Sweden became the latest European country to join the list in November. As of January 2026, China also announced plans to allow visa-free travel to Canadians.<\/p>\n<p>The government has been steadily expanding visa-free entry in a bid to boost tourism, the economy and its soft power. More than 20 million foreign visitors entered without a visa in 2024 \u2013 more than double from the previous year, according to the National Immigration Administration.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis really helps people to travel because it is such a hassle to apply for a visa and go through the process,\u201d Giorgi Shavadze, a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//10//16//hospitality-is-a-labour-of-love-in-georgia-here-are-my-top-tips-for-food-drink-and-hotels/">Georgian living in Austria, said on a recent visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.<\/p>\n<h2>China\u2019s tourism industry gears up after years of slow recovery<\/h2>\n<p>While most tourist sites are still packed with far more domestic tourists than foreigners, travel companies and tour guides are now bracing for a bigger influx in anticipation of summer holidaymakers coming to <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//11//22//china-aims-to-boost-tourism-by-giving-visa-free-entry-to-these-five-european-countries/">China./n
Europe once again dominates passport power ranking, with 30 countries in the top 10<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2026//01//23//japan-is-building-the-worlds-fastest-train-but-will-it-ever-come-to-europe/">Japan is building the world\u2019s fastest train - but will it ever come to Europe?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m practically overwhelmed with tours and struggling to keep up,\u201d says Gao Jun, a veteran English-speaking tour guide with over 20 years of experience. To meet growing demand, he launched a new business to train anyone interested in becoming an English-speaking <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//01//23//cheaper-trips-and-ridiculous-recommendations-the-highs-and-lows-of-ai-travel-bots/">tour guide<\/strong><\/a>. \u201cI just can\u2019t handle them all on my own,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>After lifting tough COVID-19 pandemic <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2022//12//28//chinese-travel-industry-welcomes-the-end-of-strict-covid-19-travel-controls/">restrictions, China reopened its borders to tourists in early 2023, but only 13.8 million people visited in that year \u2013 less than half the 31.9 million in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.<\/p>\n<h2>30-day entry for many in Europe<\/h2>\n<p>In December 2023, China announced <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//03//18//thailands-visa-free-stay-will-soon-be-cut-to-30-days-heres-what-it-means-for-tourists/">visa-free entry<\/strong><\/a> for citizens of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. Almost all of <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//05//20//riga-gdansk-podgorica-head-to-eastern-europe-for-the-best-city-break-bargains-this-summer/">Europe has been added since then.<\/p>\n<p>Travellers from five Latin American countries and Uzbekistan became eligible last month, followed by four in the Middle East. The total will grow to 75 on 16 July with the addition of Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n<p>About two-thirds of the countries have been granted visa-free entry on a one-year trial basis.<\/p>\n<p>For Norwegian traveller \u00d8ystein Sporsheim, this means his family would no longer need to make two round-trip visits to the Chinese embassy in <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//09//13//from-oslo-to-budapest-these-are-the-best-and-worst-metro-systems-in-europe/">Oslo to apply for a tourist visa \u2013 a time-consuming and costly process with two children in tow. \u201cThey don\u2019t very often open, so it was much harder,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h2>Europeans driving a tourism rebound<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe new visa policies are 100 per cent beneficial to us,\u201d said Jenny Zhao, a managing director of WildChina, which specialises in boutique and <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//07//01//corfu-aims-to-attract-wealthy-travellers-to-avoid-overtourism-amid-rising-visitor-numbers/">luxury routes for international travellers. She said business is up 50 per cent compared with before the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>While the United States remains their largest source market, accounting for around 30 per cent of their current business, European travellers now make up 15\u201320 per cent of their clients \u2013 a sharp increase from less than 5 per cent before 2019, according to Zhao.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2026//01//24//the-major-new-travel-hubs-that-are-going-to-change-the-way-we-fly/">The major new travel hubs that are going to change the way we fly<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re quite optimistic,\u201d Zhao said. \u201cWe hope these benefits will continue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trip.com Group, a Shanghai-based online travel agency, said the visa-free policy has significantly boosted tourism. Air, hotel and other bookings on their website for travel to China doubled in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year, with 75 per cent of the visitors from visa-free regions.<\/p>\n<p>No major African country is eligible for visa-free entry, despite the continent\u2019s relatively close ties with China.<\/p>\n<h2>Transit stays offer another option for non-eligible countries<\/h2>\n<p>Those from the countries not in the visa-free <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//11//15//what-is-a-golden-visa-and-why-are-some-countries-giving-them-up-for-good/">scheme have another option: entering China for up to 10 days if they depart for a different country than the one they came from. The policy is limited to 60 ports of entry, according to the country\u2019s National Immigration Administration.<\/p>\n<p>The transit policy applies to 55 countries, but most are also on the 30-day visa-free entry list.<\/p>\n<p>It does offer a more restrictive option for citizens of the eight countries that aren\u2019t: the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Russia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Indonesia, <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//06//02//venezuela-warns-citizens-not-to-travel-to-us/">the United States<\/strong><\/a> and Mexico.<\/p>\n<p>Since Sweden was added last year, the United Kingdom is now the only high-income European country that hasn't made the 30-day list.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1752138478,"updatedAt":1769504088,"publishedAt":1769502868,"firstPublishedAt":1752143668,"lastPublishedAt":1769504087,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Andy Wong","altText":"Tourists take a selfie at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on June 15, 2025. ","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"Tourists take a selfie at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing on June 15, 2025. ","url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/36\/58\/09\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_6ab4ac0f-1ab8-5c77-bb19-3c69bf054bf0-9365809.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1074}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"travel","titleRaw":"Travel","id":12639,"title":"Travel","slug":"travel"},{"urlSafeValue":"china","titleRaw":"China","id":311,"title":"China","slug":"china"},{"urlSafeValue":"visa","titleRaw":"visa","id":18848,"title":"visa","slug":"visa"},{"urlSafeValue":"travel-trends","titleRaw":"Travel trends","id":30172,"title":"Travel trends","slug":"travel-trends"},{"urlSafeValue":"tourism","titleRaw":"Tourism","id":4221,"title":"Tourism","slug":"tourism"},{"urlSafeValue":"travel-visa","titleRaw":"Travel visa","id":15254,"title":"Travel visa","slug":"travel-visa"}],"widgets":[{"count":2,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2814599},{"id":2815413}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Fu Ting","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"travel-news","urlSafeValue":"travel-news","title":"Travel News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/travel\/travel-news\/travel-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"travel","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"travel","id":7,"title":"Travel","slug":"travel"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":7,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"travel-news","id":"travel-news","title":"Travel News","url":"\/travel\/travel-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":21,"urlSafeValue":"travel-news","title":"Travel News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":["84121001"],"slugs":["news"]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/travel\/2026\/01\/27\/planning-a-trip-to-china-visa-free-entry-is-now-available-for-74-nationalities","lastModified":1769504087},{"id":2863326,"cid":9617681,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Chinese economy grew in 2025 despite Trump tariffs","daletPyramidId":3924096,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China hits 5% growth goal, but weak demand tells another story","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China hits 5% growth goal, but weak demand tells another story","titleListing2":"","leadin":"China\u2019s economy grew in line with official targets last year, yet economists warn that reliance on exports may not be enough to sustain growth in 2026.","summary":"China\u2019s economy grew in line with official targets last year, yet economists warn that reliance on exports may not be enough to sustain growth in 2026.","keySentence":"","url":"china-hits-5-growth-goal-but-weak-demand-tells-another-story","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2026\/01\/19\/china-hits-5-growth-goal-but-weak-demand-tells-another-story","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China hit its official growth target in 2025 thanks to strong exports \u2014 despite US president Donald Trump's tariffs \u2014 but slowing quarterly growth and weak consumer demand are raising doubts about the economy\u2019s underlying strength.\n\nGrowth slowed to a 4.5% rate in the last quarter of the year, the government said on Monday, the slowest quarterly growth since late 2022 when China began to loosen stringent COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.\n\nThe economy, the world\u2019s second largest, grew at a 4.8% annual pace in the previous quarter.\n\nChina\u2019s leaders have been trying to spur faster growth after a slump in the property market and disruptions from the pandemic rippled through the economy.\n\nAs expected, annual growth last year was in line with the government\u2019s official target for an expansion of \u201caround 5%\u201d.\n\nIn quarterly terms, the economy grew 1.2% in October to December.\n\nStrong exports helped compensate for weak consumer spending and business investment, contributing to a record trade surplus of $1.2tr (\u20ac1.032tr).\n\nThe Chinese economy expanded at a 5% annual rate in 2024, and 5.2% in 2023, according to government data.\n\nAmbitious official growth targets have also trended down over the past few years, from 6% to 6.5% in 2019 to \u201caround 5%\u201d in 2025.\n\nA slower annual expansion is expected for 2026. Deutsche Bank forecasts that China\u2019s economy will grow about 4.5% in 2026.\n\nOther countries consider tariffs\n\nChinese exports to the US suffered after Trump returned to office early last year and began raising tariffs across the board, but in particular for Chinese imports.\n\nThat decline was offset by shipments to the rest of the world. Soaring imports of Chinese goods are leading some other governments to take action to protect local industries, in some cases raising import duties.\n\nTrump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to extend a truce in their bruising tariff war, also helping to alleviate pressure on China\u2019s exports. But China's exports to the US still fell 20% last year.\n\n\u201cThe key question is how long this engine of growth can remain the primary driver,\u201d Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING wrote in a recent note.\n\n\u201cShould more economies also start ramping up tariffs on China, as Mexico has done and the EU has threatened to do, eventually, a tighter squeeze will be seen.\"\n\nChina\u2019s leaders have repeatedly highlighted boosting domestic demand as a policy focus, but their effects have so far been limited.\n\nTrade-ins for appliances\n\nA trade-in programme for drivers to replace older cars with more energy-efficient models, for example, has been losing steam in recent months.\n\n\u201cStabilisation, not necessarily recovery, of the domestic property market is key to revive public confidence and, hence household consumption and private investment growth,\u201d said Chi Lo, senior market strategist for Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas Asset Management.\n\nChina has also provided trade-in subsidies for home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and TVs.\n\nWhile major consumer stimulus policies in 2025 \u2014 including such subsidies \u2014 are set to continue in 2026, they may be scaled back, Weiheng Chen, global investment strategist at JP Morgan Private Bank, said in a recent note.\n\nInvestments in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies remain a key priority for China\u2019s ruling Communist Party as it moves to boost self-reliance and rival the US.\n\nChallenges for small businesses\n\nMeanwhile, many ordinary Chinese and small businesses are struggling with tough times and troubling uncertainty over jobs and incomes.\n\nLiu Fengyun, a 53-year-old noodle restaurant owner in a small county in southwestern China\u2019s Guizhou province, said business has become very difficult these days.\n\nSome of her customers told her that \u201cmoney is hard to earn now\u201d and \u201cmaking breakfast at home is cheaper\u201d.\n\n\u201cPeople all say, \u2018The overall environment is not good right now \u2014 what more can you expect? People don\u2019t have money anymore. Nothing is easy to do now,\u2019\u201d Liu said.\n\nKang Yi, head of China\u2019s National Bureau of Statistics, on Monday told reporters that China\u2019s economy had sustained \"steady progress in 2025 despite multiple pressures\u201d and has \u201csolid foundations\" in countering risks.\n\nSome economists and analysts believe China\u2019s actual economic growth in 2025 was slower than official figures suggest.\n\nThe Rhodium Group, a think tank, said last month it expected China\u2019s economy to grow only by 2.5% to 3% last year.\n\nA strong and stable economy is considered crucial for social stability, a primary priority for China's leaders. While China could probably maintain social stability even at lower economic growth rates, Beijing \u201cwants the economy to keep growing\u201d, said Neil Thomas, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute\u2019s Center for China Analysis.\n\nChina likely needs to sustain a roughly 4%-5% annual expansion in order to reach its soft target by 2035 of $20,000 gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, he said.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China hit its official growth target in 2025 thanks to strong exports \u2014 despite US president Donald Trump's tariffs \u2014 but slowing quarterly growth and weak consumer demand are raising doubts about the economy\u2019s underlying strength.<\/p>\n<p>Growth slowed to a 4.5% rate in the last quarter of the year, the government said on Monday, the slowest quarterly growth since late 2022 when China began to loosen stringent COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. <\/p>\n<p>The economy, the world\u2019s second largest, grew at a 4.8% annual pace in the previous quarter.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s leaders have been trying to spur faster growth after a slump in the property market and disruptions from the pandemic rippled through the economy.<\/p>\n<p>As expected, annual growth last year was in line with the government\u2019s official target for an expansion of \u201caround 5%\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In quarterly terms, the economy grew 1.2% in October to December.<\/p>\n<p>Strong exports helped compensate for weak consumer spending and business investment, contributing to a record trade surplus of $1.2tr (\u20ac1.032tr).<\/p>\n<p>The Chinese economy expanded at a 5% annual rate in 2024, and 5.2% in 2023, according to government data. <\/p>\n<p>Ambitious official growth targets have also trended down over the past few years, from 6% to 6.5% in 2019 to \u201caround 5%\u201d in 2025.<\/p>\n<p>A slower annual expansion is expected for 2026. Deutsche Bank forecasts that China\u2019s economy will grow about 4.5% in 2026.<\/p>\n<h2>Other countries consider tariffs<\/h2>\n<p>Chinese exports to the US suffered after Trump returned to office early last year and began raising tariffs across the board, but in particular for Chinese imports. <\/p>\n<p>That decline was offset by shipments to the rest of the world. Soaring imports of Chinese goods are leading some other governments to take action to protect local industries, in some cases raising import duties.<\/p>\n<p>Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to extend a truce in their bruising tariff war, also helping to alleviate pressure on China\u2019s exports. But China's exports to the US still fell 20% last year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe key question is how long this engine of growth can remain the primary driver,\u201d Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING wrote in a recent note.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShould more economies also start ramping up tariffs on China, as Mexico has done and the EU has threatened to do, eventually, a tighter squeeze will be seen.\"<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s leaders have repeatedly highlighted boosting domestic demand as a policy focus, but their effects have so far been limited. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//news//2026//01//14//china-records-massive-12-trillion-trade-surplus-in-2025-as-exports-rose-in-december/">China records massive $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025 as exports rose in December<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//news//2026//01//02//china-bets-on-province-the-size-of-belgium-to-reshape-global-trade/">China bets on province the size of Belgium to reshape global trade<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Trade-ins for appliances<\/h2>\n<p>A trade-in programme for drivers to replace older cars with more energy-efficient models, for example, has been losing steam in recent months.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStabilisation, not necessarily recovery, of the domestic property market is key to revive public confidence and, hence household consumption and private investment growth,\u201d said Chi Lo, senior market strategist for Asia Pacific at BNP Paribas Asset Management.<\/p>\n<p>China has also provided trade-in subsidies for home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and TVs. <\/p>\n<p>While major consumer stimulus policies in 2025 \u2014 including such subsidies \u2014 are set to continue in 2026, they may be scaled back, Weiheng Chen, global investment strategist at JP Morgan Private Bank, said in a recent note.<\/p>\n<p>Investments in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies remain a key priority for China\u2019s ruling Communist Party as it moves to boost self-reliance and rival the US. <\/p>\n<h2>Challenges for small businesses<\/h2>\n<p>Meanwhile, many ordinary Chinese and small businesses are struggling with tough times and troubling uncertainty over jobs and incomes.<\/p>\n<p>Liu Fengyun, a 53-year-old noodle restaurant owner in a small county in southwestern China\u2019s Guizhou province, said business has become very difficult these days. <\/p>\n<p>Some of her customers told her that \u201cmoney is hard to earn now\u201d and \u201cmaking breakfast at home is cheaper\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople all say, \u2018The overall environment is not good right now \u2014 what more can you expect? People don\u2019t have money anymore. Nothing is easy to do now,\u2019\u201d Liu said.<\/p>\n<p>Kang Yi, head of China\u2019s National Bureau of Statistics, on Monday told reporters that China\u2019s economy had sustained \"steady progress in 2025 despite multiple pressures\u201d and has \u201csolid foundations\" in countering risks.<\/p>\n<p>Some economists and analysts believe China\u2019s actual economic growth in 2025 was slower than official figures suggest.<\/p>\n<p>The Rhodium Group, a think tank, said last month it expected China\u2019s economy to grow only by 2.5% to 3% last year.<\/p>\n<p>A strong and stable economy is considered crucial for social stability, a primary priority for China's leaders. While China could probably maintain social stability even at lower economic growth rates, Beijing \u201cwants the economy to keep growing\u201d, said Neil Thomas, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute\u2019s Center for China Analysis.<\/p>\n<p>China likely needs to sustain a roughly 4%-5% annual expansion in order to reach its soft target by 2035 of $20,000 gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, he said.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1768816445,"updatedAt":1768820405,"publishedAt":1768820404,"firstPublishedAt":1768820404,"lastPublishedAt":1768820404,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/76\/81\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_2a260b35-286a-5da6-b206-6fb5278090be-9617681.jpg","altText":"FILE. A woman lifts up a child in Beijing, China, on 15 Jan. 2026.","caption":"FILE. A woman lifts up a child in Beijing, China, on 15 Jan. 2026.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/AP","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":10675,"slug":"chinese-economy","urlSafeValue":"chinese-economy","title":"Chinese economy","titleRaw":"Chinese economy"},{"id":9591,"slug":"international-trade","urlSafeValue":"international-trade","title":"International trade","titleRaw":"International trade"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2859108},{"id":2858643},{"id":2856598}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2026\/01\/19\/china-hits-5-growth-goal-but-weak-demand-tells-another-story","lastModified":1768820404},{"id":2862567,"cid":9614646,"versionId":4,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CANADA'S CARNEY MEETS XI IN CHINA VISIT","daletPyramidId":3898928,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Canada PM Mark Carney hails strategic China partnership in Beijing meeting with Xi Jinping","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Canada PM Mark Carney meets China's Xi Jinping in landmark visit","titleListing2":"Canada PM Mark Carney hails strategic China partnership in meeting with Xi Jinping","leadin":"According to Carney, the relationship \"will not only deepen our bilateral ties to the benefit of our peoples but will also\u2014from our judgement\u2014help improve the multilateral system\u2014a system that, in recent years, has come under great strain.\"","summary":"According to Carney, the relationship \"will not only deepen our bilateral ties to the benefit of our peoples but will also\u2014from our judgement\u2014help improve the multilateral system\u2014a system that, in recent years, has come under great strain.\"","keySentence":"","url":"canada-pm-mark-carney-hails-strategic-china-partnership-in-beijing-meeting-with-xi-jinping","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/16\/canada-pm-mark-carney-hails-strategic-china-partnership-in-beijing-meeting-with-xi-jinping","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday hailed what he called a strategic Canada-China partnership in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as both sides aim to deepen bilateral ties after nearly ten years of poor relations between Beijing and Ottawa.\n\nSpeaking at the start of a bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader, Carney said he is \u201cextremely pleased\u201d that Ottawa and Beijing are quickly moving forward with their new strategic partnership.\n\nAccording to Carney, the relationship \"will not only deepen our bilateral ties to the benefit of our peoples but will also\u2014from our judgement\u2014help improve the multilateral system\u2014a system that, in recent years, has come under great strain.\"\n\nOn his part, Xi told Carney he is \u201cheartened\u201d by the progress the two sides have made since \u201cresuming and restarting\u201d the relationship in recent months.\n\nXi described the leaders\u2019 last meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea in October as a \u201cturnaround\u201d in the Canada-China relationship.\n\n\u201cA healthy, stable Canada-China is in the interest of our two countries and in the peace and stability of the world,\u201d Xi added.\n\nCarney's four-day trip to China, which began on Wednesday, is the first by a Canadian leader to China in eight years and follows several years of acrimony over issues ranging from Canada\u2019s 2018 arrest of a senior Chinese tech executive to 100% Canadian tariffs on China-made electric vehicles.\n\nCarney attempting to repair ties\n\nCarney, who became prime minister 10 months ago, is attempting to repair ties with China as he looks to develop ties with countries other than the United States amid the growing strain of relations with the Trump administration in Washington.\n\nOn Thursday, the Canadian premier said his country was entering a new era of relations with China.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re ready to build a new partnership\u2014one that builds on the best of our past and responds to the challenges of today,\u201d Carney posted on X after he arrived in Beijing on Wednesday night.\n\nThe situation for Canada is made more pressing by higher import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. More than 75% percent of Canada\u2019s exports go to the US, and Carney has set a goal of reducing that reliance by doubling Canada\u2019s exports to other countries over the next decade.\n\n\u201cWe will double non-US trade over the next 10 years. That means we are cognizant of the fact that the global economic environment has fundamentally changed and that Canada must diversify its trading partners,\u201d Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said in Beijing after she arrived with Carney for the visit.\n\nEarlier, upon the start of the visit, the Canadian government announced that it had signed a total of eight memoranda of understanding with the Chinese government, which include energy, the export of pet food, culture, and tourism.\n\nCarney told Xi that he believes the two nations can achieve both quick and long-term progress in several areas, including agriculture, agri-food, energy, and finance, even though the specifics of the new cooperation are still unknown.\n\nFor months, China\u2019s state media has been calling on the Canadian government to set a foreign policy path independent of the United States\u2014what it calls \u201cstrategic autonomy.\u201d\n\nCanada has long been one of the US's closest allies, geographically and economically, but Beijing is hoping that US President Donald Trump\u2019s economic aggression\u2014and, now, military action\u2014against other countries will erode that long-standing relationship.