,000 flights annually. Photo: VCG

Chinese makers of photovoltaic (PV) products have seen their exports surge in recent days, several companies told the Global Times. Investors have been snapping up the stocks of Chinese renewable-energy companies, on a bet that the energy crisis triggered by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East could boost global demand for China's green-energy sector.

Green development and sustainability took center stage at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2026, with many participants highlighting China's remarkable progress in low-carbon transition, environmental protection, and its green development model that offers a valuable example for the world.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Wednesday that it has determined that measures taken by the Mexican government — such as raising import tariff rates on products from China and other countries that are not its free trade partners — constitute trade and investment barriers.

Chinese large language models, shorten as LLMs, are once again generating significant buzz and making headlines in the global AI community and international media.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday urged the EU to abandon the zero-sum mentality, steer clear of protectionist measures, and view China's development in a rational and objective light.

Several foreign firms have recently announced plans to expand their presence in China, as senior executives traveled to the country and held meetings with Chinese officials and business leaders, underscoring continued confidence in the market. A Chinese expert said these moves reflect the enduring appeal of China's stable business environment, vast market potential and increasingly complete industrial ecosystem, even amid global economic uncertainties.

China's second domestically built large cruise ship, the Adora Flora City, was undocked on Friday afternoon in Shanghai, marking a key milestone as the vessel's hull structure is now complete and it transitions to dockside commissioning. The ship is about 94 percent complete. It is set for delivery in late 2026 and will begin operating international routes from homeport Guangzhou in 2027.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently indicated that the company will seek US government approval to export its Blackwell AI chips to China only after its most advanced Vera Rubin chips are rolled out in the second half of this year. Chinese experts said Nvidia's attempts to maintain market share advantages through preferential treatment have proved a failure in China.

Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao met with Apple CEO Tim Cook in Beijing on Friday, according to a video clip released on the official WeChat account of China's Ministry of Commerce.

Editor's Note: As a key engine of economic growth, investment serves both as a crucial lever for stabilizing growth and a driving force for meeting full-year economic targets. At present, nationwide efforts are underway to accelerate major project construction, strengthen policy support and energize market vitality. These moves are fueling steady investment progress, reinforcing the momentum of the “three drivers” – consumption, investment and innovation – and laying a solid foundation for a strong start to high-quality economic development throughout the year.

How will China write a new chapter of high-quality development during the next five years? The recently-released outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for national economic and social development provides the answer. This plan sets the sight on high-quality development, by consolidating current strengths, removing bottlenecks and constraints, and cementing weak links, which together will propel the advancement of Chinese modernization toward reaching a new stage. The plan also serves as China's "construction blueprint" for the coming five years and sends a clear signal of continued opening-up and coordinated development, offering a cooperation framework to global partners, and injecting much-needed certainty into the world economy. Today, our newspaper launches a special series focusing on China's high-quality development. It analyzes and interprets key deployments and fresh formulations in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) and invites readers at home and abroad to explore this grand new blueprint together.

Confronted with China's remarkable advances in humanoid robot technology, American tech executives are seemingly on edge. Instead of engaging in fair competition, they resort to their old trick of smearing Chinese products.

In a quiet residential neighborhood in Beijing Economic Technological Development Area (E-Town), an unassuming four-story building is drawing attention from China's tech and investment circles. The facility, recently put into operation, is billed as the world's first smart elderly care center powered by robotics and artificial intelligent devices, combining silver economy services with real-world applications of edge-cutting technology.

China is the world's largest producer and consumer of watermelons, with annual output remaining stable at around 60 million tons. According to statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, this accounts for roughly 60 percent of global production.

China on Monday launched the Kuaizhou-11 Y7 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Northwest China's Gansu Province, sending eight new satellites into preset orbits, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

From bolstering important industries like integrated circuits and low-altitude economy to advancing future sectors like quantum technology, 6G and brain-computer interfaces, tech innovation has been a central topic during this year's two sessions. The Government Work Report calls for moving faster to achieve greater strength and self-reliance in science and technology. Chinese analysts say the ramped-up eff orts will not only help upgrade traditional industries, but also create broader space for future tech sectors, which are expected to inject fresh momentum into China's modern industrial system.

