China's first large-scale natural gas hydrogen blending application project at the 100,000-household level has officially launched in Weifang, East China's Shandong Province, on Sunday.The hydrogen blending project covers 100,000 urban households in the city's central urban area, fully encompassing various civil gas usage scenarios such as daily household life and commercial catering, according to a report by the China Central Television (CCTV) on Sunday.

The second humanoid robot half marathon took place in Beijing E-Town on Sunday. More than 100 robot teams participated, including five international teams. A total of 26 brands and more than 300 humanoid robots competed, official data showed.

The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), a key gateway into China's vast consumer market and a platform for China to offer more quality consumer products to the rest of the world, concluded in the tropical island province of Hainan Saturday.

A group of ambassadors, representatives and senior diplomats from 24 countries and international organizations, including Argentina, Jordan and Slovakia, visited north China's Hebei Province from April 14 to 16 at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Amid growing global demand for clean energy and stable energy supply, Chinese new-energy storage companies are securing orders and expanding their international footprint at the ongoing 139th Canton Fair in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province.

China's finance minister and central bank chief traveled to Washington DC this week to attend meetings of the World Bank and the IMF, where they called for safeguarding multilateralism, opposing protectionism, and strengthening economic cooperation amid global economic challenges and geopolitical tensions.

A day after China reported first-quarter GDP growth of 5 percent, also the first quarter economic performance report during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), beating expectations and making global headlines, its top economic planner held a follow-up press conference to offer more insights into high-quality development in this period. On Friday, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) fielded ten questions, ranging from macroeconomy to energy, investment and consumption.

China's economic performance in the first quarter of 2026, the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, was impressive. Looking ahead to the full-year performance, the country targets an economic growth of 4.5 percent to 5 percent this year and will strive for better in practice, which is achievable given its resilience in multiple aspects, including on the demand and supply sides.

China's GDP grew by 5 percent in the first quarter of 2026. One of the contributors exceeding market expectations was the country's strong export shipments. This high export growth was influenced by multiple factors, including international market demand and China's extraordinary supply capacity.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Italian deputy prime minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani co-chaired the 16th meeting of the China-Italy joint economic committee in Beijing on Friday, where they held in-depth discussions on strengthening bilateral and China-EU economic and trade ties, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM)'s website.

From badminton-playing humanoid robots, all-terrain quadruped robot dogs to lightweight exoskeletons and artificial intelligence (AI) glasses that translate over 100 languages, the 139th Canton Fair is buzzing with cutting-edge intelligent products that are turning science fiction into reality and winning overseas orders for Chinese enterprises, the Global Times learned.

Chen Xuhan, a student from South China University of Technology, spent nearly an entire morning on Wednesday exploring cutting-edge technologies on display in Hall 1 of the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) held in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province.

Fewer German companies are investing in the US due to the US administration's trade tariffs and focus is shifting to China and other Asian countries, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing a survey by German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).

China's top market regulator said Friday that it has imposed a total fine of 3.597 billion yuan ($526million) on seven major e-commerce platforms for their involvement in a string of food delivery "ghost shop" cases and food safety violations, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A US bill to keep more chipmaking equipment from being exported to China has been scaled back, according ‌to a Reuters report on Thursday, though it's reported that the bill includes a new restriction on ASML's deep ultraviolet (DUV) immersion lithography machines. A Chinese expert said the US' move indicates that the US was forced to adjust its restrictions as they failed to halt China's technological development and backfired on American chipmakers.

"China has always opposed illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council, and opposed the abuse of long-arm jurisdiction. China-Venezuela cooperation is protected by international law and the laws of both countries. Therefore, China's legitimate rights and interests in Venezuela must be safeguarded," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday, responding to a question over the potential impact of relevant US measures against Venezuela on China-Venezuela financial and economic cooperation.

In response to the impact of changes in the international situation on China's oil and gas imports, the country has adopted comprehensive measures to effectively ensure sufficient domestic oil supply and stable market operations. This fully demonstrates the achievements in building China's new energy system, Wang Changlin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said on Friday.