\n\nTrump stirred up confusion and ratcheted up tension with Canada upon the start of his second term last January with strong rhetoric on making Canada become the 51st US state, something Ottawa has dismissed and vowed to resist.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday hailed what he called a strategic Canada-China partnership in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as both sides aim to deepen bilateral ties after nearly ten years of poor relations between Beijing and Ottawa.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking at the start of a bilateral meeting with the Chinese leader, Carney said he is \u201cextremely pleased\u201d that Ottawa and Beijing are quickly moving forward with their new strategic partnership.<\/p>\n<p>According to Carney, the relationship \"will not only deepen our bilateral ties to the benefit of our peoples but will also\u2014from our judgement\u2014help improve the multilateral system\u2014a system that, in recent years, has come under great strain.\"<\/p>\n<p>On his part, Xi told Carney he is \u201cheartened\u201d by the progress the two sides have made since \u201cresuming and restarting\u201d the relationship in recent months. <\/p>\n<p>Xi described the leaders\u2019 last meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea in October as a \u201cturnaround\u201d in the Canada-China relationship.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6826171875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//46//46//808x553_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg/" alt=\"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with President of China Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/384x262_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/640x437_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/750x512_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/828x565_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/1080x737_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/1200x819_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/1920x1311_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with President of China Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Sean Kilpatrick\/AP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cA healthy, stable Canada-China is in the interest of our two countries and in the peace and stability of the world,\u201d Xi added.<\/p>\n<p>Carney's four-day trip to China, which began on Wednesday, is the first by a Canadian leader to China in eight years and follows several years of acrimony over issues ranging from Canada\u2019s 2018 arrest of a senior Chinese tech executive to 100% Canadian tariffs on China-made electric vehicles.<\/p>\n<h2>Carney attempting to repair ties<\/h2>\n<p>Carney, who became prime minister 10 months ago, is attempting to repair ties with China as he looks to develop ties with countries other than the United States amid the growing strain of relations with the Trump administration in Washington. <\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, the Canadian premier said his country was entering a new era of relations with China. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re ready to build a new partnership\u2014one that builds on the best of our past and responds to the challenges of today,\u201d Carney posted on X after he arrived in Beijing on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6669921875\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//46//46//808x539_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg/" alt=\"Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, fourth right, alongside Industry Minister Melanie Joly, fifth right, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, third right, meets with Xi.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/384x256_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/640x427_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/750x500_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/828x552_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/1080x720_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/1200x800_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/1920x1281_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, fourth right, alongside Industry Minister Melanie Joly, fifth right, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, third right, meets with Xi.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Sean Kilpatrick\/AP<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The situation for Canada is made more pressing by higher import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. More than 75% percent of Canada\u2019s exports go to the US, and Carney has set a goal of reducing that reliance by doubling Canada\u2019s exports to other countries over the next decade.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will double non-US trade over the next 10 years. That means we are cognizant of the fact that the global economic environment has fundamentally changed and that Canada must diversify its trading partners,\u201d Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said in Beijing after she arrived with Carney for the visit.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier, upon the start of the visit, the Canadian government announced that it had signed a total of eight memoranda of understanding with the Chinese government, which include energy, the export of pet food, culture, and tourism.<\/p>\n<p>Carney told Xi that he believes the two nations can achieve both quick and long-term progress in several areas, including agriculture, agri-food, energy, and finance, even though the specifics of the new cooperation are still unknown.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//10//23//carney-says-canada-will-double-non-us-exports-over-trump-trade-tariffs-and-policy/">Carney says Canada will double non-US exports over Trump trade tariffs and policy<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//news//2025//10//24//trump-says-hes-ending-trade-talks-with-canada-as-carney-aims-to-double-exports-to-other-co/">Trump ends trade talks with Canada over anti-tariff TV advert as trade tensions rise yet again<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>For months, China\u2019s state media has been calling on the Canadian government to set a foreign policy path independent of the United States\u2014what it calls \u201cstrategic autonomy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Canada has long been one of the US's closest allies, geographically and economically, but Beijing is hoping that US President Donald Trump\u2019s economic aggression\u2014and, now, military action\u2014against other countries will erode that long-standing relationship. <\/p>\n<p>Trump stirred up confusion and ratcheted up tension with Canada upon the start of his second term last January with strong rhetoric on making Canada become the 51st US state, something Ottawa has dismissed and vowed to resist. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1768536398,"updatedAt":1768551512,"publishedAt":1768541144,"firstPublishedAt":1768541144,"lastPublishedAt":1768542642,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Sean Kilpatrick\/AP","altText":"Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_faf7dd29-2b84-544a-85c2-2be941f197aa-9614646.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":695},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Sean Kilpatrick\/AP","altText":"Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, fourth right, alongside Industry Minister Melanie Joly, fifth right, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, third right, meets with Xi.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, fourth right, alongside Industry Minister Melanie Joly, fifth right, and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, third right, meets with Xi.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_ff62ce32-552f-5243-8e07-31ae617ba3e8-9614646.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":683},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Sean Kilpatrick\/AP","altText":"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with President of China Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with President of China Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/46\/46\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_e368eaf6-d1df-5673-8452-2d74f514a6f9-9614646.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":699}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"jeremiah.fisayo@euronews.com","twitter":"@fisayobambi","id":3472,"title":"Jeremiah 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TRADE SURPLUS RECORDS $1.2 TRILLION","daletPyramidId":3873146,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China records massive $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025 as exports rose in December","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China records massive $1.2 trillion trade surplus beating forecasts","titleListing2":"China records massive $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025 as exports rose in December","leadin":"According to customs data, the surplus was boosted by trade gains in December, with exports climbing 6.6% from the year before, better than economists\u2019 estimates and higher than November\u2019s 5.9% year-on-year increase.","summary":"According to customs data, the surplus was boosted by trade gains in December, with exports climbing 6.6% from the year before, better than economists\u2019 estimates and higher than November\u2019s 5.9% year-on-year increase.","keySentence":"","url":"china-records-massive-12-trillion-trade-surplus-in-2025-as-exports-rose-in-december","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/news\/2026\/01\/14\/china-records-massive-12-trillion-trade-surplus-in-2025-as-exports-rose-in-december","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China\u2019s trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion (\u20ac1.031 trillion) last year, the government said Wednesday, as exports to other countries made up for slowing shipments to the United States in what was a turbulent year of global trade.\n\nBeijing\u2019s exports rose 5.5% in 2025 to $3.77 trillion (\u20ac3.6 trillion), but imports for the year were flat at $2.58 trillion (around \u20ac2.492 trillion).\n\nAccording to Customs data, the surplus was boosted by trade gains in December, with exports climbing 6.6% from the year before, better than economists\u2019 estimates and higher than November\u2019s 5.9% year-on-year increase. Imports in December were up 5.7% year-on-year, compared to November\u2019s 1.9%.\n\nEconomists expect exports to continue supporting China\u2019s economy this year, despite trade friction and geopolitical tensions.\n\n\u201cWe continue to expect exports to act as a big growth driver in 2026,\u201d said Jacqueline Rong, chief China economist at BNP Paribas.\n\nSince US President Donald Trump took office and intensified his trade battle with the world's second-largest economy, China's exports to the United States have drastically decreased, but sales to other markets in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe have more than made up for this reduction.\n\nStrong global demand for computer chips and other devices, and the materials needed to make them, were among categories that supported China\u2019s exports, analysts said.\n\nChina\u2019s strong exports have helped keep its economy growing at an annual rate close to its official target of about 5%. But that has triggered alarm in countries that fear a flood of cheap imports is damaging local industries.\n\nWith increasing spending by consumers and businesses a focus of its economic policy, actions taken so far by Beijing have had a limited impact. One of its main strategies has been to pay subsidies to encourage people to discard old appliances and vehicles and replace them with newer, more energy-efficient models.\n\nWhile performance for last year beat odds, Beijing faces a \u201csevere and complex\u201d external trade environment in 2026, according to Wang Jun, vice minister of China\u2019s customs administration.\n\nJun, however, remained optimistic, saying China\u2019s \u201cforeign trade fundamentals remain solid.\u201d\n\nOn Monday, Brussels published new guidelines that will allow Chinese electric vehicle producers to submit offers for minimum prices by replacing the steep tariffs imposed to counter Beijing's subsidies. The move represents a significant de-escalation in the electric vehicle (EV) standoff and signalled a potentially new direction for the EU and China trade dealings.\n\nBoth parties have been negotiating a plan under which Chinese manufacturers would pledge to increase the price of their BEVs to ensure more equitable competition with their European counterparts since the levies were applied in October 2024.\n\nChina is the EU\u2019s second-largest trading partner for trade in goods alone, after the United States\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China\u2019s trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion (\u20ac1.031 trillion) last year, the government said Wednesday, as exports to other countries made up for slowing shipments to the United States in what was a turbulent year of global trade.<\/p>\n<p>Beijing\u2019s exports rose 5.5% in 2025 to $3.77 trillion (\u20ac3.6 trillion), but imports for the year were flat at $2.58 trillion (around \u20ac2.492 trillion).<\/p>\n<p>According to Customs data, the surplus was boosted by trade gains in December, with exports climbing 6.6% from the year before, better than economists\u2019 estimates and higher than November\u2019s 5.9% year-on-year increase. Imports in December were up 5.7% year-on-year, compared to November\u2019s 1.9%.<\/p>\n<p>Economists expect exports to continue supporting China\u2019s economy this year, despite trade friction and geopolitical tensions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe continue to expect exports to act as a big growth driver in 2026,\u201d said Jacqueline Rong, chief China economist at BNP Paribas.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666015625\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//61//17//80//808x539_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg/" alt=\"President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-China summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, S.Korea.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/384x256_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/640x426_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/750x500_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/828x551_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/1080x719_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/1200x799_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/1920x1279_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-China summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, S.Korea.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Mark Schiefelbein\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Since US President Donald Trump took office and intensified his trade battle with the world's second-largest economy, China's exports to the United States have drastically decreased, but sales to other markets in South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe have more than made up for this reduction.<\/p>\n<p>Strong global demand for computer chips and other devices, and the materials needed to make them, were among categories that supported China\u2019s exports, analysts said.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s strong exports have helped keep its economy growing at an annual rate close to its official target of about 5%. But that has triggered alarm in countries that fear a flood of cheap imports is damaging local industries.<\/p>\n<p>With increasing spending by consumers and businesses a focus of its economic policy, actions taken so far by Beijing have had a limited impact. One of its main strategies has been to pay subsidies to encourage people to discard old appliances and vehicles and replace them with newer, more energy-efficient models.<\/p>\n<p>While performance for last year beat odds, Beijing faces a \u201csevere and complex\u201d external trade environment in 2026, according to Wang Jun, vice minister of China\u2019s customs administration. <\/p>\n<p>Jun, however, remained optimistic, saying China\u2019s \u201cforeign trade fundamentals remain solid.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2026//01//02//xi-jinping-2025-was-a-year-of-ai-and-chip-breakthroughs-amid-us-china-tech-rivalry/">Xi Jinping: 2025 was a year of AI and chip breakthroughs amid US-China tech rivalry<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2026//01//12//eu-and-china-take-new-step-to-resolve-row-over-subsidised-electric-vehicles/">EU and China take new step to resolve row over subsidised electric vehicles<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>On Monday, Brussels published new guidelines that will allow Chinese electric vehicle producers to submit offers for minimum prices by replacing the steep tariffs imposed to counter Beijing's subsidies. The move represents a significant de-escalation in the electric vehicle (EV) standoff and signalled a potentially new direction for the EU and China trade dealings.<\/p>\n<p>Both parties have been negotiating a plan under which Chinese manufacturers would pledge to increase the price of their BEVs to ensure more equitable competition with their European counterparts since the levies were applied in October 2024.<\/p>\n<p>China is the EU\u2019s second-largest trading partner for trade in goods alone, after the United States<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1768362950,"updatedAt":1768383675,"publishedAt":1768372465,"firstPublishedAt":1768372465,"lastPublishedAt":1768383675,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP\/Chinatopix","altText":"An aerial view of a container terminal in Shanghai, China, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Chinatopix Via AP)","callToActionText":null,"width":1626,"caption":"An aerial view of a container terminal in Shanghai, China, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (Chinatopix Via AP)","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5ab31b4f-02b5-5cec-8dd1-dd1d10e19f09-9611780.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":914},{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Mark Schiefelbein\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.","altText":"President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-China summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, S.Korea.","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shake hands after their U.S.-China summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, S.Korea.","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/17\/80\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_52c8f619-b707-5805-bca6-c6f97ac6b49c-9611780.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":682}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"fisayo","twitter":"@fisayobambi","id":957,"title":"Jerry Fisayo-Bambi"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"china","titleRaw":"China","id":311,"title":"China","slug":"china"},{"urlSafeValue":"trade","titleRaw":"trade","id":20538,"title":"trade","slug":"trade"},{"urlSafeValue":"export","titleRaw":"export","id":15854,"title":"export","slug":"export"},{"urlSafeValue":"us-china-tensions","titleRaw":"US-China tensions","id":28590,"title":"US-China tensions","slug":"us-china-tensions"},{"urlSafeValue":"xi-jinping","titleRaw":"Xi Jinping","id":11408,"title":"Xi Jinping","slug":"xi-jinping"},{"urlSafeValue":"donald-trump","titleRaw":"Donald Trump","id":11900,"title":"Donald Trump","slug":"donald-trump"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"image"},{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2861823},{"id":2860275},{"id":2858249}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":11,"title":"Business","slug":"business"},{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"economy","id":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"},{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2026\/01\/14\/china-records-massive-12-trillion-trade-surplus-in-2025-as-exports-rose-in-december","lastModified":1768383675},{"id":2861765,"cid":9611024,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NEXT_China morbid app","daletPyramidId":3865127,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"What is the \u2018Are you Dead?\u2019 app and why is it so popular in China and beyond","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"What is the \u2018Are you Dead?\u2019 app and what does it show about isolation?","titleListing2":"What is the \u2018Are you Dead?\u2019 app and why is it so popular in China and beyond","leadin":"Priced at about \u20ac1, the app has become the top paid app in China in the first week of January.","summary":"Priced at about \u20ac1, the app has become the top paid app in China in the first week of January.","keySentence":"","url":"what-is-the-are-you-dead-app-and-why-is-it-so-popular-in-china-and-beyond","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/2026\/01\/14\/what-is-the-are-you-dead-app-and-why-is-it-so-popular-in-china-and-beyond","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"For relatives of the millions of people living alone, a missed phone call or unanswered message can quickly turn into a worry.\u00a0\n\nIn China, a mobile app tracking whether users are still alive is climbing Apple\u2019s paid App Store charts, tapping into growing concern about what happens when people live alone.\n\nThe app, called \u2018Are You Dead?\u2019 and known in Mandarin Chinese, asks users to confirm they are safe each day by tapping a large green button.\n\nIf no check-in is recorded for two consecutive days, the system automatically sends an email to the user\u2019s emergency contact.\n\nOn the Apple store, developers describe the app as a \"lightweight safety tool\" made for people living alone to \"establish invisible safety protection through check-in monitoring and emergency contact mechanisms to make solitary life more reassuring\".\n\nLaunched last year as a free app, it gradually climbed the charts in Apple\u2019s paid category, becoming the top paid app in China in the first week of January, currently priced at\u00a0 8 yuan (about \u20ac1).\n\nListed internationally under the name \u2018Demumu\u2019, the app has also risen into the top two paid utility apps in the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Its overseas popularity has been driven largely by Chinese immigrants, according to media reports.\n\nIts popularity comes as China sees a sharp rise in the number of people living alone.\u00a0\n\nAccording to a report from Beike Research Institute, cited in China Daily,\u00a0the number of people living alone in China is expected to reach 150 million to 200 million by 2030.\n\nThese people were likely to \u201cexperience a strong sense of loneliness due to the lack of people to communicate with ...\u2009accompanied by ...\u2009worries about unforeseen events occurring without anyone knowing\u201d, one of the founding trio who called himself Mr Lyu told the Financial Times newspaper.\u00a0\n\nThe World Health Organization (WHO) identifies social isolation as a risk factor for anxiety, poor mental health, and mortality among older people.\n\nLoneliness is also a widespread issue in Europe. According to the 2022 EU loneliness survey, more than a third of Europeans feel lonely.\u00a0\n\nMeanwhile, 2024 EU data shows that over 75 million households consist of single adults without children.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>For relatives of the millions of people living alone, a missed phone call or unanswered message can quickly turn into a worry. <\/p>\n<p>In China, a mobile app tracking whether users are still alive is climbing Apple\u2019s paid App Store charts, tapping into growing concern about what happens when people live alone.<\/p>\n<p>The app, called \u2018Are You Dead?\u2019 and known in Mandarin Chinese, asks users to confirm they are safe each day by tapping a large green button.<\/p>\n<p>If no check-in is recorded for two consecutive days, the system automatically sends an email to the user\u2019s emergency contact.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//health//2025//04//22//people-tend-to-get-lonelier-as-they-age-but-its-worse-for-seniors-in-these-european-countr/">People tend to get lonelier as they age, but it\u2019s worse for seniors in these European countries<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>On the Apple store, developers describe the app as a \"lightweight safety tool\" made for people living alone to \"establish invisible safety protection through check-in monitoring and emergency contact mechanisms to make solitary life more reassuring\".<\/p>\n<p>Launched last year as a free app, it gradually climbed the charts in Apple\u2019s paid category, becoming the top paid app in China in the first week of January, currently priced at 8 yuan (about \u20ac1).<\/p>\n<p>Listed internationally under the name \u2018Demumu\u2019, the app has also risen into the top two paid utility apps in the United States, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Its overseas popularity has been driven largely by Chinese immigrants, according to media reports.<\/p>\n<p>Its popularity comes as China sees a sharp rise in the number of people living alone. <\/p>\n<p>According to a report from Beike Research Institute, cited in China Daily, the number of people living alone in China is expected to reach 150 million to 200 million by 2030.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//health//2025//10//15//loneliness-may-raise-risk-of-dying-from-cancer-new-study-warns/">Loneliness may raise risk of dying from cancer, new study warns<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>These people were likely to \u201cexperience a strong sense of loneliness due to the lack of people to communicate with ... accompanied by ... worries about unforeseen events occurring without anyone knowing\u201d, one of the founding trio who called himself Mr Lyu told the Financial Times newspaper. <\/p>\n<p>The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies social isolation as a risk factor for anxiety, poor mental health, and mortality among older people.<\/p>\n<p>Loneliness is also a widespread issue in <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//my-europe//2022//02//21//i-felt-true-emptiness-a-hidden-loneliness-crisis-is-haunting-italy/">Europe. According to the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu//scientific-activities-z//loneliness//eu-loneliness-survey_en/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\">2022 EU loneliness survey<\/a>, more than a third of Europeans feel lonely. <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////ec.europa.eu//eurostat//statistics-explained//index.php?title=Household%5Fcomposition%5Fstatistics\%22 target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\">2024 EU data<\/a> shows that over 75 million households consist of single adults without children.