US technology giant Apple announced on Thursday local time that it is making changes to the App Store in China by reducing commission rate for standard Apple In-App Purchase and paid app transactions to 25 percent from the current 30 percent, according to the company's official statement.

The expansion of Italian pharmaceutical companies in China is no longer a commercial gamble, but a long-term industrial strategy. In a market that is rapidly climbing the global healthcare value chain, groups such as Zambon, Recordati, Menarini, Chiesi, Bracco, and Esaote are redefining their presence: They are no longer mere exporters, but integrated players in the Chinese healthcare ecosystem.

In the field of research, development, and production of medicines for allergic diagnosis and therapy of the most common diseases through vaccines, Lofarma is a sector leader in Italy. With more than 80 years of history and solid family leadership, Lofarma is also an example of industrial continuity, scientific innovation, and growth in international markets. Founded in 1945, in a determined and visionary Italy, the company has built a path of constant growth over time. From the very beginning, the model has been an integrated approach, supporting both doctors and patients in the entire clinical journey - from diagnosis to therapy - with solutions based on solid scientific evidence, high-quality standards, and constant updates in research and production.

In the Italian healthcare landscape, with a specific focus on the pharmacy channel and the pharmaceutical sector, Value4Pharma has developed a new Integrated Trading model that structurally redefines traditional goods exchange. This is not just a simple terminological update, but an industrial evolution that transforms barter from a tactical lever into a strategic tool for financial, commercial, and media planning.

When asked for comment on the Trump administration's move on Wednesday to launch a new round of Section 301 trade investigations into alleged industrial overcapacity among 16 major trading partners, including China, which could signal a new round of tariff disputes, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that China's position on handling China-US economic and trade issues has been consistent and clear. China opposes all forms of unilateral tariff measures, noting that tariff wars and trade wars serve the interests of neither side.

"Hello, please translate this document into English." In an office space in Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province, the clacking of keyboards mingled with the occasional conversation. The man moving between the workstations - the "boss" with a foreign face yet speaking fluent Chinese - was David Adrian Janke. Born in the UK, he came to China to study in 2007 and has since developed a lasting bond with the country.

"Hello! A meat patty." "Enjoy your meal." On a street in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, the chatter of diners and the welcoming greetings of a shop owner drift out from a restaurant decorated with wood elements. Along with the voices comes the aroma of food, carrying a slightly unusual note. Upon entering, visitors immediately feel at ease in the warm, bright setting. Yet perhaps the most surprising sight is the "waiter" who weaves between the tables. He wears a chef's uniform, with a foreign face but speaking fluent Chinese.

"Many people ask me, coming from Morocco, then to France, and finally to China, how I define myself here." In an interview with the Global Times, Hamza Boukili, who holds dual Moroccan and French citizenship, raised this very question.

"Seeing China's planning in emerging fields such as energy, artificial intelligence (AI), microchips and robotics, I cannot help but feel both excited and full of expectations. These are not only China's future, but also new opportunities for global businesses," said Danish entrepreneur Simon Lichtenberg in an interview with the Global Times during this year's two sessions. Lichtenberg is also All China Founding Chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in China.

Canada's government announced on Monday local time that TikTok will be permitted to keep operating in the country, and an associated investment from the platform can move forward, following the conclusion of a fresh national security review, according to official statements.

When asked to confirm reports from some travel agencies and ticketing platforms that the train service between Beijing and Pyongyang will resume this Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jikun said on Tuesday that China and the North Korea are friendly neighbors, and maintaining regular passenger train operations is of great significance for facilitating people-to-people exchanges between the two side. He added that China supports the relevant authorities of both countries in strengthening communication and creating more convenient conditions for bilateral travel.

China's 2026 GDP target of 4.5 percent to 5 percent growth while striving for better in practice was proposed based on comprehensive assessment and prudent judgment, and the country has a solid foundation to achieve this goal, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, said on Thursday.

Nexperia (China) Ltd, the Chinese unit of Netherlands-based Nexperia B.V., said on Friday that "most business operations have resumed," after a mass disabling of office accounts for all employees in China was implemented by Nexperia B.V. starting Tuesday local time, according to a company statement released on its official WeChat account on Friday.