​China's total installed nuclear power capacity has reached 125 million kilowatts(KW), ranking first globally, according to a CCTV News report, citing a blue book released by the China Nuclear Energy Association (CNEA) on Friday.

Zoomlion Agriculture Machinery Co recently delivered a batch of DQ3004 hybrid tractors to customers in Aksu in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, where the equipment was quickly put into use for spring plowing, the Economic Daily reported on Thursday, showing that new-energy agricultural machinery is gaining popularity in China.

China's industrial growth in the first quarter showed a clear shift toward new growth drivers, with equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing posting robust expansion, while high-tech sectors accounted for more than half of total industrial profit growth, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Thursday.

The China International Import Expo (CIIE) provides an important platform and efficient channel for Spanish companies to showcase premium products, advanced technologies, and services, while also expanding cooperation with China. Spain will actively encourage more enterprises to participate in the CIIE to share in development opportunities, Marga Ramón, director of Strategic Partnerships at the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade, said on Wednesday local time, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Thursday.

China's travel and tourism economy grew 9.9 percent in 2025, more than twice as fast as the global average of 4.1 percent, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara said that if China's tourism sector continues to grow at such a rate, it could become the world's largest tourism economy by the end of the decade, according to Bloomberg.

From trendy toys to artificial intelligence (AI) glasses, and from massaging armchairs to DIY cosmetic machines, a wide range of products is on display at the Sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province. Many of them are being unveiled for the first time, making debut exhibitions and product launches a defining highlight of the event.

In response to a Reuters reporter's question asking the Chinese Commerce Ministry (MOFCOM) to confirm reports that China has conducted preliminary communications with relevant equipment manufacturers regarding restricting the export of the most advanced solar panel manufacturing equipment to the US, MOFCOM spokesperson He Yadong said at a regular press conference on Thursday that he was not aware of the relevant situation.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that China and the US are maintaining communication on US President Donald Trump's visit to China. Guo's statement came in response to a question regarding remarks by President Trump in an interview aired Wednesday (local time) on Fox Business, in which he said factors including Iran would not change the dynamic of his meeting with the Chinese leader; while at the same time, the US is imposing a maritime blockade on Iranian ports, including vessels bound for China. A reporter asked Guo whether China believes this could pose potential risks to the planned leaders' meeting.

A foreign journalist cited information from the Sri Lankan customs that on Thursday nine Chinese citizens were arrested at a Sri Lankan airport for attempting to smuggle telecommunications equipment, allegedly for use in online fraud. When asked for further information or comment, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that "I am not aware of the specific situation you mentioned. The Chinese government consistently requires Chinese citizens overseas to abide by local laws and regulations and refrain from engaging in any form of illegal or criminal activity.”

China has consistently opposed illegal unilateral sanctions that lack a basis in international law and are not authorized by the UN Security Council, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press briefing on Thursday, when commenting on inquiry that the US said yesterday it would sanction buyers of Iranian oil.

Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang said that Anthropic PBC's Mythos breakthrough shows that the US should seek greater cooperation with China so artificial intelligence researchers in the world's two largest economies can agree on how to safely use the increasingly powerful technology, according to a Reuters Thursday report.

The China-Europe Railway Express handled 5,460 freight train runs in the first quarter of this year, up 29 percent year-on-year, with the volume of goods transported up 22 percent year-on-year to reach 546,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, injecting new vitality into China-EU cooperation as well as social development of countries along the routes, according to data released on Thursday by China State Railway Group Co.

A strong start with a steady and promising beginning. On Thursday, the first-quarter report of China's economy during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period was released, showing that GDP grew by 5 percent year-on-year at constant prices. This growth rate reached the high end of this year's full-year target range of 4.5 percent to 5 percent, and ranks among the top major economies in the world. Despite a complex and volatile external environment, major economic indicators exceeded expectations.

China's holdings of US government debt stood at $693.3 billion in February, a slight decrease of $1.1 billion from the previous month, data from US Treasury Department showed on Wednesday. China remained the third-largest foreign holder of US Treasuries, after Japan and the UK.

China's energy resources remain sufficient, stable and orderly even as geopolitical conflicts have driven a surge in global energy prices, thanks to forward-looking development of the country's new energy sector and a diversified energy supply system, an official of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Thursday.