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1768299102,"updatedAt":1768371076,"publishedAt":1768371053,"firstPublishedAt":1768370453,"lastPublishedAt":1768371075,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/61\/10\/24\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_187cb408-e993-5c19-9fa1-fd736f6d2e21-9611024.jpg","altText":"A woman looking at a smartphone","caption":"A woman looking at a smartphone","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Canva","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2612,"urlSafeValue":"min","title":"Roselyne Min","twitter":"@MinRoselyne"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"id":1782,"urlSafeValue":"de-kerchove","title":"Yolaine De Kerchove Dexaerde","twitter":null}]},"keywords":[{"id":18470,"slug":"loneliness","urlSafeValue":"loneliness","title":"loneliness","titleRaw":"loneliness"},{"id":7900,"slug":"apple","urlSafeValue":"apple","title":"Apple","titleRaw":"Apple"},{"id":25102,"slug":"isolation","urlSafeValue":"isolation","title":"isolation","titleRaw":"isolation"},{"id":20722,"slug":"single","urlSafeValue":"single","title":"single","titleRaw":"single"},{"id":389,"slug":"technology","urlSafeValue":"technology","title":"Technology","titleRaw":"Technology"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":2}],"related":[{"id":2861582},{"id":2860718},{"id":2860961}],"technicalTags":[{"path":"euronews.connatix.no-player"},{"path":"euronews.connatix"},{"path":"euronews"}],"externalPartners":{"dailymotionId":"x9xp4uc"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":88240,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":14715284,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/85\/45\/02\/ED_PYR_3385452_20260113195226.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":88240,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":21285547,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/85\/45\/02\/SHD_PYR_3385452_20260113195226.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":88240,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":65687301,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/85\/45\/02\/FHD_PYR_3385452_20260113195226.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"tech-news","urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/tech-news\/tech-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"next","verticals":[{"id":9,"slug":"next","urlSafeValue":"next","title":"Next"},{"id":12,"slug":"health","urlSafeValue":"health","title":"Health"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":9,"slug":"next","urlSafeValue":"next","title":"Next"},"themes":[{"id":"tech-news","urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News","url":"\/next\/tech-news"},{"id":"health-news","urlSafeValue":"health-news","title":"Health news","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":40,"urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/next\/2026\/01\/14\/what-is-the-are-you-dead-app-and-why-is-it-so-popular-in-china-and-beyond","lastModified":1768371075},{"id":2860840,"cid":9607368,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NEXT DEEPSEEK AI","daletPyramidId":3831691,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"DeepSeek's AI gains traction in developing nations, Microsoft report says","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"DeepSeek's AI gains traction in developing nations, Microsoft says","titleListing2":"DeepSeek's AI gains traction in developing nations, Microsoft report says","leadin":"DeepSeek, China's leading artificial intelligence start-up, is popular in countries such as Belarus, Russia, Syria, Iran and Ethiopia, according to a new Microsoft study.","summary":"DeepSeek, China's leading artificial intelligence start-up, is popular in countries such as Belarus, Russia, Syria, Iran and Ethiopia, according to a new Microsoft study.","keySentence":"","url":"deepseeks-ai-gains-traction-in-developing-nations-microsoft-report-says","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/2026\/01\/09\/deepseeks-ai-gains-traction-in-developing-nations-microsoft-report-says","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) Deepseek has been gaining ground in many developing nations, surpassing US models that are popular in the West, according to a new report from Microsoft.\n\nIn the intensifying global race for AI dominance, DeepSeek has emerged as a fast-rising Chinese contender. Its open-source and cost-efficient models challenge leading American platforms such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini.\n\nA recent report from Microsoft found that DeepSeek's market share was an estimated 56 percent in Belarus, 49 percent in Cuba and 43 percent in Russia. The Chinese startup also performed well in Syria, Iran, and some African countries such as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Niger.\n\nChina is the place where DeepSeek had the highest market share at roughly 89 percent of the AI market.\n\nWhy is DeepSeek so popular in the Global South?\n\nThe surge in DeepSeek's popularity outside of China, according to the report, could be due to restrictions on American services in these countries, or because foreign tech access is limited.\n\nDeepSeek is also the default chatbot on Chinese-made phones from companies like Huawei, the report added.\n\nDeepSeek offers a free\u2011to\u2011use chatbot on web and mobile, and has also given developers global access to modify and build on its core engine. Its lack of subscription fees has \"lowered the barrier for millions of users, especially in price\u2011sensitive regions,\u201d Microsoft's report said.\n\nThe fact that the platform is open and affordable \"allowed DeepSeek to gain traction in markets underserved by Western AI platforms,\" the report said.\n\n\"DeepSeek's rise shows that global AI adoption is shaped as much by access and availability as by model quality,\" Microsoft wrote.\n\nThe report goes on to identify potential consequences of DeepSeek's popularity in the Global South, including that the technology can act as a \"geopolitical instrument\" to \"extend Chinese influence in areas where Western platforms cannot easily operate.\"\n\nUptake of DeepSeek in North America and Europe remained low, the report said. Some European countries such as Italy, Denmark and the Czech Republic banned government agencies from using DeepSeek models on their devices due to data security and cybersecurity concerns. Local media in Belgium report that government officials stopped using DeepSeek in December.\n\nAI adoption grows twice as fast in Global North than south, Microsoft says\n\nWhile DeepSeek is popular in the Global South, AI adoption in the Global North is growing nearly twice as fast.\n\n\u201cWe are seeing a divide and we are concerned that that divide will continue to widen,\u201d said Juan Lavista Ferres, chief data scientist for Microsoft's AI for Good Lab, told the Associated Press.\n\nThe report said global adoption of generative AI tools reached 16 percent of the world\u2019s population in the three months to December, up from 15 percent in the previous three months.\n\nCountries that invested early and consistently in digital infrastructure and AI led in terms of shares of users, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France, and Spain, according to the report.\n\nThis finding contradicts a survey done of over 14,000 people by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in December.\n\nThat study found that young Gen Z users in the Global South were adopting AI at faster rates than both older generations and their counterparts in the Global North.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) Deepseek has been gaining ground in many developing nations, surpassing US models that are popular in the West, according to a new report from Microsoft. <\/p>\n<p>In the intensifying global race for AI dominance, DeepSeek has emerged as a fast-rising Chinese contender. Its open-source and cost-efficient models challenge leading American platforms such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. <\/p>\n<p>A recent report from Microsoft found that DeepSeek's market share was an estimated 56 percent in Belarus, 49 percent in Cuba and 43 percent in Russia. The Chinese startup also performed well in Syria, Iran, and some African countries such as Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, and Niger. <\/p>\n<p>China is the place where DeepSeek had the highest market share at roughly 89 percent of the AI market. <\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why is DeepSeek so popular in the Global South?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The surge in DeepSeek's popularity outside of China, according to the report, could be due to restrictions on American services in these countries, or because foreign tech access is limited. <\/p>\n<p>DeepSeek is also the default chatbot on Chinese-made phones from companies like Huawei, the report added. <\/p>\n<p>DeepSeek offers a free\u2011to\u2011use chatbot on web and mobile, and has also given developers global access to modify and build on its core engine. Its lack of subscription fees has \"lowered the barrier for millions of users, especially in price\u2011sensitive regions,\u201d Microsoft's report said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2026//01//02//xi-jinping-2025-was-a-year-of-ai-and-chip-breakthroughs-amid-us-china-tech-rivalry/">Xi Jinping: 2025 was a year of AI and chip breakthroughs amid US-China tech rivalry<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The fact that the platform is open and affordable \"allowed DeepSeek to gain traction in markets underserved by Western AI platforms,\" the report said. <\/p>\n<p>\"DeepSeek's rise shows that global AI adoption is shaped as much by access and availability as by model quality,\" Microsoft wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The report goes on to identify potential consequences of DeepSeek's popularity in the Global South, including that the technology can act as a \"geopolitical instrument\" to \"extend Chinese influence in areas where Western platforms cannot easily operate.\"<\/p>\n<p>Uptake of DeepSeek in North America and Europe remained low, the report said. Some European countries such as<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//01//31//deepseek-ai-blocked-by-italian-authorities-as-others-member-states-open-probes/"> <strong>Italy<\/strong><\/a>, Denmark and the Czech Republic banned government agencies from using DeepSeek models on their devices due to<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//02//06//what-are-the-data-privacy-issues-plaguing-chinese-ai-deepseek-in-the-eu/"> <strong>data security and cybersecurity concerns<\/strong><\/a>. Local media in Belgium<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.vrt.be//vrtnws//fr//2025//12//01//nouveau-ce-1er-decembre-des-militaires-deployes-pour-surveille///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>report<\/strong><\/a> that government officials stopped using DeepSeek in December.<\/p>\n<h2>AI adoption grows twice as fast in Global North than south, Microsoft says<\/h2>\n<p>While DeepSeek is popular in the Global South, AI adoption in the Global North is growing nearly twice as fast. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are seeing a divide and we are concerned that that divide will continue to widen,\u201d said Juan Lavista Ferres, chief data scientist for Microsoft's AI for Good Lab, told the Associated Press. <\/p>\n<p>The report said global adoption of generative AI tools reached 16 percent of the world\u2019s population in the three months to December, up from 15 percent in the previous three months.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//09//30//chinas-deepseek-unveils-new-ai-model-here-is-everything-we-know-about-it/">China/u2019s DeepSeek unveils new AI model: Here is everything we know about it<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Countries that invested early and consistently in digital infrastructure and AI led in terms of shares of users, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, France, and Spain, according to the report. <\/p>\n<p>This finding contradicts a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//12//04//europe-falls-behind-in-ai-adoption-as-gen-z-in-emerging-economies-embrace-it-oecd-report/">surveydone of over 14,000 people by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in December. <\/p>\n<p>That study found that young Gen Z users in the Global South were adopting AI at faster rates than both older generations and their counterparts in the Global North. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767949475,"updatedAt":1767954294,"publishedAt":1767953648,"firstPublishedAt":1767953648,"lastPublishedAt":1767953648,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/73\/68\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_084cf4ba-e164-52fe-ac1a-62a36cf2370b-9607368.jpg","altText":"File - The smartphone apps DeepSeek page is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Jan. 28, 2025","caption":"File - The smartphone apps DeepSeek page is seen on a smartphone screen in Beijing, Jan. 28, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Andy Wong, File","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2860,"urlSafeValue":"desmarais","title":"Anna Desmarais","twitter":"anna_desmarais"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":12661,"slug":"artificial-intelligence","urlSafeValue":"artificial-intelligence","title":"Artificial intelligence","titleRaw":"Artificial intelligence"},{"id":30324,"slug":"deepseek","urlSafeValue":"deepseek","title":"DeepSeek","titleRaw":"DeepSeek"},{"id":28266,"slug":"ai","urlSafeValue":"ai","title":"AI","titleRaw":"AI"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":2}],"related":[{"id":2860658},{"id":2860718},{"id":2860660}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"AP","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"tech-news","urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/tech-news\/tech-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"next","verticals":[{"id":9,"slug":"next","urlSafeValue":"next","title":"Next"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":9,"slug":"next","urlSafeValue":"next","title":"Next"},"themes":[{"id":"tech-news","urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News","url":"\/next\/tech-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":40,"urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":{"id":3957,"urlSafeValue":"hong-kong","title":"Hong Kong"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/next\/2026\/01\/09\/deepseeks-ai-gains-traction-in-developing-nations-microsoft-report-says","lastModified":1767953648},{"id":2859727,"cid":9602422,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Chinese shrug off contraceptive tax","daletPyramidId":3782989,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"'Not about condoms': Beijing residents shrug off China's contraceptive tax","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Beijing residents shrug off China's 'insignificant' contraceptive tax","titleListing2":"'Not about condoms': Chinese shrug off contraceptive tax","leadin":"China has made condoms and other contraceptives more expensive as it tries to boost birth rates, but residents in Beijing say the measure will have little impact.","summary":"China has made condoms and other contraceptives more expensive as it tries to boost birth rates, but residents in Beijing say the measure will have little impact.","keySentence":"","url":"not-about-condoms-chinese-shrug-off-contraceptive-tax","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/01\/05\/not-about-condoms-chinese-shrug-off-contraceptive-tax","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China has raised the cost of condoms and other contraceptives as part of efforts to boost birth rates, but Beijing residents and analysts say the move is unlikely to have much effect.\n\nFrom 1 January, consumers must pay a 13% value-added tax on contraceptives after exemptions were removed, while childcare and marriage brokerage services remain tax-free.\n\nThe policy comes as authorities try to reverse China\u2019s declining birth rate, driven by an ageing population and record-low marriage levels.\n\nYoung people in Beijing said that taxing contraceptives does not address the deeper reasons preventing people from having children. A woman in her thirties, who gave her name only as Jessica, told AFP that pressures linked to jobs, daily life and social inequality were the real issues.\n\n\u201cPeople lack confidence in their future, so they may be unwilling to have children,\u201d she said.\n\nXu Wanting, 33, said those who need contraceptives will continue to buy them, noting that they are also important for women\u2019s reproductive health.\n\nChina\u2019s population has fallen for three consecutive years and could shrink sharply by 2100, according to UN projections.\n\nWhile leaders including President Xi Jinping have pledged to stabilise birth numbers, experts say the contraceptive tax is insignificant compared to the high cost of raising a child.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China has raised the cost of <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//health//2025//12//12//china-has-a-new-condom-tax-residents-are-worried-about-the-health-risks/">condoms and other contraceptives as part of efforts to boost birth rates, but Beijing residents and analysts say the move is unlikely to have much effect.<\/p>\n<p>From 1 January, consumers must pay a 13% value-added tax on contraceptives after exemptions were removed, while childcare and marriage brokerage services remain tax-free. <\/p>\n<p>The policy comes as authorities try to reverse China\u2019s declining birth rate, driven by an ageing population and record-low marriage levels.<\/p>\n<p>Young people in Beijing said that taxing contraceptives does not address the deeper reasons preventing people from having children. A woman in her thirties, who gave her name only as Jessica, told AFP that pressures linked to jobs, daily life and social inequality were the real issues. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople lack confidence in their future, so they may be unwilling to have children,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//news//2025//12//12//china-has-a-new-condom-tax-residents-are-worried-about-the-health-risks/">China has a new 'condom tax'. Residents are worried about the health risks<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Xu Wanting, 33, said those who need contraceptives will continue to buy them, noting that they are also important for women\u2019s reproductive health.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s population has fallen for three consecutive years and could shrink sharply by 2100, according to UN projections. <\/p>\n<p>While leaders including President Xi Jinping have pledged to stabilise birth numbers, experts say the contraceptive tax is insignificant compared to the high cost of raising a child.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767608699,"updatedAt":1767616559,"publishedAt":1767616107,"firstPublishedAt":1767616107,"lastPublishedAt":1767616530,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"GREG BAKER\/AP","altText":"A couple walks past men dressed as condoms at an AIDS awareness activity held in Beijing Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003 ahead of World AIDS Day","callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"caption":"A couple walks past men dressed as condoms at an AIDS awareness activity held in Beijing Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003 ahead of World AIDS Day","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/24\/22\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_67397469-d085-5182-8b3e-fc967524cd86-9602422.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":692}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"condom","titleRaw":"condom","id":25424,"title":"condom","slug":"condom"},{"urlSafeValue":"china","titleRaw":"China","id":311,"title":"China","slug":"china"},{"urlSafeValue":"birth-rate","titleRaw":"birth rate","id":28930,"title":"birth rate","slug":"birth-rate"}],"widgets":[{"count":1,"slug":"related"}],"related":[],"technicalTags":[{"path":"euronews.connatix.no-player"},{"path":"euronews.connatix"},{"path":"euronews"}],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"8NgIlLIrZvI","dailymotionId":"x9x3nk4"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":130480,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":18247028,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/33\/13\/89\/04\/ED_PYR_3313894_20260105113310.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":130480,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":26674342,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/33\/13\/89\/04\/SHD_PYR_3313894_20260105113310.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":130480,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":87567759,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/33\/13\/89\/04\/FHD_PYR_3313894_20260105113310.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AFP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":1,"title":"News","slug":"news"},{"urlSafeValue":"business","id":11,"title":"Business","slug":"business"},{"urlSafeValue":"health","id":12,"title":"Health","slug":"health"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"news","id":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"},{"urlSafeValue":"economy","id":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/news\/international"},{"urlSafeValue":"health-news","id":"health-news","title":"Health news","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2026\/01\/05\/not-about-condoms-chinese-shrug-off-contraceptive-tax","lastModified":1767616530},{"id":2859149,"cid":9600506,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NEXT CHINA'S AI YEAR ","daletPyramidId":3765061,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Xi Jinping: 2025 was a year of AI and chip breakthroughs amid US-China tech rivalry","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"2025 was China\u2019s \u2018breakthrough\u2019 year in AI and chips, president says ","titleListing2":"Xi Jinping: 2025 was a year of AI and chip breakthroughs amid US-China tech rivalry","leadin":"Chinese President Xi Jinping said 2025 was the year of breakthroughs for Chinese artificial intelligence and semiconductor chip companies. What did they accomplish and what can we expect in 2026?","summary":"Chinese President Xi Jinping said 2025 was the year of breakthroughs for Chinese artificial intelligence and semiconductor chip companies. What did they accomplish and what can we expect in 2026?","keySentence":"","url":"xi-jinping-2025-was-a-year-of-ai-and-chip-breakthroughs-amid-us-china-tech-rivalry","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/2026\/01\/02\/xi-jinping-2025-was-a-year-of-ai-and-chip-breakthroughs-amid-us-china-tech-rivalry","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Chinese President Xi Jinping said 2025 was the year that China\u2019s technologies, including artificial intelligence and semiconductor chips, \u201creached new heights\u201d.\n\nIn his New Year\u2019s address, Xi lauded the efforts of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor chip companies by saying that they \"integrated science and technology deeply with industries, and made a stream of new innovations\".\n\n\u201cMany large AI models have been competing in a race to the top, and breakthroughs have been achieved in the research and development of our own chips,\u201d he added.\n\nXi\u2019s comments came after China\u2019s AI advancements dominated headlines in 2025. The country is widely regarded as a major competitor to the United States in the race to adopt and develop artificial intelligence models.\n\nWhat did China accomplish in 2025?\n\nThe year started with the launch of Chinese AI company DeepSeek\u2019s R1 AI model, which focused on complex tasks such as reasoning, coding, and maths.\n\nAt the time of its launch, it rivalled OpenAI\u2019s o1, which was one of ChatGPT\u2019s latest models.The launch of R1 sent US tech stocks plunging throughout the month of January. American semiconductor chip giant Nvidia saw shares plummet by 17 per cent in one day, erasing $600 billion (\u20ac510 billion) in market capitalisation.\n\nBy September, DeepSeek released DeepSeek-V3.2, an experimental model of DeepSeek V.31-Terminus that makes AI systems more \u201cefficient\u201d, according to a description on Hugging Face.\n\nDeepSeek\u2019s model has a capacity called Sparse Attention (DSA), which claims to reduce computing costs by 50 per cent without hurting performance. The new model can also generate large amounts of training data for AI agents, programs that can complete tasks without human supervision.\n\nThe new model performs similarly to OpenAI\u2019s latest model, ChatGPT-5, the company said on Hugging Face. Its high-compute model, the DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale, outpaces GPT-5 and is closer in reasoning capacity to Gemini 3-Pro, the company added.\n\nSome European countries such as Italy, Denmark and the Czech Republic banned government agencies from using DeepSeek models on their devices due to data security and cybersecurity concerns. Local media in Belgium report that government officials stopped using DeepSeek in December.\n\nAlibaba and other Chinese giants\n\nE-commerce giant Alibaba also launched two frontier AI models in 2025, first with the\u00a0 Qwen2.5-Max model in January and later with the Qwen3-Max Model in September. The company claimed that both models outperformed the latest DeepSeek model and Anthropic\u2019s Claude on certain benchmark tests.\n\nThe AI model launches came in addition to a commitment from Alibaba to invest 380 billion yuan (\u20ac50.6 billion) into cloud computing and AI in the next three years, one of the company\u2019s largest tech investments to date.\n\nElsewhere, Chinese technology company Huawei said it was launching new computing technologies and AI chips to compete with Nvidia, the California-based company considered the world\u2019s dominant chip producer.\n\nChina and the United States fought over access to Nvidia chips for most of the year, but in December, President Donald Trump said the company could sell its H200 chips to approved customers in China in exchange for a 25 percent surcharge.\n\nMeanwhile, American social media and AI company Meta announced in December that it was buying Manus, an AI startup with Chinese roots, for a reported $2 billion (\u20ac1.7 billion). The company launched a general-purpose AI agent earlier this year that could be used for research and coding.\n\nWhat\u2019s to come in 2026\n\nChina will launch a new five-year social and economic development plan in 2026, which will set out the country\u2019s goals to the end of the decade, Jinping said in his speech. China has been developing these plans since 1953.\n\nRecommendations from the Communist Party of China for the \u201c15th Five-Year Plan\u201d include making \u201cforward-looking plans\u201d for \u201cindustries of the future\u201d, such as AI, quantum technology and brain-computer interfaces.\n\nThose plans could include new regulation methods, developing venture capital investment, and promoting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses.\n\nAccording to Deloitte, the proportion of Chinese funding for basic research during the \"15th Five-Year Plan\" period may exceed 10%. Researchers predict that more R&D investment will be directed towards strategic emerging industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence. This would bring the country closer to the amounts dedicated to technology funding in the United States and Japan.\n\nChina is also expected to continue building AI infrastructure, such as data centers, domestic chips, and computing networks.