GDP growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent, while striving for better results in practice - this is one of the main development targets for this year outlined in the Government Work Report.

Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Lecheng said on Wednesday that in 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) will follow the requirements of the Government Work Report and vigorously promote the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and manufacturing, while advancing breakthroughs and iterative upgrades in next-generation AI products.

In response to a media question that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had claimed that they currently control the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for oil and gas transportation, and had noted that any vessel attempting to pass through the strait could be subject to missile or drone attacks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters are important international channels for cargo and energy trade, emphasizing that safeguarding security and stability in this region is in the common interest of the international community.

China's services activity expanded at a robust pace in February, with the services purchasing managers' index (PMI) hitting 56.7, while the manufacturing PMI rose to 52.1, the highest reading in more than five years, according to a private survey on Wednesday.

As resumption of flights in the Middle East remains very limited, Chinese tour companies are making various efforts to get their travelers who have been stranded in various Middle Eastern countries home.

When asked for comments on media reports claiming that China is pressuring Iranian officials to avoid actions that could disrupt Qatar's natural gas exports and other shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday at a regular press conference that energy security is of great importance to the global economy, and all parties have the responsibility to ensure stable and smooth energy supplies.

Fishing vessels berth at a pier in Chun'an county, Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province on March 1, 2026, as the seasonal fishing ban officially takes effect in Qiandao Lake on the same day. During the ban, all fishing activities are prohibited in the estuary and stream areas until July 31, 2026. Photo: IC

China's new-energy vehicle (NEV) market experienced a seasonal sales dip in February, but robust export growth provided a crucial stabilizing force, underscoring the industry's resilience amid domestic market fluctuations, an industry observer said.

Provinces and cities across China have kick-started a new round of major projects after the Spring Festival holiday, with investments flowing into clean energy, technology and public welfare - a strong start to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), analysts say.

The drone operations system project for oilfields in the Beibu Gulf, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was officially launched over the weekend, state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday.

The standoff between the US administration and artificial intelligence (AI) startup Anthropic has sparked widespread discussions within the US tech sector. Chinese experts said that the situation lays bare the chaos in the US' technology governance as the company suddenly went from labeling others a national security threat to being designated a supply chain risk itself.

When you hail a taxi during the bustling Chinese New Year holiday in Shenzhen, a tech and innovation hub in South China's Guangdong Province, you might find that your taxi is driverless. Passengers were able to travel without fare surge or service disruptions.

When German Chancellor Friedrich Merz entered the Unitree Robotics exhibition hall in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Thursday afternoon, he saw a series of constantly changing scenes. In the center of the stage, a humanoid robot performed a set of Chinese kung fu "Drunken Fist"; on the boxing ring, two robots demonstrated a sparring match. Beside the assembly line, humanoid robots were completing sorting tasks.

Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings (CKHH) expressed strong disagreement in a new announcement on Thursday after the Panamanian government on Monday issued a decree ordering the occupation of two ports at the entrances of the Panama Canal.

China has been a very relevant market for products and services for decades, be it Made in Germany or locally, and now, China is growing increasingly important for German companies as a hub for innovation, research and development and advanced manufacturing, said Executive Director & Board Member of the German Chamber of Commerce in China-North China Oliver Oehms, in an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Wednesday.

The provincial government of South China's Hainan on Tuesday issued an action plan to promote an "AI Plus" initiative from 2026 to 2028, proposing to apply artificial intelligence in the island province's aerospace sector and build a "super brain" for the emerging rocket industrial cluster there.

Chinese humanoid robot company Unitree released a video on its official WeChat account on Monday, showing 49 G1 humanoid robots performing a synchronized martial arts demonstration in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

When asked to comment on the US Supreme Court's ruling that multiple tariffs imposed by the US government were unlawful, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Monday that China has consistently opposed unilateral tariff increases in all forms.

China's much-anticipated Seedance 2.0, the latest AI video model developed by ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, made its debut at the nationwide program since its recent launch, contributing to the production of visual content for several segments of China's 2026 Spring Festival Gala as the show lit up screens across the country and beyond.