At the state-of-the-art automated terminal of Qingdao Port in East China's Shandong Province, a colossal oceangoing freighter rests at the berth, its deck stacked with brightly colored shipping containers. Ashore, newly minted electric vehicles stand in meticulous formation, awaiting shipment to global markets. Operating with relentless, algorithmic precision, the bustling port terminal serves as a powerful microcosm for the world's second-largest economy, which has just delivered stronger-than-expected results for the first quarter of 2026.

China's Q1 GDP expands by 5%

China is willing to work with Spain to strengthen strategic alignment and policy coordination, continuously improve the business environment, and promote deeper cooperation among enterprises in technological innovation and industrial and supply chains, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said on Wednesday.

Ahead of the 139th Canton Fair, which opened in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on Wednesday, customs authorities held consultations with an enterprise from Egypt, regarding the details of new tax exemptions for exhibit goods. The Egyptian firm, which plans to showcase household textiles such as carpets, sought confirmation on whether its products would qualify for the duty-free policy and if there were any restrictions on the exemption.

The world's largest and China's first 10,000-ton pure electric intelligent container vessel, the Ningyuan Diankun, set sail on Wednesday from the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port bound for the Zhapu Port Area in Jiaxing, marking the official start of its commercial operations, and ushering in a new phase of exploration and development for China's coastal container shipping driven by pure electric power and intelligent navigation, Ningbo Zhoushan Port told the Global Times in a statement.

Nearly 200 guests from the Chinese and European vehicle industries gathered in Paris on Tuesday local time at an event called "Made-in-Wuhan, Global Journey" to engage in in-depth discussions on green transformation, technological innovation, supply chain optimization, and industrial chain collaboration.

Holding a bottle of orange soda from Beijing-based beverage brand Beibingyang, also known as Arctic Ocean, Sebastian Ciemnoczołowski, Marshal of the Lubuskie Voivodeship in western Poland, told Global Times reporters that he understands this type of drink is associated with childhood memories for many Chinese consumers, and he believes Polish consumers may also like it.

The issuance of panda bonds has increased notably so far this year, rising 91.81% year-on-year, as global investors seek safe havens amid rising geopolitical uncertainties. Chinese experts said that the surge reflected the joint effect of multiple factors such as advantageous financing costs and the stable performance of yuan-denominated assets, while stressing that this also demonstrates confidence in the development of China's economy and financial markets.

With production lines running flat out and orders already booked through the end of May, and with the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, Chen Shaomei has seen rising demand and growing enthusiasm from overseas buyers in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province.

China's International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang met with Ford Motor Company Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer Steven Croley in Beijing on Monday, exchanging views on China-US economic and trade relations and Ford's development in China, according to the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday.

China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Wednesday reminded pet lovers not to illegally import “exotic pets,” as the list of key controlled alien species at ports will take effect on May 1. After that, any unauthorized introduction of listed alien species will be subject to penalties.

In response to a media question about US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's claim that China was an “unreliable global partner” during the Middle East crisis and whether such comments could affect US President Donald Trump's upcoming visit to China, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that China has repeatedly made clear its solemn position on the situation in Iran, and that the two sides are maintaining communication regarding President Trump's China visit.

In response to a question that, according to reports, a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report warned that prolonged conflict in the Middle East could push global economy to the brink of recession, lowering this year's global growth forecast by 0.2 percentage points, while UN agencies estimate the war could push an additional 45 million people into hunger and up to 32 million into poverty, with some Pacific island countries declaring emergencies over energy shortages, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that the IMF report once again shows the conflict has not only caused heavy casualties and losses, but also generated severe spillover effects, dragging down global economic growth and livelihood improvement.

Six Chinese government departments including the General Administration of Customs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as well as the Ministry of Natural Resources, jointly issued a list of key invasive alien species for control at ports for the first time. The list will take effect on May 1 this year, China Media Group (CMG) reported on Wednesday.

In response to allegations made in the US that Lululemon may have used “forever chemicals,” a public relations representative from the company in China told the Global Times on Wednesday that all products currently on sale in China do not contain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The quality of Lululemon clothing continued to draw questions from many Chinese netizens on Wednesday, with some calling for “solid evidence.”