\n\nThe country\u2019s AI chip market is expected to grow seven to nine times bigger than the 2025 market, which is worth up to $40 billion (\u20ac34 billion) - outpacing the rest of the world, according to Deloitte.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Chinese President Xi Jinping said 2025 was the year that China\u2019s technologies, including artificial intelligence and semiconductor chips, \u201creached new heights\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>In his New Year\u2019s<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.fmprc.gov.cn//eng//xw//zyjh//202512//t20251231_11796363.html/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>address<\/strong><\/a>, Xi lauded the efforts of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor chip companies by saying that they \"integrated science and technology deeply with industries, and made a stream of new innovations\".<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany large AI models have been competing in a race to the top, and breakthroughs have been achieved in the research and development of our own chips,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Xi\u2019s comments came after China\u2019s AI advancements dominated headlines in 2025. The country is widely regarded as a major competitor to the United States in the race to adopt and develop artificial intelligence models.<\/p>\n<h2>What did China accomplish in 2025?<\/h2>\n<p>The year started with the launch of Chinese AI company DeepSeek\u2019s R1 AI model, which focused on complex tasks such as reasoning, coding, and maths.<\/p>\n<p>At the time of its<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//01//28//what-is-deepseek-the-ai-chatbot-from-china-that-is-sending-shockwaves-through-the-tech-wor/"> <strong>launch<\/strong><\/a>, it rivalled OpenAI\u2019s o1, which was one of ChatGPT\u2019s latest models.The launch of R1 sent US tech stocks plunging throughout the month of January. American semiconductor chip giant Nvidia saw shares<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//01//28//chinese-startup-deepseek-rattles-global-markets-as-nvidia-shares-plunge/"> <strong>plummet<\/strong><\/a> by 17 per cent in one day, erasing $600 billion (\u20ac510 billion) in market capitalisation.<\/p>\n<p>By September, DeepSeek released DeepSeek-V3.2, an experimental model of DeepSeek V.31-Terminus that makes AI systems more \u201cefficient\u201d, according to a<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////huggingface.co//deepseek-ai//DeepSeek-V3.2-Exp/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>description<\/strong><\/a> on Hugging Face.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//09//30//chinas-deepseek-unveils-new-ai-model-here-is-everything-we-know-about-it/">China/u2019s DeepSeek unveils new AI model: Here is everything we know about it<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>DeepSeek\u2019s model has a capacity called Sparse Attention (DSA), which claims to<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////api-docs.deepseek.com//news//news250929?utm%5F\%22 target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>reduce<\/strong><\/a>computing costs by 50 per cent without hurting performance. The new model can also generate large amounts of training data for AI agents, programs that can complete tasks without human supervision.<\/p>\n<p>The new model performs similarly to OpenAI\u2019s latest model, ChatGPT-5, the company<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////huggingface.co//deepseek-ai//DeepSeek-V3.2/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>said<\/strong><\/a> on Hugging Face. Its high-compute model, the DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale, outpaces GPT-5 and is closer in reasoning capacity to Gemini 3-Pro, the company added.<\/p>\n<p>Some European countries such as<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//01//31//deepseek-ai-blocked-by-italian-authorities-as-others-member-states-open-probes/"> <strong>Italy<\/strong><\/a>, Denmark and the<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////apnews.com//article//czech-china-deepseek-ban-104f58035294f9f6ca988119732b8620/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>Czech Republic<\/strong><\/a> banned government agencies from using DeepSeek models on their devices due to<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//02//06//what-are-the-data-privacy-issues-plaguing-chinese-ai-deepseek-in-the-eu/"> <strong>data security and cybersecurity concerns<\/strong><\/a>. Local media in Belgium<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.vrt.be//vrtnws//fr//2025//12//01//nouveau-ce-1er-decembre-des-militaires-deployes-pour-surveille///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>report<\/strong><\/a> that government officials stopped using DeepSeek in December.<\/p>\n<h2>Alibaba and other Chinese giants<\/h2>\n<p>E-commerce giant Alibaba also launched two frontier AI models in 2025, first with the Qwen2.5-Max model in<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//01//29//ai-showdown-alibaba-claims-its-new-model-beats-deepseek-and-chatgpt/"> <strong>January<\/strong><\/a> and later with the Qwen3-Max Model in<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//09//24//tech-giant-alibaba-sees-shares-rise-after-ceo-pledges-ai-spending-lift/"> <strong>September<\/strong><\/a>. The company claimed that both models outperformed the latest DeepSeek model and Anthropic\u2019s Claude on certain benchmark tests.<\/p>\n<p>The AI model launches came in addition to a<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//02//24//alibaba-group-announces-multi-billion-dollar-ai-and-cloud-investment/"> <strong>commitment<\/strong><\/a>from Alibaba to invest 380 billion yuan (\u20ac50.6 billion) into cloud computing and AI in the next three years, one of the company\u2019s largest tech investments to date.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//09//01//alibaba-reportedly-developing-new-ai-chip-as-chinas-xi-rejects-ais-cold-war-mentality/">Alibaba reportedly developing new AI chip as China\u2019s Xi rejects AI\u2019s \u2018Cold War mentality\u2019<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Elsewhere, Chinese technology company Huawei said it was<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2025//09//19//huawei-announces-worlds-most-powerful-ai-chip-cluster-as-competition-with-us-heats-up/"> <strong>launching<\/strong><\/a> new computing technologies and AI chips to compete with Nvidia, the California-based company considered the world\u2019s dominant chip producer.<\/p>\n<p>China and the United States fought over access to Nvidia chips for most of the year, but in December, President Donald Trump said the company could sell its<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//video//2025//12//09//president-trump-gives-nvidia-green-light-to-sell-h200-chips-to-china/"> <strong>H200 chips<\/strong><\/a> to approved customers in China in exchange for a 25 percent surcharge.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, American social media and AI company Meta announced in December that it was buying Manus, an AI startup with Chinese roots, for a reported $2 billion (\u20ac1.7 billion). The company launched a general-purpose AI agent earlier this year that could be used for research and coding.<\/p>\n<h2>What\u2019s to come in 2026<\/h2>\n<p>China will launch a new five-year social and economic development plan in 2026, which will set out the country\u2019s goals to the end of the decade, Jinping said in his<a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////english.www.gov.cn//news//202512//31//content_WS695522f3c6d00ca5f9a085fe.html/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"> <strong>speech<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> China has been developing these plans since 1953.<\/p>\n<p><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////news.cgtn.com//news//files//Recommendations-of-the-Central-Committee-of-the-Communist-Party-of-China-for-Formulating-the-15th-Five-Year-Plan-for-National-Economic-and-Socia-Development.pdf/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Recommendations<\/strong><\/a> from the Communist Party of China for the \u201c15th Five-Year Plan\u201d include making \u201cforward-looking plans\u201d for \u201cindustries of the future\u201d, such as AI, quantum technology and brain-computer interfaces.<\/p>\n<p>Those plans could include new regulation methods, developing venture capital investment, and promoting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//next//2024//04//05//china-using-social-media-and-ai-to-spread-misinformation-and-influence-elections-microsoft/">China using social media and AI to spread misinformation and influence elections, Microsoft says<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>According to Deloitte, the proportion of Chinese funding for basic research during the \"15th Five-Year Plan\" period may exceed 10%. Researchers predict that more R&D investment will be directed towards strategic emerging industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence. This would bring the country closer to the amounts dedicated to technology funding in the United States and Japan.<\/p>\n<p>China is also expected to continue building AI infrastructure, such as data centers, domestic chips, and computing networks.<\/p>\n<p>The country\u2019s AI chip market is expected to grow seven to nine times bigger than the 2025 market, which is worth up to $40 billion (\u20ac34 billion) - outpacing the rest of the world, according to Deloitte.<\/p>\n<p>\u200b<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767354037,"updatedAt":1767362175,"publishedAt":1767360467,"firstPublishedAt":1767360467,"lastPublishedAt":1767362175,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Yan Yan\/Xinhua via AP","altText":"In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers his 2026 New Year message in Beijing on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"caption":"In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers his 2026 New Year message in Beijing on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/60\/05\/06\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_703f93de-1d14-5f48-bfac-a2c71d78d87d-9600506.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"desmarais","twitter":"anna_desmarais","id":2860,"title":"Anna Desmarais"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"artificial-intelligence","titleRaw":"Artificial intelligence","id":12661,"title":"Artificial intelligence","slug":"artificial-intelligence"},{"urlSafeValue":"ai","titleRaw":"AI","id":28266,"title":"AI","slug":"ai"},{"urlSafeValue":"china","titleRaw":"China","id":311,"title":"China","slug":"china"}],"widgets":[{"count":3,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2856892},{"id":2858650},{"id":2858460}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"tech-news","urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/next\/tech-news\/tech-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"next","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"next","id":9,"title":"Next","slug":"next"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":9,"slug":"next","urlSafeValue":"next","title":"Next"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"tech-news","id":"tech-news","title":"Tech News","url":"\/next\/tech-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":40,"urlSafeValue":"tech-news","title":"Tech News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":{"id":505,"urlSafeValue":"beijing","title":"Beijing"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/next\/2026\/01\/02\/xi-jinping-2025-was-a-year-of-ai-and-chip-breakthroughs-amid-us-china-tech-rivalry","lastModified":1767362175},{"id":2858782,"cid":9599262,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"HONG KONG NO FIREWORKS","daletPyramidId":3754039,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Hong Kong greets 2026 without fireworks after 161 killed in deadliest blaze in decades","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Hong Kong greets 2026 without fireworks after deadliest blaze in years","titleListing2":"Hong Kong welcomes 2026 without fireworks after 161 killed in deadliest blaze in decades","leadin":"The pyrotechnic displays against Hong Kong\u2019s world-famous skyline of skyscrapers typically draw hundreds of thousands of people including many tourists to both sides of the promenade.","summary":"The pyrotechnic displays against Hong Kong\u2019s world-famous skyline of skyscrapers typically draw hundreds of thousands of people including many tourists to both sides of the promenade.","keySentence":"","url":"hong-kong-greets-2026-without-fireworks-after-161-killed-in-deadliest-blaze-in-decades","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/31\/hong-kong-greets-2026-without-fireworks-after-161-killed-in-deadliest-blaze-in-decades","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Fireworks are typically a celebratory centrepiece of New Year celebrations in Hong Kong but this year was very different as the spectacular and colourful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor were absent after\u00a0a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.\n\nThe city's tourism board instead hosted a music show on Wednesday night featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district that also is home to the famous\u00a0nightlife hub Lan Kwai Fong.\n\nThe facades of eight landmarks turned into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.\n\nFireworks have long been part of the city's celebrations for the New Year, Lunar New Year and National Day.\n\nThe pyrotechnic displays against Hong Kong\u2019s world-famous skyline of skyscrapers typically draw hundreds of thousands of people including many tourists to both sides of the promenade.\n\nHotels and restaurants likely affected\n\nRosanna Law, the territory's secretary for culture, sports and tourism, acknowledged on Tuesday that having no fireworks would affect some hotel and restaurant businesses.\n\nAnnie Wang, a tourist from Shanghai, said that although she had planned to watch the fireworks show, she understood the city's decision because she found news of the blaze heart-wrenching.\n\n\"It's quite regretful. But there's no way around it after the fire,\" said Wang, a university student.\n\nWang Miao, a teacher from the neighbouring economic hub of Guangzhou, planned to join the official countdown activities in Central despite the absence of fireworks. She said it was a pity that she could not see pyrotechnics, but she could understand why.\n\n\"It doesn't affect our experience in Hong Kong,\" Wang said.\n\nBy early Wednesday evening, crowds of revellers had already gathered near the performance stage in Central, hoping to secure the best views of the musical performance.\n\nWorst fire in Hong Kong since the 1940s\n\nThe financial hub's worst blaze since 1948 broke out at Wang Fuk Court, in the northern suburban district of Tai Po, in late November.\n\nThe apartment complex was undergoing a monthslong renovation project with buildings covered by\u00a0bamboo scaffolding\u00a0and green netting.\n\nAuthorities have\u00a0pointed to the substandard netting\u00a0and foam boards installed on windows as contributing factors in the fire's rapid spread.\n\nThousands of affected residents have moved to transitional homes, hotels and youth hostels, struggling to recover from the loss of lives and homes that took them years to buy.\n\nPast tragedies in Hong Kong have forced similar cancellations of fireworks. They include the 2013 National Day festivities following a vessel collision that killed 39 people on 1 October 2012 and the 2018 Lunar New Year celebration after a bus crash that left 19 dead.\n\nDuring the 2019 anti-government protests and the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple displays also were scrapped.\n\nThe origin of fireworks is believed to date to China in the second century BC, when someone discovered bamboo stalks exploded with loud bangs when thrown into fire, creating the first natural firecrackers, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, a US trade group.\n\nThe\u00a0Guinness World Records\u00a0organisation says the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, was created by Li Tian, a monk from China's Tang dynasty dating to around 618 to 907 CE.\n\nLi discovered that putting gunpowder in enclosed hollow bamboo stems created loud explosions and bound crackers together to create the traditional New Year firecrackers to drive out evil spirits, Guinness said.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Fireworks are typically a celebratory centrepiece of New Year celebrations in Hong Kong but this year was very different as the spectacular and colourful explosions in the sky over its iconic Victoria Harbor were absent after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.<\/p>\n<p>The city's tourism board instead hosted a music show on Wednesday night featuring soft rock duo Air Supply and other singers in Central, a business district that also is home to the famous nightlife hub Lan Kwai Fong.<\/p>\n<p>The facades of eight landmarks turned into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.<\/p>\n<p>Fireworks have long been part of the city's celebrations for the New Year, Lunar New Year and National Day.<\/p>\n<p>The pyrotechnic displays against Hong Kong\u2019s world-famous skyline of skyscrapers typically draw hundreds of thousands of people including many tourists to both sides of the promenade.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//92//62//808x539_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg/" alt=\"People take selfies during the New Year countdown event to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, 1 January, 2026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/384x256_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/640x426_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/750x500_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/828x551_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/1080x719_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/1200x799_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/1920x1279_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">People take selfies during the New Year countdown event to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, 1 January, 2026<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2><strong>Hotels and restaurants likely affected<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Rosanna Law, the territory's secretary for culture, sports and tourism, acknowledged on Tuesday that having no fireworks would affect some hotel and restaurant businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Annie Wang, a tourist from Shanghai, said that although she had planned to watch the fireworks show, she understood the city's decision because she found news of the blaze heart-wrenching.<\/p>\n<p>\"It's quite regretful. But there's no way around it after the fire,\" said Wang, a university student.<\/p>\n<p>Wang Miao, a teacher from the neighbouring economic hub of Guangzhou, planned to join the official countdown activities in Central despite the absence of fireworks. She said it was a pity that she could not see pyrotechnics, but she could understand why.<\/p>\n<p>\"It doesn't affect our experience in Hong Kong,\" Wang said.<\/p>\n<p>By early Wednesday evening, crowds of revellers had already gathered near the performance stage in Central, hoping to secure the best views of the musical performance.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//73//25//808x539_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg/" alt=\"Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour to celebrate the start of 2025 in Hong Kong, 1 January, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/384x256_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/640x427_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/750x500_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/828x552_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/1080x720_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/1200x800_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/1920x1280_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour to celebrate the start of 2025 in Hong Kong, 1 January, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2><strong>Worst fire in Hong Kong since the 1940s<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The financial hub's worst blaze since 1948 broke out at Wang Fuk Court, in the northern suburban district of Tai Po, in late November.<\/p>\n<p>The apartment complex was undergoing a monthslong renovation project with buildings covered by bamboo scaffolding and green netting.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities have pointed to the substandard netting and foam boards installed on windows as contributing factors in the fire's rapid spread.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of affected residents have moved to transitional homes, hotels and youth hostels, struggling to recover from the loss of lives and homes that took them years to buy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//59//92//62//808x539_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg/" alt=\"People look at flames engulfing a building after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, 26 November, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/384x256_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/640x426_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/750x500_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/828x551_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/1080x719_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/1200x799_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/1920x1279_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">People look at flames engulfing a building after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, 26 November, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Past tragedies in Hong Kong have forced similar cancellations of fireworks. They include the 2013 National Day festivities following a vessel collision that killed 39 people on 1 October 2012 and the 2018 Lunar New Year celebration after a bus crash that left 19 dead.<\/p>\n<p>During the 2019 anti-government protests and the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple displays also were scrapped.<\/p>\n<p>The origin of fireworks is believed to date to China in the second century BC, when someone discovered bamboo stalks exploded with loud bangs when thrown into fire, creating the first natural firecrackers, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association, a US trade group.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//12//01//hong-kong-authorities-say-netting-on-buildings-that-caught-fire-did-not-meet-code/">Hong Kong authorities say netting on buildings that caught fire did not meet code<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//12//07//hundreds-mourn-hong-kongs-deadliest-fire-victims-ahead-of-elections/">Hundreds mourn Hong Kong's deadliest fire victims ahead of elections<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The Guinness World Records organisation says the first accurately documented firework, the Chinese firecracker, was created by Li Tian, a monk from China's Tang dynasty dating to around 618 to 907 CE.<\/p>\n<p>Li discovered that putting gunpowder in enclosed hollow bamboo stems created loud explosions and bound crackers together to create the traditional New Year firecrackers to drive out evil spirits, Guinness said.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767205067,"updatedAt":1767206517,"publishedAt":1767206513,"firstPublishedAt":1767206513,"lastPublishedAt":1767206513,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_165a86cd-1572-5677-ba8e-9404b18145b4-9599262.jpg","altText":"People take selfies at Lan Kwai Fong to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, 31 December, 2025","caption":"People take selfies at Lan Kwai Fong to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, 31 December, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1620,"height":911},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_696f8c46-0293-5252-92aa-d1d10c3151c8-9599262.jpg","altText":"People look at flames engulfing a building after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, 26 November, 2025","caption":"People look at flames engulfing a building after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, 26 November, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1332},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/92\/62\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_cfc624f7-2ee5-5812-8b6c-7e9cc6607224-9599262.jpg","altText":"People take selfies during the New Year countdown event to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, 1 January, 2026","caption":"People take selfies during the New Year countdown event to celebrate the start of 2026 in the Central district of Hong Kong, 1 January, 2026","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1332},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/73\/25\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_d6475e50-2225-5e37-b975-56f2384d38c3-9597325.jpg","altText":"Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour to celebrate the start of 2025 in Hong Kong, 1 January, 2025","caption":"Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour to celebrate the start of 2025 in Hong Kong, 1 January, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2972,"urlSafeValue":"blackburn","title":"Gavin Blackburn","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":141,"slug":"hong-kong","urlSafeValue":"hong-kong","title":"Hong Kong","titleRaw":"Hong Kong"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":18408,"slug":"fireworks","urlSafeValue":"fireworks","title":"fireworks","titleRaw":"fireworks"},{"id":13086,"slug":"new-year","urlSafeValue":"new-year","title":"New Year","titleRaw":"New Year"},{"id":8261,"slug":"new-year-celebrations","urlSafeValue":"new-year-celebrations","title":"New Year celebrations","titleRaw":"New Year celebrations"},{"id":10375,"slug":"fire","urlSafeValue":"fire","title":"Fire","titleRaw":"Fire"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":3},{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2854581},{"id":2839864},{"id":2816821}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":{"id":3957,"urlSafeValue":"hong-kong","title":"Hong Kong"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/31\/hong-kong-greets-2026-without-fireworks-after-161-killed-in-deadliest-blaze-in-decades","lastModified":1767206513},{"id":2858643,"cid":9598584,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CHINA FACTORY ACTIVITY","daletPyramidId":3747646,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China\u2019s factories return to growth after eight-month slump","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China\u2019s factories return to growth after eight-month slump","titleListing2":"","leadin":"Factory activity expanded in December for the first time since early 2025, offering a tentative boost for the world\u2019s second-largest economy after months of weak demand.","summary":"Factory activity expanded in December for the first time since early 2025, offering a tentative boost for the world\u2019s second-largest economy after months of weak demand.","keySentence":"","url":"chinas-factories-return-to-growth-after-eight-month-slump","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/12\/31\/chinas-factories-return-to-growth-after-eight-month-slump","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China\u2019s factories returned to growth in December for the first time in eight months, offering a rare bright spot for the world\u2019s second-largest economy as policymakers grapple with slowing demand and deepening structural strains.