With red plush horses stamped with the slogan "wishing you instant wealth" appearing on backpack zippers, Chinese youngsters rushing to snap up the limited-edition "full horsepower" blind box series that capture their Chinese New Year aspirations, and the "crying horse" meme dolls going viral on Chinese social media, the rich offerings in zodiac-related cultural products have been spurring a new consumption spree across China as the Year of the Horse approaches.

In response to media inquiries on Wednesday's ruling by the Amsterdam Enterprise Chamber to launch an investigation into Nexperia over alleged mismanagement, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Friday that China has taken note of the relevant information.

In response to the recent preventive recall of certain Nestlé infant formula products due to the detection of cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus, China's State Council Food Safety Office and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) attached great importance to the matter and have urged Nestlé China Co to complete the recall of the specific batches sold in the Chinese mainland, according to the statement released by the SAMR on Thursday.

When asked to comment on French Ministry of Agriculture and Food's allegations that a Chinese company was involved in contaminated milk powder, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that he was not aware of the specific situation mentioned, emphasizing that the Chinese government attaches great importance to food safety and will continue to take measures to safeguard consumers' legitimate rights and interests.

Chinese tech giant ByteDance on Thursday officially launched its artificial intelligent (AI) video generation model Seedance 2.0 after several days of beta test, fully integrating the model into its Doubao and Dreamina AI product lines, while introducing restrictions on the upload of real-person images and videos.

Chinese carmaker BYD surpassed the US' Ford Motor Co in global vehicle sales last year, moving ahead of the US automaker in the worldwide rankings for the first time, according to a media report on Wednesday. The development is not surprising amid Chinese carmakers' steady rise in the global auto market, a Chinese expert said.

The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) has stressed the importance of establishing clear and impartial procedures for the EU to handle price undertaking proposals from electric vehicle (EV) companies, and called for fair treatment to Chinese companies in future assessments.

Chinese tech giant ByteDance's newly unveiled video-generation model Seedance 2.0 has sparked widespread discussions on social media at home and abroad, with many users praising its powerful video-generation capabilities, and others highlighting China's rapid rise in the global artificial intelligence (AI) race.

South Korean enterprises have ramped up efforts to further explore the Chinese market in the new year, marking closer bilateral trade and economic cooperation after South Korean President Lee Jae-myung paid a visit to China in January.

China's domestically developed Snow Leopard 6×6 wheeled vehicle has completed more than 10,000 kilometers of testing and validation missions in the Antarctic interior, filling a long-standing technological gap in China's polar-land wheeled vehicles, state broadcaster CCTV News reported on Tuesday.

When taking selfies, users are often frustrated by insufficient lighting. In China, a developer named Chen Yunfei acutely sensed this demand among users and completed an initial version of an app called CatLight in around an hour thanks to artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted coding.

The office of the inter-ministerial joint conference on coordinated regulation of new transportation business models has recently summoned Amap's ride-hailing platform, and demanded it to honor commitments to lower commission rates, strengthen oversight of partner platforms, and improve drivers' working conditions, according to the official WeChat account of China's Ministry of Transport.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said artificial intelligence (AI) computing power and energy supply will become the biggest challenges to technological development, noting that China would "utterly dominate" sectors such as AI, electric vehicles and humanoid robotics in the "absence of breakthrough innovations" in the US.

In a sports equipment factory in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province, workers delayed their journey home for Spring Festival by two full weeks to make soccer balls amid surging overseas orders.

While the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics kicks off on Friday local time, Chinese companies quietly emerged as a major force behind the scenes. From ultra-light carbon-fiber ski poles to cloud service provider empowering the "smartest Games ever," together with artificial intelligence (AI) model improving service, China's cutting-edge tech and robust supply chains are delivering standout performance, the Global Times learned from products and services providers.

On Tuesday, a shipment of Chinese-made power generator sets worth more than 100 million yuan ($14.4 million) departed Ningbo Zhoushan Port and other ports in East China's Zhejiang Province, bound for Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other partner countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Chinese electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft manufacturer AutoFlight on Thursday unveiled the world's first 5-ton-class eVTOL capable of carrying 10 passengers — the V5000 Matrix — completing a demonstration flight in Kunshan, East China's Jiangsu Province, the company told the Global Times.