China achieved a new milestone in making large-scale unmanned transport equipment as the domestically-developed HH-200 successfully completed its maiden flight on Wednesday.

Wine, cordyceps, natural drinking water, and cultural and creative products … more than 300 specialty products from the Xizang Autonomous Region in Southwest China attracted attention from consumers at the Sixth China International Consumer Products Expo in Hainan, South China, this week. Meanwhile, on livestreaming e-commerce platforms, Xizang specialties such as yak meat, apples, and tsampa continue to gain popularity every day.

Despite lacking its own booth, ZXMOTO emerged as one of the expo's hottest attractions, drawing large numbers of visitors and becoming a standout phenomenon at this year's China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province.

The first quarter of 2026 has turned out to be quite a busy season for Chinese new energy firms in overseas markets.

Chatting with visitors from around the world in front of shelves lined with Canadian healthcare products, Keith Taverner, a Canadian businessperson, could barely contain his excitement when promoting his products at the China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), where he is participating for the first time. The lively scene captures the strong appeal this year's CICPE holds for foreign governments and business representatives who have flocked to Haikou, capital city of South China's Hainan Province.

China's largest scientific artificial intelligence (AI) computing cluster went live on Tuesday at the National Supercomputing Internet's core node in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

Chinese state-owned company Sinochem's Italian subsidiary, Marco Polo International S.r.l., said on Tuesday in a statement it sent to the Global Times that it reserves the right to pursue all necessary legal remedies to protect its legitimate shareholder rights and interests after it received a decree from the Italian government on April 10 exercising its so-called “golden power” over Pirelli's corporate governance.

The Chinese yuan strengthens to 6.82 against the US dollar on Tuesday morning, reaching a new high in over three years. The yuan's robust performance underscores the resilience of China's economic fundamentals and demonstrates the rational return of foreign exchange market expectations, Chinese analysts said, noting that a rational global asset portfolio should give due consideration to yuan-denominated assets.

Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport has opened an investigation into Shanghai HelloBike Technology Co for allegedly over-deploying shared bicycles in the capital in violation of related regulations, the China Media Group (CMG) reported on Tuesday.

The European Union (EU) should not underestimate China's resolve to take swift and resolute countermeasures if Brussels continues to escalate its protectionist measures against China, an insider familiar with the matter told the Global Times on Tuesday.

China's equipment manufacturing products accounted for more than 60 percent of total exports, with high-tech products posting rapid growth, including a 119 percent surge in 3D printer exports, a customs official said on Tuesday, adding that the strong first-quarter export has laid a solid foundation for stable foreign trade growth throughout the year.

The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court held a first-instance public trial in a case involving Evergrande Group, Evergrande Real Estate and Xu Jiayin, former chairman of China's property developer Evergrande Group, from Monday to Tuesday, according to the court.

China's imports grew by nearly 20 percent in the first quarter of 2026, with the growth rate 7.7 percentage points higher than the country's exports in the same period. The scale of imports reached a record high for the same period in history, Wang Jun, deputy head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), said on Tuesday.

Asked to comment on the UK Secretary of State for Energy's statement on the UK Parliament's website, claiming that the UK government does not support the use of MingYang Smart Energy turbines in UK offshore wind projects, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday that the UK side's decision to exclude Chinese products from its offshore wind projects on the grounds of “national security” runs counter to the UK's long-held commitment to an “open and free” market philosophy.

China's foreign trade has regained momentum in the first three months of this year, with foreign trade in goods jumping by 15 percent to reach 11.84 trillion yuan ($1.73 trillion), latest data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed on Tuesday.

China has for the first time officially released a detailed “seabed chemical element map” of its eastern waters, presenting the results of nearly 20 years of marine geological surveys, CCTV News reported on Tuesday, citing the Ministry of Natural Resources.

China Northern Rare Earth Group High-Tech Co, a listed company on China's A-share market, announced on Monday that it expects to achieve net profit attributable to owners of the parent company of 900 million yuan ($131.81 million) to 940 million yuan for the first quarter of 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 109.14 percent to 118.43 percent, according to the company's statement.