\n\nFactory activity expanded for the final month of the year as orders picked up ahead of holidays and builders rushed to finish projects, according to surveys released Wednesday.\n\nThe official purchasing managers index or PMI for manufacturing, a monthly survey of companies, rose to 50.1 this month, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. That was just above the 50 cut off for expansion versus contraction on a scale up to 100. Another, private sector, survey also was at 50.1 for December.\n\nThe better-than-expected readings partly reflect easing pressure due to an extended truce in trade tensions with the US.\n\nThey also suggest manufacturers ramped up production ahead of New Year holidays, when many companies close for days. China\u2019s Lunar New Year falls in mid-February this year.\n\nHigh-tech industries boost production\n\nThe world's second largest economy is forecast to grow at a pace just below the official target of about 5% this year, supported by strong activity in high-tech industries and exports. The official PMI for high-tech manufacturing stood at 52.5 in December, up 2.4% from the previous month.\n\nThe report said the PMIs for both equipment manufacturing and the consumer goods industry reached 50.4.\n\nThe separate report by RatingDog, a Chinese credit research and analysis company based in the southern city of Shenzhen, said that despite an increase in overall orders, new export sales fell slightly and hiring weakened.\n\n\u201cOverall, the manufacturing sector regained growth at the end of 2025,\u201d RatingDog's founder Yao Yu said in a statement.\n\n\u201cHowever, the improvement was marginal, with the impact of promotions and new products appearing impulse-driven and their sustainability requiring observation.\u201d\n\nThe National Statistic Bureau said the PMI measures for food, textiles, clothing and electronics were above a relatively strong 53.\n\nHowever, while large manufacturers increased their output, factory activity for the small and mid-sized enterprises that account for the lion\u2019s share of employment in China remained in contractionary territory.\n\nAs consumers cut back on spending, conditions for retailers and restaurants also deteriorated, the report said.\n\nSlower-than-expected growth\n\nSome economists believe China's economy is growing more slowly than official figures suggest. Its leaders are grappling with long-term challenges including a years-long slump in the country's property sector and excess capacity in many industries, including automaking, that has led to damaging price wars.\n\nHigher costs for raw materials, especially for metals, has put pressure on company profit margins, the RatingDog report said. It noted that exporters had raised prices for the first time in three months to help offset those higher costs.\n\nThe upturn in activity may be short-lived as it appears to be helped by a slight increase in government spending, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.\n\n\u201cThe big picture is that the structural headwinds from the property downturn and industrial overcapacity are set to persist in 2026 and there appears to be limited appetite among policymakers for a big increase in demand-side stimulus,\u201d he said.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China\u2019s factories returned to growth in December for the first time in eight months, offering a rare bright spot for the world\u2019s second-largest economy as policymakers grapple with slowing demand and deepening structural strains.<\/p>\n<p>Factory activity expanded for the final month of the year as orders picked up ahead of holidays and builders rushed to finish projects, according to surveys released Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>The official purchasing managers index or PMI for manufacturing, a monthly survey of companies, rose to 50.1 this month, the National Bureau of Statistics reported. That was just above the 50 cut off for expansion versus contraction on a scale up to 100. Another, private sector, survey also was at 50.1 for December.<\/p>\n<p>The better-than-expected readings partly reflect easing pressure due to an extended truce in trade tensions with the US. <\/p>\n<p>They also suggest manufacturers ramped up production ahead of New Year holidays, when many companies close for days. China\u2019s Lunar New Year falls in mid-February this year.<\/p>\n<h2>High-tech industries boost production<\/h2>\n<p>The world's second largest economy is forecast to grow at a pace just below the official target of about 5% this year, supported by strong activity in high-tech industries and exports. The official PMI for high-tech manufacturing stood at 52.5 in December, up 2.4% from the previous month.<\/p>\n<p>The report said the PMIs for both equipment manufacturing and the consumer goods industry reached 50.4.<\/p>\n<p>The separate report by RatingDog, a Chinese credit research and analysis company based in the southern city of Shenzhen, said that despite an increase in overall orders, new export sales fell slightly and hiring weakened.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//05//chinas-bet-on-home-grown-chips-pays-off-with-moore-threads-blockbuster-debut/">China/u2019s bet on home-grown chips pays off with Moore Threads blockbuster debut<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//12//heres-why-chinese-carmakers-are-beating-the-europeans-in-kazakhstan/">Here's why Chinese carmakers are beating the Europeans in Kazakhstan<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cOverall, the manufacturing sector regained growth at the end of 2025,\u201d RatingDog's founder Yao Yu said in a statement. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, the improvement was marginal, with the impact of promotions and new products appearing impulse-driven and their sustainability requiring observation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The National Statistic Bureau said the PMI measures for food, textiles, clothing and electronics were above a relatively strong 53.<\/p>\n<p>However, while large manufacturers increased their output, factory activity for the small and mid-sized enterprises that account for the lion\u2019s share of employment in China remained in contractionary territory. <\/p>\n<p>As consumers cut back on spending, conditions for retailers and restaurants also deteriorated, the report said.<\/p>\n<h2>Slower-than-expected growth<\/h2>\n<p>Some economists believe China's economy is growing more slowly than official figures suggest. Its leaders are grappling with long-term challenges including a years-long slump in the country's property sector and excess capacity in many industries, including automaking, that has led to damaging price wars.<\/p>\n<p>Higher costs for raw materials, especially for metals, has put pressure on company profit margins, the RatingDog report said. It noted that exporters had raised prices for the first time in three months to help offset those higher costs.<\/p>\n<p>The upturn in activity may be short-lived as it appears to be helped by a slight increase in government spending, Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said in a report.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe big picture is that the structural headwinds from the property downturn and industrial overcapacity are set to persist in 2026 and there appears to be limited appetite among policymakers for a big increase in demand-side stimulus,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767170896,"updatedAt":1767172678,"publishedAt":1767172576,"firstPublishedAt":1767172576,"lastPublishedAt":1767172576,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/85\/84\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_564460af-6f53-5208-b107-c2ecf81651c9-9598584.jpg","altText":"FILE - Workers hold up balloons showing 2025 as they shoot a video to welcome 2026 at a shopping district in Beijing, China, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Ng Han Guan)","caption":"FILE - Workers hold up balloons showing 2025 as they shoot a video to welcome 2026 at a shopping district in Beijing, China, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo\/Ng Han Guan)","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":576}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":10675,"slug":"chinese-economy","urlSafeValue":"chinese-economy","title":"Chinese economy","titleRaw":"Chinese economy"},{"id":29042,"slug":"factory","urlSafeValue":"factory","title":"factory","titleRaw":"factory"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2855264},{"id":2856598},{"id":2855017}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"Euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2025\/12\/31\/chinas-factories-return-to-growth-after-eight-month-slump","lastModified":1767172576},{"id":2858206,"cid":9596820,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"NC5 CHINA SWARM DRONE SHOW","daletPyramidId":3729853,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Chinese team operates thousands of drones using a single computer","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Chinese team operates thousands of drones using a single computer","leadin":"A drone light show in Chongqing highlights China\u2019s ability to control thousands of drones simultaneously using a single automated system.","summary":"A drone light show in Chongqing highlights China\u2019s ability to control thousands of drones simultaneously using a single automated system.","keySentence":"","url":"chinese-team-operates-thousands-of-drones-using-a-single-computer","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/29\/chinese-team-operates-thousands-of-drones-using-a-single-computer","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"A Chinese technology team demonstrated advanced swarm drone capabilities during a large-scale light show in Chongqing, where thousands of drones were launched and controlled using a single computer system.\n\nOperated by Damoda, the drones followed pre-programmed routines to create coordinated aerial displays close to the launch site.\n\nThe weekly show, which previously set a Guinness World Record for scale, is designed for entertainment, though experts note that similar swarm technologies could have future applications beyond light shows as artificial intelligence and automation continue to develop.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>A Chinese technology team demonstrated advanced swarm drone capabilities during a large-scale light show in Chongqing, where thousands of drones were launched and controlled using a single computer system. <\/p>\n<p>Operated by Damoda, the drones followed pre-programmed routines to create coordinated aerial displays close to the launch site. <\/p>\n<p>The weekly show, which previously set a Guinness World Record for scale, is designed for entertainment, though experts note that similar swarm technologies could have future applications beyond light shows as artificial intelligence and automation continue to develop.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1767013696,"updatedAt":1767017166,"publishedAt":1767016898,"firstPublishedAt":1767016898,"lastPublishedAt":1767016898,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/68\/20\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_b5929c92-dcc1-5b35-b101-d1f29a02de5a-9596820.jpg","altText":"drone flights in China","caption":"drone flights in China","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"EBU","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1045}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":12609,"slug":"drones","urlSafeValue":"drones","title":"Drones","titleRaw":"Drones"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":389,"slug":"technology","urlSafeValue":"technology","title":"Technology","titleRaw":"Technology"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"i-12aEmnzn8","dailymotionId":"x9wmkk2"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":11816688,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/32\/70\/11\/08\/ED_PYR_3270118_20251229131424.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":16449500,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/32\/70\/11\/08\/SHD_PYR_3270118_20251229131424.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":60000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":48651696,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/32\/70\/11\/08\/FHD_PYR_3270118_20251229131424.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2025\/12\/29\/chinese-team-operates-thousands-of-drones-using-a-single-computer","lastModified":1767016898},{"id":2857768,"cid":9595458,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CHINA SANCTIONS 20 US DEFENCE COMPANIES","daletPyramidId":3716337,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China sanctions 20 American defence companies and 10 executives over arms sales to Taiwan","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China sanctions 20 US defence companies over arms sales to Taiwan","titleListing2":"China sanctions 20 American defence companies and 10 executives over massive arms sales to Taiwan","leadin":"According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the sanctions entail freezing the companies\u2019 assets in China and banning individuals and organisations from accessing them.","summary":"According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the sanctions entail freezing the companies\u2019 assets in China and banning individuals and organisations from accessing them.","keySentence":"","url":"china-sanctions-20-american-defence-companies-and-10-executives-over-arms-sales-to-taiwan","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/27\/china-sanctions-20-american-defence-companies-and-10-executives-over-arms-sales-to-taiwan","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China has imposed sanctions against 20 US defence-related companies and 10 executives, a week after Washington announced large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.\n\nAccording to the Chinese foreign ministry, the sanctions entail freezing the companies\u2019 assets in China and banning individuals and organisations from dealing with them.\n\n\u201cWe stress once again that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China\u2019s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China\uff0dUS relations,\u201d the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.\n\n\u201cAny company or individual who engages in arms sales to Taiwan will pay the price for the wrongdoing.\u201d\n\nThe ministry also urged the US to stop what it called \u201cthe dangerous moves of arming Taiwan.\u201d\n\nThe companies include Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, L3Harris Maritime Services and Boeing in St. Louis, while defence firm Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey is one of the executives sanctioned, who can no longer do business in China and is barred from entering the country.\n\nTheir Chinese assets have also been frozen.\n\nUS arms sale to Taiwan worth \u20ac8.6 billion\n\nThe announcement of the US arms-sale package, valued at more than $10 billion (\u20ac8.6 billion), has drawn an angry response from China, which claims Taiwan as its own and says it must come under its control.\n\nIf approved by the American Congress, it would be the largest-ever US weapons package to the self-ruled territory.\n\nThe US is obligated to assist Taiwan with its self-defence under federal law, a point that has become increasingly contentious with China. Beijing already has strained ties with Washington over trade, technology and human rights issues.\n\nChina\u2019s military has increased its presence in Taiwan\u2019s skies and waters in the past few years, holding drills with its warships and fighter jets on a near-daily basis near the island.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China has imposed sanctions against 20 US defence-related companies and 10 executives, a week after Washington announced large-scale arms sales to Taiwan.<\/p>\n<p>According to the Chinese foreign ministry, the sanctions entail freezing the companies\u2019 assets in China and banning individuals and organisations from dealing with them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe stress once again that the Taiwan question is at the very core of China\u2019s core interests and the first red line that must not be crossed in China\uff0dUS relations,\u201d the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny company or individual who engages in arms sales to Taiwan will pay the price for the wrongdoing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The ministry also urged the US to stop what it called \u201cthe dangerous moves of arming Taiwan.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6845703125\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//08//15//59//52//808x553_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg/" alt=\"FILE - A Switchblade 600 loitering missile drone manufactured by AeroVironment is displayed at the Eurosatory arms show in Villepinte, north of Paris, on June 14, 2022. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/384x263_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/640x438_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/750x513_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/828x567_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/1080x739_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/1200x821_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/1920x1314_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">FILE - A Switchblade 600 loitering missile drone manufactured by AeroVironment is displayed at the Eurosatory arms show in Villepinte, north of Paris, on June 14, 2022. <\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Michel Euler\/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The companies include Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, L3Harris Maritime Services and Boeing in St. Louis, while defence firm Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey is one of the executives sanctioned, who can no longer do business in China and is barred from entering the country. <\/p>\n<p>Their Chinese assets have also been frozen.<\/p>\n<h2>US arms sale to Taiwan worth <strong>\u20ac8.6 billion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The announcement of the US arms-sale package, valued at more than $10 billion (\u20ac8.6 billion), has drawn an angry response from China, which claims Taiwan as its own and says it must come under its control.<\/p>\n<p>If approved by the American Congress, it would be the largest-ever US weapons package to the self-ruled territory.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//22//china-hits-eu-with-427-tariff-on-dairy-imports/">China hits EU with 42.7% tariff on dairy imports<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//10//14//defence-industry-warns-eu-to-urgently-curb-dependence-on-key-raw-materials/">Defence industry warns EU to \u2018urgently\u2019 curb dependence on key raw materials<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>The US is obligated to assist Taiwan with its self-defence under federal law, a point that has become increasingly contentious with China. Beijing already has strained ties with Washington over trade, technology and human rights issues.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s military has increased its presence in Taiwan\u2019s skies and waters in the past few years, holding drills with its warships and fighter jets on a near-daily basis near the island.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1766822449,"updatedAt":1766845684,"publishedAt":1766828125,"firstPublishedAt":1766828125,"lastPublishedAt":1766828125,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/59\/54\/58\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_67ee4766-1ca9-57cf-b9d1-5f88216f76c8-9595458.jpg","altText":"FILE: A visitor puts on his jacket, near a missile launcher displayed during the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2021.","caption":"FILE: A visitor puts on his jacket, near a missile launcher displayed during the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, also known as Airshow China 2021.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2021 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1619,"height":910},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/15\/59\/52\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_466d27ad-e315-53c2-ac35-87f8401bd618-8155952.jpg","altText":"FILE - A Switchblade 600 loitering missile drone manufactured by AeroVironment is displayed at the Eurosatory arms show in Villepinte, north of Paris, on June 14, 2022. ","caption":"FILE - A Switchblade 600 loitering missile drone manufactured by AeroVironment is displayed at the Eurosatory arms show in Villepinte, north of Paris, on June 14, 2022. ","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Michel Euler\/Copyright 2022 The AP. All rights reserved","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":701}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":957,"urlSafeValue":"fisayo","title":"Jerry Fisayo-Bambi","twitter":"@fisayobambi"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":13363,"slug":"united-states","urlSafeValue":"united-states","title":"United States ","titleRaw":"United States "},{"id":28590,"slug":"us-china-tensions","urlSafeValue":"us-china-tensions","title":"US-China tensions","titleRaw":"US-China tensions"},{"id":68,"slug":"defence","urlSafeValue":"defence","title":"Defence","titleRaw":"Defence"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":269,"slug":"taiwan","urlSafeValue":"taiwan","title":"Taiwan","titleRaw":"Taiwan"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":1},{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2857646},{"id":2844872},{"id":2843461}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"IxwsnZXdTiY","dailymotionId":"x9winbi"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":50000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":10320295,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/32\/60\/19\/06\/ED_PYR_3260196_20251227142805.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":50000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":14079659,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/32\/60\/19\/06\/SHD_PYR_3260196_20251227142805.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":50000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":38819662,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/32\/60\/19\/06\/FHD_PYR_3260196_20251227142805.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/27\/china-sanctions-20-american-defence-companies-and-10-executives-over-arms-sales-to-taiwan","lastModified":1766828125},{"id":2855264,"cid":9585840,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":1,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CO - S01E03 - OIL AROUND THE WORLD - MASTER","daletPyramidId":3632241,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Europe and China: how olive oil and Jinhua ham embody centuries of food heritage","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Spain and China\u2019s iconic foods: olive oil and Jinhua ham explained","titleListing2":"Europe and China: how olive oil and Jinhua ham embody centuries of food heritage","leadin":"From Andalusia to eastern China, two ancient food products reveal how tradition, geography and regulation shape global food heritage.","summary":"From Andalusia to eastern China, two ancient food products reveal how tradition, geography and regulation shape global food heritage.","keySentence":"","url":"europe-and-china-how-olive-oil-and-jinhua-ham-embody-centuries-of-food-heritage","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2025\/12\/22\/europe-and-china-how-olive-oil-and-jinhua-ham-embody-centuries-of-food-heritage","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"In southern Spain, olive oil production remains central to rural economies, combining centuries-old know-how with modern processing and global exports.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\nIn China\u2019s Zhejiang province, Jinhua ham follows an equally precise craft, refined over more than a thousand years and protected by a designation of origin.\n\nThough separated by geography, both products rely on strict harvesting, curing and quality controls to preserve flavour and authenticity. Together, olive oil and Jinhua ham illustrate how cultural heritage, local expertise and modern markets intersect to keep traditional foods relevant in a globalised world.\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>In southern Spain, olive oil production remains central to rural economies, combining centuries-old know-how with modern processing and global exports. <\/p>\n<p>In China\u2019s Zhejiang province, Jinhua ham follows an equally precise craft, refined over more than a thousand years and protected by a designation of origin.<\/p>\n<p>Though separated by geography, both products rely on strict harvesting, curing and quality controls to preserve flavour and authenticity. Together, olive oil and Jinhua ham illustrate how cultural heritage, local expertise and modern markets intersect to keep traditional foods relevant in a globalised world. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765961697,"updatedAt":1766426440,"publishedAt":1766426426,"firstPublishedAt":1766426426,"lastPublishedAt":1766426439,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/58\/40\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_c0eef990-e15d-5692-b591-a7f1885deecf-9585840.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Euronews","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[{"id":377,"urlSafeValue":"hackett","title":"Paul Hackett","twitter":null}],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":11396,"slug":"food","urlSafeValue":"food","title":"Food","titleRaw":"Food"},{"id":9567,"slug":"cooking","urlSafeValue":"cooking","title":"Cooking","titleRaw":"Cooking"},{"id":8735,"slug":"tradition","urlSafeValue":"tradition","title":"Tradition","titleRaw":"Tradition"},{"id":12639,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel","titleRaw":"Travel"},{"id":7809,"slug":"spain","urlSafeValue":"spain","title":"Spain","titleRaw":"Spain"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[{"path":"sponsor.crossingcultures2024"},{"path":"sponsor"}],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"Rx_PQc8BhTk","dailymotionId":"x9vvt1e"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"duration":480000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":65221230,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/31\/90\/79\/00\/ED_PYR_3190790_20251217123157.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"md"},{"duration":480000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":101668653,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/31\/90\/79\/00\/SHD_PYR_3190790_20251217123157.