China's generative artificial intelligence (AI) users had reached 602 million by December 2025, marking a surge of 141.7 percent year-on-year, according to an industry report released on Thursday, underscoring the rapid integration of generative AI into daily life and production activities, and is increasingly becoming a key engine driving China's digital and intelligent transformation.

Offshore duty-free sales in South China's Hainan Province reached 4.53 billion yuan ($652.54 million) in January, up 44.8 percent year on year, data from Haikou customs showed on Thursday. The surge comes as policy dividends continue to unfold following the launch of island-wide special customs operations on December 18, 2025.

A new poll conducted by North American market research company Leger showed that most Canadians support allowing more Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) to be sold in Canada, according to the Canadian Press on Wednesday. A Chinese expert said on Thursday that the results reflected broad public support for the Canadian government's recent adjustment in its policy toward China, and Canadian consumers want more cost-effective Chinese EVs.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Wednesday criticized the European side's recent move to investigate a Chinese wind power company as discriminatory, vowing to take necessary measures to safeguard the legal interests of Chinese firms.

Last year's Spring Festival Gala left an indelible impression: the fluid, captivating dance of Unitree's quadruped robots. In 2026, humanoid robots from four leading Chinese companies will reportedly share the spotlight. Over the past year, robots have rapidly expanded their presence beyond laboratories. They have graced concert stages, completed full marathon distances, entered classrooms alongside students, and taken their place on factory production lines. Each appearance marks another step in their real-world learning and adaptation. These graphics illustrate how China's robotics industry relies on its advantages in technology, application, and industrialization to not only drive domestic innovation, but also help the global industry reach new heights.

When asked to comment on the EU's announcement of an investigation into Chinese wind power company Goldwind over allegations that the company has benefited from government subsidies and distorted competition in the EU market, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, on Wednesday referred the specific question to competent Chinese authorities and stressed that China is determined to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

CK Hutchison Holdings, controlled by Li Ka-shing, on Wednesday issued a voluntary announcement saying its board strongly opposes a Panamanian court ruling and related government actions, adding that Panama Ports Company (PPC) will actively and resolutely pursue arbitration against the Panamanian government.

UK businesses are actively discussing new investment opportunities in China, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is paying a visit. Several cooperation agreements have already been reached or in talk, the Global Times learned from corporate representatives at the China-UK Business Forum held in Beijing on Friday.

John Moolenaar, chair of a US House of Representatives committee on China, is reportedly scrutinizing US automaker Ford Motor's decision to widen its partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL to produce energy storage batteries, demanding an explanation to the nature with CATL's cooperation while claiming China poses "a serious threat" to US supply chain independence and economic security. A Chinese car industry expert said cooperation with the globally leading battery giant is the best choice commercially for Ford, while US politicians' unreasonable move to disrupt normal business cooperation between US and Chinese companies in the EV and battery field will impact America's electrification trajectory.

The UK-based multinational, science-led biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca on Thursday announced $15 billion investment in China through 2030 to expand medicines manufacturing and research and development, the Global Times learned from a press release that the company shared with the Global Times on Thursday.

A spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday that Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's recent visit to China was successful and the two sides achieved a series of pragmatic outcomes in economic and trade cooperation.

In response to media inquiry regarding TikTok's recent official announcement of the formation of a US joint venture and the localization of its algorithm, whether the Chinese side will allow TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to grant an algorithm localization license to the US joint venture, He Yongqian, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce, said at a regular press conference on Thursday that the Chinese side has already elaborated its principles and position over the matter.

British companies see strong prospects for future activity with the China market, highlighting a score of cooperation sectors where businesses from two sides are highly complementary, Tom Simpson, managing director of China Operations and China chief representative of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Wednesday.

In another move that was viewed by analysts as reducing overreliance on US and seeking diversification of foreign relations, Canadian Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney on Tuesday (local time) denied US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's claim that he has walked back the comments he made in Davos, Switzerland, in his phone conversation with US President Donald Trump. “I meant what I said,” Carney said, while noting that almost nothing was normal in the US, according to a video posted by CBC News.