A Taiwan regional trade delegate calls Hainan expo “a good start” for high-quality products entering mainland market, as Taiwan-themed exhibition area makes its debut at the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) opened in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province on Monday.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council to publish a new set of rules on countering foreign states' unlawful extraterritorial jurisdiction measures, in order to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens and organizations, and uphold the international order based on international law, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

A sea of people surged through the venue, voices overlapping as deals were struck and cameras flashed, with the latest products drawing eager attention. It felt like a vast open market, yet with a global twist: visitors from around the world, each seeking opportunity in China's increasingly open consumer landscape. They were gathered at the annual China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, capital city of South China's Hainan Province.

Australia and the US have stepped up funding for critical minerals cooperation, the latest Western effort to reshape supply chains along geopolitical lines. However, Chinese analysts cautioned that replacing China's entrenched role in the global industrial chain is far more complex than scaling up financing or forming exclusive political “small circles.”

Sixteen Chinese science and technology organizations issued a joint initiative calling for the establishment of an open, fair, inclusive, and effective global artificial intelligence (AI) governance system, and warning against technology hegemony, academic barriers, exclusive “small circles” and unreasonable technological monopolies, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

“I found the bathing culture really intriguing,” Bailey, an Australian social media content creator who has visited bathhouses twice in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, told the Global Times. He once encouraged “more foreigners to go to Chinese bathhouses” in a social media post.

For many foreign companies including those from Spain, being present in China is no longer optional but a must if they want to compete globally, said Javier Tora, Vice President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in China, who spoke with the Global Times in an exclusive interview.

Recently, at the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Protection Service Center in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province, a business owner successfully completed an application with the Madrid System for global trademark protection covering 50 countries, including the US, Germany and Spain, in a single visit. "I didn't expect it could be handled here, and all the applications could be completed at once. There's no need to run around anymore," the entrepreneur said with surprise, according to a report on Yiwu Fabu on Sunday.

A Magnum ice cream advertisement released recently on a social media platform has sparked controversy after linking its new product's color design to the “contrasting aesthetics of ballet shoes,” with some consumers saying that the association is unsettling, as the topic “Magnum ad ballet shoes” trended on China's social media Sina Weibo.

According to reports, Brazil's Labor Ministry previously announced that it had placed several companies and individual employers operating in Brazil, including Chinese automaker BYD, on a list of firms accused of employing workers in “slavery-like conditions.” Recently, a Brazilian labor court ruled that the procedure used to make that determination against BYD was unlawful, and Brazil's Labor Ministry has announced the removal of BYD from the relevant list.

China's top internet watchdog issued a comprehensive set of rules on Monday to tighten the management of tipping on live-streaming platforms, aiming to curb irrational spending, prevent the exploitation of minors, and promote a healthier online ecosystem.

About 30 leading Chinese automakers, parts suppliers and auto material companies have jointly established a new Strategic Materials Innovation and Application Platform in Beijing to address critical "chokepoint" material problems in the automotive industry, China EV100, an initiator of the platform, said in a statement on Monday.

A new direct air route linking central China with Southeast Asia was launched on Sunday, with the inaugural flight departing from Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, to Jakarta. The route marks the first direct connection between the two cities.

The China-Laos Railway cross-border passenger service is set to mark its third anniversary, representing a significant milestone in regional connectivity and cultural exchange. Linking Kunming in southwest China's Yunnan province with the Lao capital Vientiane, the railway enables same-day travel between the two cities, significantly reducing journey time while bringing the people of China and Laos closer together.

Leading indicators on China's investment, consumption and foreign trade released recently by the State Information Center under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) point to a solid start for the economy in the first quarter, CCTV News reported.

The 2026 Jiangsu Football City League – popularly known as the Su Super League – kicked off on Saturday night in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, with multiple Chinese localities including South China's Guangdong and Central China's Hubei standing ready for their provincial city football leagues this year.

As a delegation led by Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party, wrapped up its six-day visit to the Chinese mainland and departed Beijing for Taiwan on Sunday, Teng Tai-Hsien, secretary-general of the Straits Economic & Cultural Interchange Association, has called for further strengthened cross-Straits cooperation, which is particularly important for Taiwan businesses.