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"hd"},{"duration":480000,"editor":"","filesizeBytes":367212710,"format":"mp4","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/31\/90\/79\/00\/FHD_PYR_3190790_20251217123157.mp4","expiresAt":0,"quality":"1080p"}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"crossing-cultures","urlSafeValue":"crossing-cultures","title":"Crossing Cultures","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/culture-series\/crossing-cultures"},"season":"CROSSING CULTURES_S01","episode":"S01E03 - 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S01E03 - MACAO-EPISODE 3 - MASTER","daletPyramidId":3402578,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Meet the family bringing South African flavours to Macao","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Meet the chef bringing South African flavours to Macao","titleListing2":"Meet the family bringing South African flavours to Macao","leadin":"A South African\u2013Filipino couple is adding fresh depth to Macao\u2019s culinary landscape, blending family life, local culture and global flavours in the city they now call home.","summary":"A South African\u2013Filipino couple is adding fresh depth to Macao\u2019s culinary landscape, blending family life, local culture and global flavours in the city they now call home.","keySentence":"","url":"meet-the-family-bringing-south-african-flavours-to-macao","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2025\/12\/15\/meet-the-family-bringing-south-african-flavours-to-macao","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"At Aria by Chef D, chef Denver Govender and co-owner Vanessa Fajardo draw on South African heritage, Filipino roots and Macao\u2019s rich cultural blend to create one of the city\u2019s most distinctive dining experiences.\n\nDenver sources ingredients daily from wet markets, prioritising freshness and sustainability, while consistency has helped win over both Chinese and Portuguese diners.\u00a0\n\nBeyond the restaurant, the pair\u2019s life with their daughter unfolds across Macao\u2019s parks, waterfronts and neighbourhoods, spaces that reflect the city\u2019s openness, diversity and sense of community.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>At Aria by Chef D, chef Denver Govender and co-owner Vanessa Fajardo draw on South African heritage, Filipino roots and Macao\u2019s rich cultural blend to create one of the city\u2019s most distinctive dining experiences.<\/p>\n<p>Denver sources ingredients daily from wet markets, prioritising freshness and sustainability, while consistency has helped win over both Chinese and Portuguese diners. <\/p>\n<p>Beyond the restaurant, the pair\u2019s life with their daughter unfolds across Macao\u2019s parks, waterfronts and neighbourhoods, spaces that reflect the city\u2019s openness, diversity and sense of community.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1764001385,"updatedAt":1765812633,"publishedAt":1765810830,"firstPublishedAt":1765807230,"lastPublishedAt":1765812632,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/55\/98\/75\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9aa71a02-85d2-5368-9c99-1665276a05af-9559875.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Euronews","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":12639,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel","titleRaw":"Travel"},{"id":9567,"slug":"cooking","urlSafeValue":"cooking","title":"Cooking","titleRaw":"Cooking"},{"id":11396,"slug":"food","urlSafeValue":"food","title":"Food","titleRaw":"Food"},{"id":574,"slug":"culture","urlSafeValue":"culture","title":"Culture","titleRaw":"Culture"},{"id":176,"slug":"macao","urlSafeValue":"macao","title":"Macao","titleRaw":"Macao"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[{"path":"sponsor.macaotourism25"},{"path":"sponsor"}],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"28kINfwl7aw","dailymotionId":"x9vr8wk"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/30\/06\/96\/01\/ED_PYR_3006961_20251215152248.mp4","editor":"","duration":300000,"filesizeBytes":43551214,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/30\/06\/96\/01\/SHD_PYR_3006961_20251215152248.mp4","editor":"","duration":300000,"filesizeBytes":66394344,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"1080p","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/30\/06\/96\/01\/FHD_PYR_3006961_20251215152248.mp4","editor":"","duration":300000,"filesizeBytes":230165477,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"meet-the-locals","urlSafeValue":"meet-the-locals","title":"Meet The Locals","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/culture-series\/meet-the-locals"},"season":"MEET THE LOCALS MACAO_S01","episode":"S01E03 - MACAO-EPISODE 3","episodeId":"1166","vertical":"culture","verticals":[{"id":10,"slug":"culture","urlSafeValue":"culture","title":"Culture"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":10,"slug":"culture","urlSafeValue":"culture","title":"Culture"},"themes":[{"id":"culture-series","urlSafeValue":"culture-series","title":"Culture Series","url":"\/culture\/culture-series"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":55,"urlSafeValue":"culture-series","title":"Culture series"},"advertising":1,"advertisingData":{"startDate":1761997044,"endDate":2114336248,"type":"sponsored","slug":"macao-2025","title":"Macao 2025","disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":"Macao Government Tourism Office","sponsorName":"macao-2025","sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/campaigns\/991\/300x50_cmsv2_71ce33c6-9fcd-548e-b3ca-e10e58ec12a6-991.jpg","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":{"id":3997,"urlSafeValue":"macau","title":"Macau"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/culture\/2025\/12\/15\/meet-the-family-bringing-south-african-flavours-to-macao","lastModified":1765812632},{"id":2854739,"cid":9583450,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CHINA INVESTMENTS GO DOWN","daletPyramidId":3608608,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China\u2019s economy loses momentum amid spending and investment slump","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China\u2019s economy loses momentum amid spending and investment slump","titleListing2":"","leadin":"Retail sales slowed and investment contracted compared to previous years as Chinese policymakers aim to make domestic demand a top priority in 2026.","summary":"Retail sales slowed and investment contracted compared to previous years as Chinese policymakers aim to make domestic demand a top priority in 2026.","keySentence":"","url":"chinas-economy-loses-momentum-amid-spending-and-investment-slump","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/12\/15\/chinas-economy-loses-momentum-amid-spending-and-investment-slump","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China\u2019s economic slowdown became more entrenched in November, with retail sales recording their lowest month of year-on-year growth since 2022.\n\nAll major domestic indicators disappointed in November, underscoring the challenge facing policymakers as they seek to make household spending, rather than exports and investment, the main driver of growth from 2026 onwards.\n\n\"Boosting domestic demand in 2026 looks to be a top priority for policymakers, according to recent communications from the Politburo meeting and the Central Economic Work Conference,\" said a report from ING bank.\n\nThe Chinese leadership plans to implement \"special actions to boost consumption\", along with initiatives to boost household incomes.\n\n\"Retail sales growth slowed sharply to 1.3% year-on-year in November, down from 2.9% in October,\" with ING attributing much of this slowdown to the fading impact of China\u2019s trade-in policy, which encouraged households to replace older goods with new ones.\n\nTrade-ins slow purchases\n\nWhile sales initially jumped when consumers realised they could purchase newer items and bring in their old ones for a price reduction, making upgrading an appealing concept, now the policy is dragging the economy down because it failed to create lasting demand.\n\nSales of household appliances fell by 19.4% compared with a year earlier, sharply pulling down overall retail growth.\n\nChina\u2019s transition towards electric vehicles has added to the weakness in retail data. Petrol sales fell by 8% year-on-year as fuel demand declined, while earlier car purchases contributed to an 8.3% drop in auto sales.\n\nSome categories \u2014 such as catering, cosmetics, food staples and gold and jewellery \u2014 outperformed, but not enough to offset the broader slowdown.\n\nDrops also felt in real estate\n\nFixed asset investment, which includes spending on infrastructure, factories and property, also contracted more sharply in November.\n\nBoth public and private investment weakened, with private investment falling faster.\n\nWhile public investment could recover with policy support next year, private investment remains a bigger question mark and will be a more important gauge of underlying confidence in China\u2019s economy.\n\nThe property sector remains one of the most significant drags on the economy. Home prices across China\u2019s 70 major cities continued to fall in November, with used-home prices declining faster than the cost of new homes.\n\nFrom their peak, new home prices are down more than 12%, while used-home prices have fallen by over 20% \u2014 a trend that has direct implications for household wealth and confidence.\n\nProperty investment also continued to contract sharply, reinforcing concerns that the housing downturn remains unresolved.\n\nWhile policymakers have signalled renewed focus on stabilising the property market \u2014 including measures aimed at affordable housing and reducing excess supply \u2014 it remains to be seen whether this can bring a lasting turnaround.\n\nChina's property downturn dates back to at least 2021, when the government put a cap on the borrowing capacity of real estate developers to limit financial risk. Property giant Evergrande subsequently fell into bankruptcy, dragging the Chinese economy down with it.\n\nIndustrial production is an outlier\n\nDespite the weakness elsewhere in China, industrial production continues to outperform.\n\nOutput growth eased slightly to 4.8% year-on-year in November, but remained resilient, supported by strong performance in sectors such as rail, shipbuilding, aerospace, autos, industrial robots and semiconductors. Part of this strength can be linked to external demand, which has helped to sustain industrial activity even as domestic demand falters.\n\nHowever, analysts also warn of risks ahead. While resilient demand from non-US economies has supported exports this year, rising trade tensions and tariff risks could challenge this support in 2026.\n\nING stressed that secondary-market prices are particularly important, as they have the most direct impact on household wealth and consumer confidence. They argue that restoring confidence will be essential if domestic demand is to become the main driver of growth, noting that households are unlikely to spend more unless they believe economic conditions will improve.\n\nTaken together, November\u2019s data reinforces the view that China\u2019s slowdown is both broad-based and deeply rooted.\n\nWhile growth targets for this year remain within reach, shifting the economy towards domestic demand-led growth may remain a difficult and uncertain task.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China\u2019s economic slowdown became more entrenched in November, with retail sales recording their lowest month of year-on-year growth since 2022.<\/p>\n<p>All major domestic indicators disappointed in November, underscoring the challenge facing policymakers as they seek to make household spending, rather than exports and investment, the main driver of growth from 2026 onwards.<\/p>\n<p>\"Boosting domestic demand in 2026 looks to be a top priority for policymakers, according to recent communications from the Politburo meeting and the Central Economic Work Conference,\" said a report from ING bank.<\/p>\n<p>The Chinese leadership plans to implement \"special actions to boost consumption\", along with initiatives to boost household incomes.<\/p>\n<p>\"Retail sales growth slowed sharply to 1.3% year-on-year in November, down from 2.9% in October,\" with ING attributing much of this slowdown to the fading impact of China\u2019s trade-in policy, which encouraged households to replace older goods with new ones.<\/p>\n<h2>Trade-ins slow purchases<\/h2>\n<p>While sales initially jumped when consumers realised they could purchase newer items and bring in their old ones for a price reduction, making upgrading an appealing concept, now the policy is dragging the economy down because it failed to create lasting demand.<\/p>\n<p>Sales of household appliances fell by 19.4% compared with a year earlier, sharply pulling down overall retail growth.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s transition towards electric vehicles has added to the weakness in retail data. Petrol sales fell by 8% year-on-year as fuel demand declined, while earlier car purchases contributed to an 8.3% drop in auto sales. <\/p>\n<p>Some categories \u2014 such as catering, cosmetics, food staples and gold and jewellery \u2014 outperformed, but not enough to offset the broader slowdown.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//08//chinas-exports-grow-59-in-november-while-us-shipments-drop-29/">China's exports grow 5.9% in November, while US shipments drop 29%<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//15//volkswagens-3bn-gamble-can-it-win-back-market-share-in-china/">Volkswagen's \u20ac3bn gamble: Can it win back market share in China?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Drops also felt in real estate<\/h2>\n<p>Fixed asset investment, which includes spending on infrastructure, factories and property, also contracted more sharply in November. <\/p>\n<p>Both public and private investment weakened, with private investment falling faster.<\/p>\n<p>While public investment could recover with policy support next year, private investment remains a bigger question mark and will be a more important gauge of underlying confidence in China\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n<p>The property sector remains one of the most significant drags on the economy. Home prices across China\u2019s 70 major cities continued to fall in November, with used-home prices declining faster than the cost of new homes.<\/p>\n<p>From their peak, new home prices are down more than 12%, while used-home prices have fallen by over 20% \u2014 a trend that has direct implications for household wealth and confidence.<\/p>\n<p>Property investment also continued to contract sharply, reinforcing concerns that the housing downturn remains unresolved. <\/p>\n<p>While policymakers have signalled renewed focus on stabilising the property market \u2014 including measures aimed at affordable housing and reducing excess supply \u2014 it remains to be seen whether this can bring a lasting turnaround.<\/p>\n<p>China's property downturn dates back to at least 2021, when the government put a cap on the borrowing capacity of real estate developers to limit financial risk. Property giant Evergrande subsequently fell into bankruptcy, dragging the Chinese economy down with it.<\/p>\n<h2>Industrial production is an outlier<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the weakness elsewhere in China, industrial production continues to outperform. <\/p>\n<p>Output growth eased slightly to 4.8% year-on-year in November, but remained resilient, supported by strong performance in sectors such as rail, shipbuilding, aerospace, autos, industrial robots and semiconductors. Part of this strength can be linked to external demand, which has helped to sustain industrial activity even as domestic demand falters.<\/p>\n<p>However, analysts also warn of risks ahead. While resilient demand from non-US economies has supported exports this year, rising trade tensions and tariff risks could challenge this support in 2026.<\/p>\n<p>ING stressed that secondary-market prices are particularly important, as they have the most direct impact on household wealth and consumer confidence. They argue that restoring confidence will be essential if domestic demand is to become the main driver of growth, noting that households are unlikely to spend more unless they believe economic conditions will improve.<\/p>\n<p>Taken together, November\u2019s data reinforces the view that China\u2019s slowdown is both broad-based and deeply rooted. <\/p>\n<p>While growth targets for this year remain within reach, shifting the economy towards domestic demand-led growth may remain a difficult and uncertain task.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765804280,"updatedAt":1765814305,"publishedAt":1765810655,"firstPublishedAt":1765810655,"lastPublishedAt":1765810655,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/34\/50\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_7e3981ce-cd6e-53db-8b2f-1ba58d5d3bff-9583450.jpg","altText":"FILE - Tourists nap outside a barrack for honor guards near the Forbidden City during the National Day holidays in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.","caption":"FILE - Tourists nap outside a barrack for honor guards near the Forbidden City during the National Day holidays in Beijing, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Ng Han Guan\/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1619,"height":910}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3408,"urlSafeValue":"hajdari","title":"Una Hajdari","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":10675,"slug":"chinese-economy","urlSafeValue":"chinese-economy","title":"Chinese economy","titleRaw":"Chinese economy"},{"id":505,"slug":"beijing","urlSafeValue":"beijing","title":"Beijing","titleRaw":"Beijing"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2852165},{"id":2852156},{"id":2854931}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/economy\/economy"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"economy","urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy","url":"\/business\/economy"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":72,"urlSafeValue":"economy","title":"Economy"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2025\/12\/15\/chinas-economy-loses-momentum-amid-spending-and-investment-slump","lastModified":1765810655},{"id":2854581,"cid":9582931,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"HONG KONG VERDICT","daletPyramidId":3603900,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted in national security trial","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted in national security trial","titleListing2":"Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted in national security trial","leadin":"Jimmy Lai, 78, was found guilty of colluding with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles. The former Apple Daily founder faces life imprisonment.","summary":"Jimmy Lai, 78, was found guilty of colluding with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles. The former Apple Daily founder faces life imprisonment.","keySentence":"","url":"former-hong-kong-pro-democracy-media-mogul-jimmy-lai-convicted-in-landmark-national-securi","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/15\/former-hong-kong-pro-democracy-media-mogul-jimmy-lai-convicted-in-landmark-national-securi","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy former Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing, was convicted in a landmark national security trial on Monday, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life.\n\nThree government-vetted judges found Lai, 78, guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.\n\nLai was arrested in August 2020 under a Beijing-imposed national security law that had been implemented following massive anti-government protests in 2019.\n\nHe co-founded Apple Daily, a vocal critic of the Hong Kong government and Beijing, which was forced to shut in 2021 after police raided its newsroom and arrested its senior journalists, with authorities freezing its assets.\n\nReading from an 855-page verdict, Judge Esther Toh said that Lai had extended a \u201cconstant invitation\u201d to the US to help bring down the Chinese government with the excuse of helping Hong Kongers.\n\nLai\u2019s lawyers admitted during the trial that he had called for sanctions before the law took effect, but insisted he dropped these calls to comply with the law.\n\nBut the judges ruled that Lai had never wavered in his intention to destabilise the ruling Chinese Communist Party, \u201ccontinuing though in a less explicit way.\"\n\nHis trial, conducted without a jury, has been closely monitored by the US, Britain, the European Union and political observers as a barometer of media freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.\n\nHis verdict is also a test for Beijing\u2019s diplomatic ties. US President Donald Trump said he has raised the case with China, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government has made securing Lai's release a priority, as Lai is a British citizen.\n\nRights groups denounce verdict\n\nDuring Lai\u2019s 156-day trial, prosecutors accused him of conspiring with senior executives of Apple Daily and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades and engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.\n\nThe prosecution also accused Lai of making such requests, highlighting his meetings with former US Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in July 2019 at the height of the protests.\n\nIt also presented 161 publications, including Apple Daily articles, to the court as evidence, as well as social media posts and text messages.\n\nLai testified for 52 days in his own defence, arguing that he had not called for foreign sanctions after the sweeping security law was imposed in June 2020.\n\nRights groups, including global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, denounced the verdict.\n\n\u201cIt is not an individual who has been on trial \u2014 it is press freedom itself, and with this verdict that has been shattered,\u201d said Reporters Without Borders' director general Thibaut Bruttin.\n\nLai's trial was one of the last ongoing national security cases following Hong Kong's 2019 mass protest movement. Last year, 45 leading activists from the pro-democracy movement were sentenced to prison terms under the same national security law.\n\nHundreds of activists, lawyers and politicians have been pursued and jailed, or forced into exile.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Jimmy Lai, a pro-democracy former Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing, was convicted in a landmark national security trial on Monday, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n<p>Three government-vetted judges found Lai, 78, guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.<\/p>\n<p>Lai was arrested in August 2020 under a Beijing-imposed national security law that had been implemented following massive anti-government protests in 2019. <\/p>\n<p>He co-founded Apple Daily, a vocal critic of the Hong Kong government and Beijing, which was forced to shut in 2021 after police raided its newsroom and arrested its senior journalists, with authorities freezing its assets.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//58//29//31//808x539_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg/" alt=\"Hong Kong activists and supporters in Taiwan gather to support imprisoned Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai for the national security trial in Taipei, Aug. 24, 2025.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/384x256_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/640x427_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/750x500_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/828x552_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/1080x720_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/1200x800_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/1920x1280_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Hong Kong activists and supporters in Taiwan gather to support imprisoned Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai for the national security trial in Taipei, Aug. 24, 2025.<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo\/Chiang Ying-ying<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Reading from an 855-page verdict, Judge Esther Toh said that Lai had extended a \u201cconstant invitation\u201d to the US to help bring down the Chinese government with the excuse of helping Hong Kongers.<\/p>\n<p>Lai\u2019s lawyers admitted during the trial that he had called for sanctions before the law took effect, but insisted he dropped these calls to comply with the law.<\/p>\n<p>But the judges ruled that Lai had never wavered in his intention to destabilise the ruling Chinese Communist Party, \u201ccontinuing though in a less explicit way.\"<\/p>\n<p>His trial, conducted without a jury, has been closely monitored by the US, Britain, the European Union and political observers as a barometer of media freedom and judicial independence in the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.<\/p>\n<p>His verdict is also a test for Beijing\u2019s diplomatic ties. US President Donald Trump said he has raised the case with China, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government has made securing Lai's release a priority, as Lai is a British citizen.<\/p>\n<h2>Rights groups denounce verdict<\/h2>\n<p>During Lai\u2019s 156-day trial, prosecutors accused him of conspiring with senior executives of Apple Daily and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades and engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.<\/p>\n<p>The prosecution also accused Lai of making such requests, highlighting his meetings with former US Vice President Mike Pence and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in July 2019 at the height of the protests.<\/p>\n<p>It also presented 161 publications, including Apple Daily articles, to the court as evidence, as well as social media posts and text messages.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6666666666666666\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//58//29//31//808x539_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg/" alt=\"Jimmy Lai, owner of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, poses next to dry runs of a soon to be launched Taiwanese newspaper taped to his office wall, April 7, 2003, in Taipei\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/384x256_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/640x427_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/750x500_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/828x552_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/1080x720_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/1200x800_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/1920x1280_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Jimmy Lai, owner of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, poses next to dry runs of a soon to be launched Taiwanese newspaper taped to his office wall, April 7, 2003, in Taipei<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Jerome Favre\/Copyright 2003 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Lai testified for 52 days in his own defence, arguing that he had not called for foreign sanctions after the sweeping security law was imposed in June 2020.<\/p>\n<p>Rights groups, including global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders and Amnesty International, denounced the verdict.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is not an individual who has been on trial \u2014 it is press freedom itself, and with this verdict that has been shattered,\u201d said Reporters Without Borders' director general Thibaut Bruttin.<\/p>\n<p>Lai's trial was one of the last ongoing national security cases following Hong Kong's 2019 mass protest movement. Last year, 45 leading activists from the pro-democracy movement were sentenced to prison terms under the same national security law.