Li Hongyu, the 25-year-old Beijing white-collar worker, kicked off her Monday night routine with a cozy crochet session. Her nimble fingers moved swiftly between the hook and yarn, weaving one stitch at a time. In just a short while, an adorable little plushie sprang to life right in her hands.

German companies' investment in China reached a four-year high from January to November 2025, according to data compiled by Reuters, as Chinese experts said rising US protectionism and mounting geopolitical pressures have eroded German and European investors' confidence in the US market, prompting part of the capital to shift toward China.

Chinese robotics firm Unitree Robotics announced on Monday that it has become a robot cooperation partner for China Media Group's (CMG) Spring Festival Gala for the Year of the Horse, marking its third collaboration with the gala, following a robot ox performance in 2021 and a humanoid robot yangko dance show at the 2025 event, according to its social media post.

In China, the family is not regarded as an isolated private sphere. It is widely understood as the social foundation upon which national stability, cohesion and long-term development are built.

When answering a query that John Moolenaar, chairman of the US House Select Committee on China, claimed his trip to Panama and other Central American countries was aimed to counter China's “coercion, pressure and interference” in the region, counter China's influence, and compete with China in areas such as port operations of the Panama Canal and other economic and trade security issues, following the release of US National Security Strategy last month and its stepping up engagement in the Western Hemisphere, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that China firmly opposes certain US politicians pointing fingers at normal exchanges between Central American countries and China, noting that such remarks are outright lies and fallacies, reflecting nothing more than their own ideological bias and Cold War mentality.

Currently, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing rapidly, with artificial intelligence (AI) emerging as a strategic technology which shapes the future. The Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development stated that the “AI Plus Initiative” should be advanced comprehensively. How is AI being translated into real industrial capacity and long-term economic upgrading in China? The Global Times launches a new column called “AI in Action” to focus on the industrial transformation.

A Chinese robotics company put its automated production line for robot joints into operation on Sunday, marking a key leap for the embodied artificial intelligence (AI) industry to progress from technology research and development (R&D) to large-scale manufacturing, according to a post on the WeChat account of Shanghai's Pudong local district government on Sunday.

Beijing has set its annual GDP growth target at a rate between 4.5 and 5 percent for the next five years, starting this year, with ramped-up efforts to strive for even better results, according to the city's drafted 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for economic and social development released on Sunday, the Beijing News reported on Sunday.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was spotted by many local residents after arriving in Shanghai on Friday, according to ThePaper.cn, as the US chip giant faces fierce competition from local rivals. Chinese experts said Huang's visit is aimed at projecting a “China-friendly” image and boosting morale among local employees, while also seeking to engage Chinese authorities and key clients in an effort to secure large buyers capable of making prompt payments for H200 chips.

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) held a roundtable for British enterprises on Thursday, during which the participating businesses interacted with the corresponding Chinese government officials, according to the MOFCOM on Friday.

Asked by foreign media for comment after TikTok announced on Friday that it has established TikTok US Data Security (USDS) Joint Venture LLC, with the joint venture responsible for data protection, algorithm security, content moderation, and software safeguards for TikTok in the US, and the US President welcomed the move on social media and thanked the Chinese side for approving the agreement, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular press conference on Friday that the question should be directed to the competent Chinese authorities. China's position on TikTok has been consistent and clear, he said.

Social media platform TikTok announced on Friday that the new TikTok US Data Security (USDS) Joint Venture LLC has been established in compliance with the Executive Order signed by the US president on September 25, 2025, and it is now enabling more than 200 million Americans and 7.5 million businesses to continue to discover, create, and thrive as part of TikTok's vibrant global community and experience, according to the statement published on the official website of the social media company.

The estimated output value of China's artificial intelligence (AI) industry last year exceeds 1.2 trillion yuan ($172 billion), and the number of AI-related companies in China has outpaced 6,000, Zhang Yunming, Vice Minister of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), said at a press briefing of the State Council Information Office on Wednesday.