Wholesale sales of new-energy vehicle (NEV) passenger vehicles by Chinese automakers are projected to grow by 13 percent year-on-year to reach 17.3 million units in 2026, Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), said at a forum on Sunday, signaling steady growth in China's NEV sector.

Chinese ice cream and beverage chain Mixue, known for its affordable ice cream and tea-based drinks, marked its arrival in the Brazilian market with the opening of its first store in Sao Paulo on Saturday (local time).

Baicheng's successful practice in clean energy offers a new lens on China's green and high-quality development. As resource advantages extend downstream industries, the logic of growth is shifting.

As the capital city sheds its daytime bustle, rhythmic footsteps echo across a quiet track under the cover of night. This weekend, a group of unusual “runners” took to the course for adaptive training ahead of next week's half marathon event held in Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town).

Amid intensifying regional tensions and wild swings in global oil prices, the cost of shipping is on the rise—not only for air freight but also for international express delivery services. Major global logistics players including UPS, DHL, FedEx, and SF International have all adjusted their fuel surcharge policies in recent weeks, with most implementing notable increases as they pass on higher energy costs.

Chinese robotics startup Unitree Robotics released a video on Saturday showing its H1 robot reached a sprint speed of up to 10 meters per second, noting that the humanoid robot broke the world record again.

After years of technological innovation and investment, China has become the world's leading driver of robust growth in the renewable energy industry, demonstrating strong resilience amid the recent global oil market turmoil.

China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. announced on Saturday that railway construction has been advancing with high quality and efficiency in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, laying a solid foundation for the full-year goals and injecting new vitality into economic and social development.

The Netherlands has approved US electric carmaker Tesla's supervised self-driving system, making it the first European country to permit the technology on public roads.

Local government in Gongchangling district in Liaoyang city, Northeast China's Liaoning Province issued a notice on Friday about a sacrificial ritual suspected of involving burying a real car, saying that the district government is handling the case seriously in accordance with the law regarding the individual's suspected violation of relevant laws and regulations.

Underscoring demand-driven development, reform breakthroughs, technology empowerment as well as opening up and cooperation, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for carrying out capacity-expanding and quality-upgrading initiatives in the service sector. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has also called for striving to break new ground in the high-quality development of China's service sector.

China's economy has started the year on a strongly recovering trajectory in the first quarter of 2026, with a series of high-frequency indicators highlighting its resilience and potential to achieve the annual growth target of 4.5-5 percent.

Even though March data is not yet fully available, the data from January and February shows that China's economy is on track for a strong start in the first quarter. The economy performed on steady ground in the past three months, supported by multiple drivers including exports, investment, and consumption.

An artificial intelligence (AI) video creation platform HappyHorse-1.0 has made itself a “black horse” lately. The AI model, with multiple clues indicating it is most possibly developed by a Chinese team affiliated with Alibaba, has topped both text-to-video and image-to-video leaderboards of independent third-party AI benchmarking platform Artificial Analysis during the past week, generating a buzz across the AI industry and the capital market.

Chinese traffic data analysis platform DAST said on Friday that, during March, which marked the start of Japan's cherry blossom season, a total of 53 China-Japan routes had all flights canceled, an increase from February.

The 139th Canton Fair is set to open on Wednesday in Guangzhou, with a record number of exhibitors, while bringing together more than 210,000 global buyers pre-registered so far, a 20 percent year-on-year increase, officials revealed on Friday.

China and Belarus are all-weather comprehensive strategic partners, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday in response to a question on bilateral relations. “In recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Belarus relations have maintained sound and steady growth, with cooperation across various fields continuing to deepen. Bilateral trade reached $8.86 billion last year, up 5.5 percent year-on-year,” Mao said.

The US is considering further restrictions on Chinese telecom companies, in what analysts describe as a continued expansion of Washington's tech-related curbs on China under the pretext of "national security", warning that the move could further undermine the stability of bilateral economic and trade ties.

China's Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures prices at the factory gate, rose 0.5 percent year-on-year in March, reversing a 0.9 percent decline in the previous month and marking the first increase in more than three years, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Friday.