<\/p>\n<p>Hundreds of activists, lawyers and politicians have been pursued and jailed, or forced into exile.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765774700,"updatedAt":1765788601,"publishedAt":1765780604,"firstPublishedAt":1765780604,"lastPublishedAt":1765788601,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_a4d0aaba-6940-5994-87af-4ac1fa5960c0-9582931.jpg","altText":"Armed police stand guard outside the courtroom following the verdict for Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai's national security trial in Hong Kong, 15 December 2025","caption":"Armed police stand guard outside the courtroom following the verdict for Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai's national security trial in Hong Kong, 15 December 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1600,"height":900},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5f7b27b8-ee1b-5638-bab4-04c3f70f1e0e-9582931.jpg","altText":"Hong Kong activists and supporters in Taiwan gather to support imprisoned Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai for the national security trial in Taipei, Aug. 24, 2025.","caption":"Hong Kong activists and supporters in Taiwan gather to support imprisoned Hong Kong activist publisher Jimmy Lai for the national security trial in Taipei, Aug. 24, 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo\/Chiang Ying-ying","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/58\/29\/31\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_8725a225-ae09-5ea0-b964-6a0c9bce95f0-9582931.jpg","altText":"Jimmy Lai, owner of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, poses next to dry runs of a soon to be launched Taiwanese newspaper taped to his office wall, April 7, 2003, in Taipei","caption":"Jimmy Lai, owner of the Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, poses next to dry runs of a soon to be launched Taiwanese newspaper taped to his office wall, April 7, 2003, in Taipei","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Jerome Favre\/Copyright 2003 The AP. All rights reserved.","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1893,"height":1262}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3513,"urlSafeValue":"emma.de-ruiter@euronews.com","title":"Emma De Ruiter","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":20954,"slug":"hong-kong-protests","urlSafeValue":"hong-kong-protests","title":"Hong Kong protests","titleRaw":"Hong Kong protests"},{"id":29426,"slug":"jimmy-lai","urlSafeValue":"jimmy-lai","title":"Jimmy Lai","titleRaw":"Jimmy Lai"},{"id":9607,"slug":"trial","urlSafeValue":"trial","title":"Trial","titleRaw":"Trial"},{"id":28954,"slug":"media-freedom","urlSafeValue":"media-freedom","title":"media freedom","titleRaw":"media freedom"},{"id":20848,"slug":"china-communist-party","urlSafeValue":"china-communist-party","title":"China Communist Party ","titleRaw":"China Communist Party 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News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":{"id":3957,"urlSafeValue":"hong-kong","title":"Hong Kong"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/15\/former-hong-kong-pro-democracy-media-mogul-jimmy-lai-convicted-in-landmark-national-securi","lastModified":1765788601},{"id":2853454,"cid":9578205,"versionId":3,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"TRAVEL_China Eastern flight","daletPyramidId":3559439,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"29 hours in the sky: China Eastern\u2019s Shanghai-Buenos Aires flight sets record for ultra-long travel","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"World\u2019s longest flight takes off with record-breaking 29-hour route","titleListing2":"29 hours in the sky: China Eastern\u2019s Shanghai-Buenos Aires flight sets record for ultra-long travel","leadin":"The continent-spanning journey has a two-hour stopover in Auckland.","summary":"The continent-spanning journey has a two-hour stopover in Auckland.","keySentence":"","url":"29-hours-in-the-sky-china-easterns-shanghai-buenos-aires-flight-sets-record-for-ultra-long","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/travel\/2025\/12\/10\/29-hours-in-the-sky-china-easterns-shanghai-buenos-aires-flight-sets-record-for-ultra-long","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Taking an astonishing 29 hours, the world\u2019s longest flight made its record-breaking debut this month.\u00a0\n\nChina Eastern Airlines operates the marathon link between Shanghai and Buenos Aires, with a short stopover in Auckland.\n\nThe inaugural service departed Shanghai Pudong International Airport on 4 December. The southbound journey takes just over 25 hours, while the return to China stretches to roughly 29 hours in the prevailing winds.\n\nOperated by a 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER, the twice-weekly service covers around 20,700 kilometres and lands at Ezeiza International Airport outside the Argentine capital.\n\nA new \u2018southbound corridor\u2019 between three continents\n\nChina Eastern has described its new flight as a step toward creating an \u201cAir Silk Road\u201d connecting Asia with Oceania and South America.\n\nAround 55,000 Chinese nationals live in Argentina, making it a key market for the airline.\n\nPrices range from \u20ac1,320 to \u20ac1,950 in economy to about \u20ac4,200 for business class.\n\nThe carrier says the new \u201csouthbound corridor\u201d links opposite ends of the Pacific and strengthens travel options between three continents.\n\nWhat are the world\u2019s longest flights?\n\nThe flight also reflects how rapidly ultra-long-haul travel is expanding. Powered by lighter aircraft and better fuel efficiency, airlines are seeking direct links between far-flung regions \u2013 even, as China Eastern puts it, \u201cantipodal\u201d destinations.\n\nThe new journey joins a small but growing group of ultra-long-haul routes already in the skies.\n\nSingapore Airlines currently operates the longest non-stop service, connecting Singapore and New York\u2019s JFK Airport.\u00a0\n\nThe eastbound and return flight last about 18 hours and are flown in an ultra-long-range Airbus A350, a type of plane that can remain airborne for nearly 18,000 kilometres. The airline also offers a slightly shorter Singapore-Newark service.\n\nOther airlines maintain routes that regularly exceed 15 hours. Qatar Airways links Doha and Auckland, while Qantas operates two major long-hauls: Perth to London Heathrow and Melbourne to Dallas Fort Worth.\n\nAll fall within the ultra-long-haul category, defined as flights lasting 16 hours or more.\n\nUltra-long-haul flights: What\u2019s next for air travel?\n\nSoon, travellers unbothered by extremes can take even lengthier journeys.\n\nQantas plans to introduce its \u2018Project Sunrise\u2019 routes either in late 2026 or 2027. Using specially configured Airbus A350-1000s fitted with additional fuel tanks, Qantas will offer non-stop flights from Sydney to London and Sydney to New York, with journey times expected to range between 19 and 22 hours.\n\nThe aircraft are due for delivery in October 2026, with Sydney-London expected to be the first departure.\n\nOther long-haul additions are also planned for 2026, although China Eastern\u2019s eye-reddening journey is likely to be the only one long enough to watch an entire season of your favourite show.\n\nEtihad will introduce a new Abu Dhabi-Charlotte service in May, expanding its US network with near-15-hour flights. Delta is set to launch its first nonstop route between Atlanta and Riyadh in late 2026.\u00a0\n\nMeanwhile, Ireland\u2019s Aer Lingus will expand its transatlantic network with a new Dublin-Raleigh Durham route and British Airways is adding extra flights to Miami and Bangkok and reopening seasonal links to Jamaica.\n\nWhat do ultra-long-haul flights mean for the climate?\n\nThis upward trend may tickle travellers fascinated by the experience of flying, but it\u2019s bad news for the climate.\n\nTaking one long-haul flight generates more carbon emissions than many people around the world produce in a whole year \u2013 and more than an average European emits with heating their home and eating \u2013 according to campaign group Stay Grounded.\u00a0\n\n\"This shows exactly why the industry cannot be trusted when it comes to reducing emissions and protecting our future,\" Stay Grounded spokesperson Hannah Lawrence tells Euronews Travel.\n\n\"It is not even possible to make flying sustainable with the current number of flights that take off each day and yet they're adding more and longer routes. This is why we need effective policies to reduce flying fairly - through things like a Frequent Flying Levy which could raise \u20ac64 billion and reduce emissions by a fifth in Europe.\"\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Taking an astonishing 29 hours, the world\u2019s longest flight made its record-breaking debut this month. <\/p>\n<p>China Eastern Airlines operates the marathon link between Shanghai and Buenos Aires, with a short stopover in Auckland.<\/p>\n<p>The inaugural service departed Shanghai Pudong International Airport on 4 December. The southbound journey takes just over 25 hours, while the return to China stretches to roughly 29 hours in the prevailing winds.<\/p>\n<p>Operated by a 316-seat Boeing 777-300ER, the twice-weekly service covers around 20,700 kilometres and lands at Ezeiza International Airport outside the Argentine capital.<\/p>\n<h2>A new \u2018southbound corridor\u2019 between three continents<\/h2>\n<p>China Eastern has described its new flight as a step toward creating an \u201cAir Silk Road\u201d connecting Asia with Oceania and South America.<\/p>\n<p>Around 55,000 Chinese nationals live in Argentina, making it a key market for the airline.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//11//27//volcanic-disruptions-are-one-of-the-greatest-threats-to-air-travel-could-new-forecasts-cha/">Volcanic disruptions are one of the greatest threats to air travel. Could new forecasts change that?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//11//30//us-transport-chief-urges-passengers-to-dress-with-respect-critics-say-clothes-arent-the-pr/">US transport chief urges passengers to \u2018dress with respect\u2019. Critics say clothes aren\u2019t the problem<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Prices range from \u20ac1,320 to \u20ac1,950 in economy to about \u20ac4,200 for business class.<\/p>\n<p>The carrier says the new \u201csouthbound corridor\u201d links opposite ends of the Pacific and strengthens travel options between three continents.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the world\u2019s longest flights?<\/h2>\n<p>The flight also reflects how rapidly ultra-long-haul travel is expanding. Powered by lighter aircraft and better fuel efficiency, <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//11//20//nothing-beats-a-jet2-holiday-is-the-viral-tiktok-trend-behind-record-passenger-numbers/">airlines are seeking direct links between far-flung regions \u2013 even, as China Eastern puts it, \u201cantipodal\u201d destinations.<\/p>\n<p>The new journey joins a small but growing group of ultra-long-haul routes already in the skies.<\/p>\n<p>Singapore Airlines currently operates the longest non-stop service, connecting Singapore and New York\u2019s JFK Airport. <\/p>\n<p>The eastbound and return flight last about 18 hours and are flown in an ultra-long-range Airbus A350, a type of plane that can remain airborne for nearly 18,000 kilometres. The airline also offers a slightly shorter Singapore-Newark service.<\/p>\n<p>Other airlines maintain routes that regularly exceed 15 hours. Qatar Airways links Doha and Auckland, while Qantas operates two major long-hauls: Perth to London Heathrow and Melbourne to Dallas Fort Worth.<\/p>\n<p>All fall within the <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2022//03//24//the-rise-of-ultra-long-haul-flights-could-you-stomach-18-hours-onboard/">ultra-long-haul category, defined as flights lasting 16 hours or more.<\/p>\n<h2>Ultra-long-haul flights: What\u2019s next for air travel?<\/h2>\n<p>Soon, travellers unbothered by extremes can take even lengthier journeys.<\/p>\n<p><a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//01//18//worried-about-flying-these-airlines-have-been-ranked-the-safest-in-europe-for-2025/">Qantas plans to introduce its \u2018Project Sunrise\u2019 routes either in late 2026 or 2027. Using specially configured Airbus A350-1000s fitted with additional fuel tanks, Qantas will offer non-stop flights from Sydney to London and Sydney to New York, with journey times expected to range between 19 and 22 hours.<\/p>\n<p>The aircraft are due for delivery in October 2026, with Sydney-London expected to be the first departure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//11//18//singapore-reveals-worlds-first-green-fuel-tax-on-flights-how-much-will-europeans-have-to-p/">Singapore reveals world\u2019s first green fuel tax on flights. How much will Europeans have to pay?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//04//27//im-glad-we-didnt-fly-how-i-interrailed-across-europe-with-my-two-kids/">/u2018I/u2019m glad we didn\u2019t fly\u2019: How I Interrailed across Europe with my two kids<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Other long-haul additions are also planned for 2026, although China Eastern\u2019s eye-reddening journey is likely to be the only one long enough to watch an entire season of your favourite show.<\/p>\n<p>Etihad will introduce a new Abu Dhabi-Charlotte service in May, expanding its US network with near-15-hour flights. Delta is set to launch its first nonstop route between Atlanta and Riyadh in late 2026. <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Ireland\u2019s Aer Lingus will expand its transatlantic network with a new Dublin-Raleigh Durham route and British Airways is adding extra flights to Miami and <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2025//12//09//is-it-safe-to-travel-to-thailand-and-cambodia-as-border-clashes-escalate/">Bangkok and reopening seasonal links to Jamaica.<\/p>\n<h2>What do ultra-long-haul flights mean for the climate?<\/h2>\n<p>This upward trend may tickle travellers fascinated by the experience of flying, but it\u2019s bad news for the climate.<\/p>\n<p>Taking one long-haul flight generates more carbon emissions than many people around the world produce in a whole year \u2013 and more than an average European emits with heating their home and eating \u2013 according to campaign group Stay Grounded. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2024//04//15//poo-powered-planes-wizz-air-wants-to-make-sustainable-aviation-fuel-from-human-waste/">Poo powered planes: Wizz Air wants to make sustainable aviation fuel from human waste<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//travel//2022//05//04//how-do-sustainable-aviation-fuels-work-and-are-they-a-viable-alternative/">How do Sustainable Aviation Fuels work and are they a viable alternative?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>\"This shows exactly why the industry cannot be trusted when it comes to reducing emissions and protecting our future,\" Stay Grounded spokesperson Hannah Lawrence tells Euronews Travel. <\/p>\n<p>\"It is not even possible to make flying sustainable with the current number of flights that take off each day and yet they're adding more and longer routes. This is why we need effective policies to reduce flying fairly - through things like a <a href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2024//10//17//taking-more-than-2-flights-a-year-50-frequent-flyer-tax-could-raise-much-needed-64bn-for-c/">Frequent Flying Levy<\/strong><\/a> which could raise \u20ac64 billion and reduce emissions by a fifth in Europe.\"<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765371082,"updatedAt":1765448191,"publishedAt":1765374842,"firstPublishedAt":1765374842,"lastPublishedAt":1765448190,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Kua Yue \/ Unsplash","altText":"China Eastern's 29-hour intercontinental flight is the longest in the world currently","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"China Eastern's 29-hour intercontinental flight is the longest in the world currently","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/82\/05\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_985eb726-c387-5432-aca9-a97d9bdfd112-9578205.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1048}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"sauers","twitter":null,"id":3274,"title":"Craig Saueurs"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"travel","titleRaw":"Travel","id":12639,"title":"Travel","slug":"travel"},{"urlSafeValue":"air-transport","titleRaw":"Air transport","id":11019,"title":"Air transport","slug":"air-transport"},{"urlSafeValue":"china","titleRaw":"China","id":311,"title":"China","slug":"china"},{"urlSafeValue":"argentina","titleRaw":"Argentina","id":10,"title":"Argentina","slug":"argentina"},{"urlSafeValue":"flight","titleRaw":"flight","id":13028,"title":"flight","slug":"flight"},{"urlSafeValue":"tourism","titleRaw":"Tourism","id":4221,"title":"Tourism","slug":"tourism"}],"widgets":[{"count":3,"slug":"related"}],"related":[{"id":2853715},{"id":2853772},{"id":2854099}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"endDate":0,"startDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"travel-news","urlSafeValue":"travel-news","title":"Travel News","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/travel\/travel-news\/travel-news"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"travel","verticals":[{"urlSafeValue":"travel","id":7,"title":"Travel","slug":"travel"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":7,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel"},"themes":[{"urlSafeValue":"travel-news","id":"travel-news","title":"Travel News","url":"\/travel\/travel-news"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":21,"urlSafeValue":"travel-news","title":"Travel News"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/travel\/2025\/12\/10\/29-hours-in-the-sky-china-easterns-shanghai-buenos-aires-flight-sets-record-for-ultra-long","lastModified":1765448190},{"id":2852993,"cid":9576141,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"BEIJING COURT ORDERS DAMAGES TO MH370 VICTIMS","daletPyramidId":3542360,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Chinese court orders Malaysian Airlines to pay damages to families in MH370 case","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China court orders Malaysian Airlines to pay damages to MH370 families","titleListing2":"Chinese court orders Malaysian Airlines to pay damages to families of MH370 victims","leadin":"Flight MH370 vanished on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, including 227 passengers \u2014 most of them Chinese \u2014 and 12 crew members.","summary":"Flight MH370 vanished on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, including 227 passengers \u2014 most of them Chinese \u2014 and 12 crew members.","keySentence":"","url":"chinese-court-orders-malaysian-airlines-to-pay-damages-to-families-in-mh370-case","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/09\/chinese-court-orders-malaysian-airlines-to-pay-damages-to-families-in-mh370-case","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"A Beijing court ordered Malaysia Airlines to pay 2.9 million yuan (\u20ac350,000) to each of eight families whose relatives disappeared on flight MH370 more than a decade ago, according to a court statement released on Monday.\n\nThe compensation covers the loss of life, funeral costs and emotional distress damages. The passengers have been declared legally dead, though their fate remains unknown.\n\nAnother 23 cases are pending, while 47 other families reached settlements with the airline and withdrew their lawsuits, the court said.\n\nThe ruling comes less than a week after Malaysian authorities announced plans to resume searching for the aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean starting 30 December.\n\nFlight MH370 vanished on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, including 227 passengers \u2014 most of them Chinese \u2014 and 12 crew members.\n\nThe Boeing 777 disappeared from air traffic control radar 39 minutes after takeoff. The pilot's final radio transmission \u2014 \"Good night, Malaysian Three Seven Zero\" \u2014 came as the plane prepared to enter Vietnamese airspace, but it never checked in with Vietnamese controllers.\n\nThe aircraft's transponder, which broadcasts location data, stopped functioning minutes later. Military radar tracked the jet turning back over the Andaman Sea, and satellite data indicated it continued flying for hours, possibly until fuel exhaustion, before crashing into a remote area of the southern Indian Ocean.\n\nDespite extensive international search operations over the past decade, investigators have been unable to determine why the plane went down or what happened to those aboard.\n\nPassengers included five children and citizens from the United States, Indonesia, France, Russia and other countries.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>A Beijing court ordered Malaysia Airlines to pay 2.9 million yuan (\u20ac350,000) to each of eight families whose relatives disappeared on flight MH370 more than a decade ago, according to a court statement released on Monday.<\/p>\n<p>The compensation covers the loss of life, funeral costs and emotional distress damages. The passengers have been declared legally dead, though their fate remains unknown.<\/p>\n<p>Another 23 cases are pending, while 47 other families reached settlements with the airline and withdrew their lawsuits, the court said.<\/p>\n<p>The ruling comes less than a week after Malaysian authorities announced plans to resume searching for the aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean starting 30 December.<\/p>\n<p>Flight MH370 vanished on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, including 227 passengers \u2014 most of them Chinese \u2014 and 12 crew members.<\/p>\n<p>The Boeing 777 disappeared from air traffic control radar 39 minutes after takeoff. The pilot's final radio transmission \u2014 \"Good night, Malaysian Three Seven Zero\" \u2014 came as the plane prepared to enter Vietnamese airspace, but it never checked in with Vietnamese controllers.<\/p>\n<p>The aircraft's transponder, which broadcasts location data, stopped functioning minutes later. Military radar tracked the jet turning back over the Andaman Sea, and satellite data indicated it continued flying for hours, possibly until fuel exhaustion, before crashing into a remote area of the southern Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2025//12//03//malaysian-authorities-announce-deep-sea-search-for-mh370-will-resume-30-december/">Deep-sea search to resume for lost Malaysia Airlines flight 370 <\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Despite extensive international search operations over the past decade, investigators have been unable to determine why the plane went down or what happened to those aboard.<\/p>\n<p>Passengers included five children and citizens from the United States, Indonesia, France, Russia and other countries.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765252989,"updatedAt":1765268599,"publishedAt":1765268573,"firstPublishedAt":1765268573,"lastPublishedAt":1765268573,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/61\/41\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_229b14f3-f0d3-5068-8cea-55016615f30a-9576141.jpg","altText":"FILE: A man writes a condolence message during the Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur, 4 March 20q7","caption":"FILE: A man writes a condolence message during the Day of Remembrance for MH370 event in Kuala Lumpur, 4 March 20q7","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":726},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/08\/92\/33\/14\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_e487699f-af02-5ebd-9c98-bcc820293e08-8923314.jpg","altText":"FILE - Two Malaysian children stand in front of a messages board and well wishes on it to people involved with the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370, in Malaysia.","caption":"FILE - Two Malaysian children stand in front of a messages board and well wishes on it to people involved with the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370, in Malaysia.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Vincent Thian","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1024,"height":683}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":957,"urlSafeValue":"fisayo","title":"Jerry Fisayo-Bambi","twitter":"@fisayobambi"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":179,"slug":"malaysia","urlSafeValue":"malaysia","title":"Malaysia","titleRaw":"Malaysia"},{"id":11732,"slug":"mh370-malaysia-airlines","urlSafeValue":"mh370-malaysia-airlines","title":"MH370 Malaysia Airlines","titleRaw":"MH370 Malaysia Airlines"},{"id":29268,"slug":"loss-and-damage","urlSafeValue":"loss-and-damage","title":"loss and damage","titleRaw":"loss and damage"},{"id":5555,"slug":"victims","urlSafeValue":"victims","title":"Victims","titleRaw":"Victims"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2851437},{"id":2819178},{"id":2720484}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":"AP","additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World News","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/programs\/world"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/2025\/12\/09\/chinese-court-orders-malaysian-airlines-to-pay-damages-to-families-in-mh370-case","lastModified":1765268573},{"id":2849237,"cid":9559841,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":1,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"ML - S01E02 - MACAO-EPISODE 2 - MASTER","daletPyramidId":3402512,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Meet the Kiwi pilot who built Macao\u2019s first gin distillery","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Meet Macao\u2019s first gin distillery owner","titleListing2":"Meet the Kiwi pilot who built Macao\u2019s first gin distillery","leadin":"In Macao, New Zealand\u2013born pilot-turned-distiller Dan McAulay opened the first gin distillery.","summary":"In Macao, New Zealand\u2013born pilot-turned-distiller Dan McAulay opened the first gin distillery.","keySentence":"","url":"meet-the-kiwi-pilot-who-built-macaos-first-gin-distillery","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/2025\/12\/08\/meet-the-kiwi-pilot-who-built-macaos-first-gin-distillery","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"New Zealand native Daniel McAulay arrived in Macao in 2010 as a pilot, but a home experiment during the pandemic led him and his wife to launch Owl Man Distillery, the city\u2019s first gin producer.\n\nWith early support from local authorities, the pair embraced Macao\u2019s cultural mix, using Chinese medicinal herbs and teas to craft a distinctive flavour. Their gin now supplies hotels and casinos, giving the small business steady demand.\n\nBalancing work, family and the distillery, Daniel says Macao\u2019s safety, food culture and tight-knit community turned what was meant to be a one-year stay into home.\u00a0\n\n","htmlText":"<p>New Zealand native Daniel McAulay arrived in Macao in 2010 as a pilot, but a home experiment during the pandemic led him and his wife to launch Owl Man Distillery, the city\u2019s first gin producer.<\/p>\n<p>With early support from local authorities, the pair embraced Macao\u2019s cultural mix, using Chinese medicinal herbs and teas to craft a distinctive flavour. Their gin now supplies hotels and casinos, giving the small business steady demand.<\/p>\n<p>Balancing work, family and the distillery, Daniel says Macao\u2019s safety, food culture and tight-knit community turned what was meant to be a one-year stay into home. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1764001267,"updatedAt":1765278617,"publishedAt":1765206045,"firstPublishedAt":1765213245,"lastPublishedAt":1765278616,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/55\/98\/64\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_442709e9-f69e-5aa9-91a9-5594010e1f21-9559864.jpg","altText":null,"caption":null,"captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Euronews","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":12639,"slug":"travel","urlSafeValue":"travel","title":"Travel","titleRaw":"Travel"},{"id":7199,"slug":"alcohol","urlSafeValue":"alcohol","title":"Alcohol","titleRaw":"Alcohol"},{"id":574,"slug":"culture","urlSafeValue":"culture","title":"Culture","titleRaw":"Culture"},{"id":176,"slug":"macao","urlSafeValue":"macao","title":"Macao","titleRaw":"Macao"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[{"path":"sponsor.macaotourism25"},{"path":"sponsor"}],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"s8OvvZe4plU","dailymotionId":"x9uz4sg"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/30\/06\/90\/07\/ED_PYR_3006907_20251203133644.mp4","editor":"","duration":300000,"filesizeBytes":42138951,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/30\/06\/90\/07\/SHD_PYR_3006907_20251203133644.mp4","editor":"","duration":300000,"filesizeBytes":64849283,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"1080p","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/30\/06\/90\/07\/FHD_PYR_3006907_20251203133644.mp4","editor":"","duration":300000,"filesizeBytes":230568731,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"meet-the-locals","urlSafeValue":"meet-the-locals","title":"Meet The Locals","online":1,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/culture\/culture-series\/meet-the-locals"},"season":"MEET THE LOCALS MACAO_S01","episode":"S01E02 - MACAO-EPISODE 2","episodeId":"1165","vertical":"culture","verticals":[{"id":10,"slug":"culture","urlSafeValue":"culture","title":"Culture"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":10,"slug":"culture","urlSafeValue":"culture","title":"Culture"},"themes":[{"id":"culture-series","urlSafeValue":"culture-series","title":"Culture Series","url":"\/culture\/culture-series"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":55,"urlSafeValue":"culture-series","title":"Culture series"},"advertising":1,"advertisingData":{"startDate":1761997044,"endDate":2114336248,"type":"sponsored","slug":"macao-2025","title":"Macao 2025","disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":"Macao Government Tourism Office","sponsorName":"macao-2025","sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/campaigns\/991\/300x50_cmsv2_71ce33c6-9fcd-548e-b3ca-e10e58ec12a6-991.jpg","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":{"id":3997,"urlSafeValue":"macau","title":"Macau"},"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/culture\/2025\/12\/08\/meet-the-kiwi-pilot-who-built-macaos-first-gin-distillery","lastModified":1765278616},{"id":2852754,"cid":9575015,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"Business China exports","daletPyramidId":3533601,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China's exports grow 5.9% in November, while US shipments drop 29%","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China's exports grow 5.9% in November, while US shipments drop 29%","titleListing2":"","leadin":"While exports from China to the US have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the European Union.","summary":"While exports from China to the US have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the European Union.","keySentence":"","url":"chinas-exports-grow-59-in-november-while-us-shipments-drop-29","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/12\/08\/chinas-exports-grow-59-in-november-while-us-shipments-drop-29","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China\u2019s exports returned to growth in November following an unexpected contraction the month before. Shipments to the United States, however, dropped nearly 29% from a year earlier, marking the eighth straight month of double-digit declines.\n\nOverall exports from China in November were 5.9% higher than last year in dollar terms, according to customs data released Monday. The total came to $330.3 billion (\u20ac283.21bn), exceeding economists\u2019 estimates and signalling an improvement from a 1.1% contraction in October.\n\nUnderscoring a widening gap between overall exports and imports, the customs data showed that China\u2019s trade surplus for the first 11 months surpassed the $1 trillion mark, at nearly $1.08 trillion (\u20ac925.99bn). That\u2019s a record high for any single year and is more than the $992bn surplus in all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet.\n\nWhile exports from China to the US have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the European Union.\n\nChina's imports increased 1.9% in November, at more than $218.6bn (\u20ac187.38bn). That's better than October\u2019s 1% growth, even though a persistent downturn in the property sector is still weighing on consumer spending and business investment.\n\nOctober's trade agreement\n\nA year-long trade truce between China and the US was reached at a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in late October in South Korea. The US has lowered its tariffs on China, and China has promised to halt its export controls related to rare earths.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s likely that November exports have yet to fully reflect the tariff cut, which should feed through in the coming months,\u201d ING Bank chief economist for Greater China Lynn Song wrote in a report.\n\nChina\u2019s factory activity contracted for an eighth straight month in November, according to an official survey, and economists said it was still early to determine whether there was a real rebound in external demand following the US-China trade truce.\n\nWith exports still going strong, economists generally expect China to more or less meet its economic growth target of around 5% for this year.\n\nA push for growth\n\nChinese leaders had outlined a focus on advanced manufacturing for the next five years following a high-level meeting in October.\n\nAn annual economic planning meeting was held on Monday, led by Xi, to map out economic growth plans for 2026, according to state news agency Xinhua, as Chinese leaders reiterated a focus on \u201cpursuing progress while ensuring stability\u201d.\n\nA stable global trade environment is not likely to last long, said Chi Lo, Global Market Strategist, BNP Paribas Asset Management, as China-US relations \u201cremain in a stalemate\u201d despite their temporary trade truce.\n\nStill, some economists believe that China will continue to gain export market share in coming years.\n\nMorgan Stanley predicts that by 2030, China\u2019s market share in global exports will reach 16.5%, up from about 15% currently, fuelled by its edge in advanced manufacturing and high-growth sectors such as electric vehicles, robotics, and batteries.\n\n\u201cDespite persistent trade tensions, continued protectionism, and G20 economies taking up active industrial policies, we believe China will gain more share in the global goods export market,\u201d Morgan Stanley Chief Asia Economist Chetan Ahya said in a recent note.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China\u2019s exports returned to growth in November following an unexpected contraction the month before. Shipments to the United States, however, dropped nearly 29% from a year earlier, marking the eighth straight month of double-digit declines.<\/p>\n<p>Overall exports from China in November were 5.9% higher than last year in dollar terms, according to customs data released Monday. The total came to $330.3 billion (\u20ac283.21bn), exceeding economists\u2019 estimates and signalling an improvement from a 1.1% contraction in October.<\/p>\n<p>Underscoring a widening gap between overall exports and imports, the customs data showed that China\u2019s trade surplus for the first 11 months surpassed the $1 trillion mark, at nearly $1.08 trillion (\u20ac925.99bn). That\u2019s a record high for any single year and is more than the $992bn surplus in all of 2024, based on official data compiled by FactSet.<\/p>\n<p>While exports from China to the US have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations, including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the European Union.<\/p>\n<p>China's imports increased 1.9% in November, at more than $218.6bn (\u20ac187.38bn). That's better than October\u2019s 1% growth, even though a persistent downturn in the property sector is still weighing on consumer spending and business investment.<\/p>\n<h2>October's trade agreement<\/h2>\n<p>A year-long trade truce between China and the US was reached at a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in late October in South Korea. The US has lowered its tariffs on China, and China has promised to halt its export controls related to rare earths.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s likely that November exports have yet to fully reflect the tariff cut, which should feed through in the coming months,\u201d ING Bank chief economist for Greater China Lynn Song wrote in a report.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//12//07//china-bets-big-on-exports-but-will-europes-economy-pay-the-price/">China bets big on exports, but will Europe\u2019s economy pay the price?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//10//27//why-is-china-restricting-rare-earth-exports-and-how-will-the-eu-respond/">Why is China restricting rare earth exports and how will the EU respond?<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>China\u2019s factory activity contracted for an eighth straight month in November, according to an official survey, and economists said it was still early to determine whether there was a real rebound in external demand following the US-China trade truce.<\/p>\n<p>With exports still going strong, economists generally expect China to more or less meet its economic growth target of around 5% for this year.<\/p>\n<h2>A push for growth<\/h2>\n<p>Chinese leaders had outlined a focus on advanced manufacturing for the next five years following a high-level meeting in October.<\/p>\n<p>An annual economic planning meeting was held on Monday, led by Xi, to map out economic growth plans for 2026, according to state news agency Xinhua, as Chinese leaders reiterated a focus on \u201cpursuing progress while ensuring stability\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>A stable global trade environment is not likely to last long, said Chi Lo, Global Market Strategist, BNP Paribas Asset Management, as China-US relations \u201cremain in a stalemate\u201d despite their temporary trade truce.<\/p>\n<p>Still, some economists believe that China will continue to gain export market share in coming years.<\/p>\n<p>Morgan Stanley predicts that by 2030, China\u2019s market share in global exports will reach 16.5%, up from about 15% currently, fuelled by its edge in advanced manufacturing and high-growth sectors such as electric vehicles, robotics, and batteries.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDespite persistent trade tensions, continued protectionism, and G20 economies taking up active industrial policies, we believe China will gain more share in the global goods export market,\u201d Morgan Stanley Chief Asia Economist Chetan Ahya said in a recent note.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765177335,"updatedAt":1765191722,"publishedAt":1765178620,"firstPublishedAt":1765178620,"lastPublishedAt":1765178691,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/50\/15\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_e204ae7d-bad3-5a45-843f-8695de9b72f2-9575015.jpg","altText":"A container ship sails through the harbor in Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong province. 30 Nov 2025.","caption":"A container ship sails through the harbor in Qingdao in eastern China's Shandong province. 30 Nov 2025.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP\/Chinatopix","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":28590,"slug":"us-china-tensions","urlSafeValue":"us-china-tensions","title":"US-China tensions","titleRaw":"US-China 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HONG KONG FIRE MOURNING","daletPyramidId":3529751,"channels":[{"id":14},{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12}],"status":2,"title":"Hundreds mourn Hong Kong's deadliest fire victims ahead of elections","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Hundreds mourn Hong Kong fire victims ahead of elections","titleListing2":"Hundreds mourn Hong Kong's deadliest fire victims ahead of elections","leadin":"Hundreds of Hong Kong residents laid flowers at Wang Fuk Court, mourning 159 fire victims. The tragedy occurred just before tightly controlled elections.","summary":"Hundreds of Hong Kong residents laid flowers at Wang Fuk Court, mourning 159 fire victims. The tragedy occurred just before tightly controlled elections.","keySentence":"","url":"hundreds-mourn-hong-kongs-deadliest-fire-victims-ahead-of-elections","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/07\/hundreds-mourn-hong-kongs-deadliest-fire-victims-ahead-of-elections","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"Hundreds of Hong Kong residents gathered on Sunday to lay flowers at Wang Fuk Court, mourning the victims of the city's deadliest fire in decades.\n\nThe tragedy, which killed 159 people, unfolded less than two weeks before the tightly controlled legislative elections, where only 'patriots' were allowed to run. As dusk fell, candles lined the pavement, police watched quietly, and families stood in silence. Authorities said the site will be cleared after midnight.\n\nForensic teams are still examining what police described as 'suspected human bones', warning that the death toll could rise.\n\nVoters, meanwhile, went to the polls in an atmosphere heavy with grief and restraint.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>Hundreds of Hong Kong residents gathered on Sunday to lay flowers at Wang Fuk Court, mourning the victims of the city's deadliest fire in decades. <\/p>\n<p>The tragedy, which killed 159 people, unfolded less than two weeks before the tightly controlled legislative elections, where only 'patriots' were allowed to run. As dusk fell, candles lined the pavement, police watched quietly, and families stood in silence. Authorities said the site will be cleared after midnight. <\/p>\n<p>Forensic teams are still examining what police described as 'suspected human bones', warning that the death toll could rise. <\/p>\n<p>Voters, meanwhile, went to the polls in an atmosphere heavy with grief and restraint.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1765117273,"updatedAt":1765119508,"publishedAt":1765119058,"firstPublishedAt":1765119058,"lastPublishedAt":1765119058,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Screenshot from a Ceska Televize video.","altText":"Hundreds of Hungarians gathered to lay flowers in tribute to the victims of the Hong Kong fire, Dec. 07, 2025","callToActionText":null,"width":1920,"caption":"Hundreds of Hungarians gathered to lay flowers in tribute to the victims of the Hong Kong fire, Dec. 07, 2025","url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/45\/95\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_becfb5af-1190-5710-af71-a87227eb2439-9574595.jpg","captionUrl":null,"height":1080}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"urlSafeValue":"mauduit","twitter":null,"id":2134,"title":"Frederique Mauduit"}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[{"urlSafeValue":"mauduit","twitter":null,"id":2134,"title":"Frederique Mauduit"}]},"keywords":[{"urlSafeValue":"fire","titleRaw":"Fire","id":10375,"title":"Fire","slug":"fire"},{"urlSafeValue":"hong-kong","titleRaw":"Hong Kong","id":141,"title":"Hong 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center as French state visit to China concludes","leadin":"Brigitte Macron visited a panda breeding research center in Chengdu on the final day of President Emmanuel Macron\u2019s fourth state visit to China.","summary":"Brigitte Macron visited a panda breeding research center in Chengdu on the final day of President Emmanuel Macron\u2019s fourth state visit to China.","keySentence":"","url":"frances-first-lady-visits-panda-breeding-research-center-in-china","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/05\/frances-first-lady-visits-panda-breeding-research-center-in-china","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"France's First Lady Brigitte Macron visited a panda breeding research center in Chengdu on Friday, the final day of the fourth state visit of President Emmanuel Macron to China.\n\nEarlier, the couple toured the Dujiangyan dam alongside China\u2019s President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan.\n\nThe president later met with students while Brigitte Macron continued her 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challenger to Nvidia surges 470% in market debut","daletPyramidId":3514313,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China\u2019s bet on home-grown chips pays off with Moore Threads blockbuster debut","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Moore Threads, named 'China's Nvidia', soars 425% in blockbuster debut","titleListing2":"","leadin":"China\u2019s latest tech IPO surge shows that US attempts to slow Beijing\u2019s tech ambitions are fuelling an AI race at home.","summary":"China\u2019s latest tech IPO surge shows that US attempts to slow Beijing\u2019s tech ambitions are fuelling an AI race at home.","keySentence":"","url":"chinas-bet-on-home-grown-chips-pays-off-with-moore-threads-blockbuster-debut","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/12\/05\/chinas-bet-on-home-grown-chips-pays-off-with-moore-threads-blockbuster-debut","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"A leading Chinese AI chipmaker, Moore Threads, shot up by 425% in its Shanghai trading debut after raising 8 billion yuan (\u20ac970 million), marking the biggest first-day pop for a major IPO.\n\nIt marks one of the largest offerings since China overhauled its listing rules in 2019, when Beijing introduced a Nasdaq-style registration system on its STAR Market to make it easier for high-tech companies to go public.\n\nFounded in 2020 by Zhang Jianzhong, a former senior Nvidia executive in China, Moore Threads is viewed as a second-tier domestic chipmaker. This is because its GPUs remain less advanced, less power-efficient, and less widely deployed than those of Huawei\u2019s HiSilicon or leading AI-chip designer Cambricon, which dominate China\u2019s high-end data-centre and AI-training markets.\n\nChina\u2019s semiconductor stocks have surged this year as the United States maintains sweeping controls on advanced chip exports to the country.\n\nWashington\u2019s export-control regime, first designed under the administration of former President Joe Biden, restricts Nvidia, AMD and other American firms from selling their most sophisticated AI processors to China and targets loopholes that allowed \u201cChina-only\u201d cut-down chips to slip through earlier rules.\n\nThe justification is that limiting access to high-end technology is meant to slow China\u2019s progress in military AI, cyber operations, and mass surveillance, therefore protecting US national security.\n\nIn the short term, these curbs have largely shut China out of the world\u2019s most advanced US-made accelerators, forcing them to train and deploy large language models on less capable, less efficient hardware. That widens the performance gap with US rivals as global competition in generative AI intensifies.\n\nYet the longer-term effects run in the opposite direction. By denying Chinese firms access to top-tier foreign chips and chipmaking tools, Washington has intensified Beijing\u2019s long-standing drive for semiconductor self-reliance.\n\nThe response by Chinese leaders has been to implement subsidies and emergency financing, helping tech giants such as Tencent, Alibaba and ByteDance to phase out Nvidia where possible and accelerate the use of domestic alternatives.\n\nThat combination has created a vast, protected home market for Chinese chipmakers. Even when domestic products lag Western advanced processing, they enjoy a protected market where China can focus on local demand and that of companies in non-US markets such as in the global south. It's similar to the Huawei effect, where US bans led to initial disruption followed by rapid, state-backed substitution and catch-up.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>A leading Chinese AI chipmaker, Moore Threads, shot up by 425% in its Shanghai trading debut after raising 8 billion yuan (\u20ac970 million), marking the biggest first-day pop for a major IPO.<\/p>\n<p>It marks one of the largest offerings since China overhauled its listing rules in 2019, when Beijing introduced a Nasdaq-style registration system on its STAR Market to make it easier for high-tech companies to go public.<\/p>\n<p>Founded in 2020 by Zhang Jianzhong, a former senior Nvidia executive in China, Moore Threads is viewed as a second-tier domestic chipmaker. This is because its GPUs remain less advanced, less power-efficient, and less widely deployed than those of Huawei\u2019s HiSilicon or leading AI-chip designer Cambricon, which dominate China\u2019s high-end data-centre and AI-training markets.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s semiconductor stocks have surged this year as the United States maintains sweeping controls on advanced chip exports to the country. <\/p>\n<p>Washington\u2019s export-control regime, first designed under the administration of former President Joe Biden, restricts Nvidia, AMD and other American firms from selling their most sophisticated AI processors to China and targets loopholes that allowed \u201cChina-only\u201d cut-down chips to slip through earlier rules.<\/p>\n<p>The justification is that limiting access to high-end technology is meant to slow China\u2019s progress in military AI, cyber operations, and mass surveillance, therefore protecting US national security.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//11//25//nvidia-shares-slip-as-ai-accelerator-race-shifts-interest-to-google-chips/">Nvidia shares slip as AI accelerator race shifts interest to Google chips<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//11//10//nexperia-cleared-to-resume-civilian-chip-shipments-vital-to-european-car-production/">Nexperia cleared to resume civilian chip shipments, vital to European car production<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>In the short term, these curbs have largely shut China out of the world\u2019s most advanced US-made accelerators, forcing them to train and deploy large language models on less capable, less efficient hardware. That widens the performance gap with US rivals as global competition in generative AI intensifies.<\/p>\n<p>Yet the longer-term effects run in the opposite direction. By denying Chinese firms access to top-tier foreign chips and chipmaking tools, Washington has intensified Beijing\u2019s long-standing drive for semiconductor self-reliance.<\/p>\n<p>The response by Chinese leaders has been to implement subsidies and emergency financing, helping tech giants such as Tencent, Alibaba and ByteDance to phase out Nvidia where possible and accelerate the use of domestic alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>That combination has created a vast, protected home market for Chinese chipmakers. Even when domestic products lag Western advanced processing, they enjoy a protected market where China can focus on local demand and that of companies in non-US markets such as in the global south. It's similar to the Huawei effect, where US bans led to initial disruption followed by rapid, state-backed substitution and catch-up. <\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1764929811,"updatedAt":1764938782,"publishedAt":1764938778,"firstPublishedAt":1764938778,"lastPublishedAt":1764938778,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/28\/67\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5694a2a8-3f3d-5513-978e-dc2afd57e768-9572867.jpg","altText":"FILE - In this June 13, 2019 top Chinese officials celebrate the launch of the SSE STAR Market, previously the Shanghai science and technology innovation board.","caption":"FILE - In this June 13, 2019 top Chinese officials celebrate the launch of the SSE STAR Market, previously the Shanghai science and technology innovation board.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP\/Chinatopix","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1619,"height":910}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3408,"urlSafeValue":"hajdari","title":"Una Hajdari","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":12661,"slug":"artificial-intelligence","urlSafeValue":"artificial-intelligence","title":"Artificial intelligence","titleRaw":"Artificial intelligence"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":26288,"slug":"electronic-chip","urlSafeValue":"electronic-chip","title":"Electronic chip","titleRaw":"Electronic chip"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2849322},{"id":2852793},{"id":2854739}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/business\/business"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","url":"\/business\/business"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":7,"urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2025\/12\/05\/chinas-bet-on-home-grown-chips-pays-off-with-moore-threads-blockbuster-debut","lastModified":1764938778},{"id":2851753,"cid":9571160,"versionId":1,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"MACRON IN CHINA DAY II","daletPyramidId":3499813,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"World risks 'disintegration of the international order' as Macron urges Xi to back Ukraine peace","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"Emmanuel Macron urges China to support peace plan for Ukraine","titleListing2":"World risks 'disintegration of the international order' as Macron pushes Xi to back Ukraine peace","leadin":"China has provided\u00a0strong diplomatic support\u00a0to Russia since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has also extended an economic lifeline through increased trade.","summary":"China has provided\u00a0strong diplomatic support\u00a0to Russia since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has also extended an economic lifeline through increased trade.","keySentence":"","url":"world-risks-disintegration-of-the-international-order-as-macron-urges-xi-to-back-ukraine-p","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/04\/world-risks-disintegration-of-the-international-order-as-macron-urges-xi-to-back-ukraine-p","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"China and France pledged deeper cooperation on global issues like Russia's war in Ukraine and trade, as France prepares to take on the presidency of G7 next year.\n\nFrench President Emmanuel Macron met with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday morning as part of a three-day state visit focused on trade and diplomacy.\n\nThe French leader is seeking to involve Beijing in pressuring Russia towards a ceasefire with Ukraine after a recent\u00a0flurry of diplomacy\u00a0around a US-led peace proposal.\n\n\"We are facing the risk of the disintegration of the international order that brought peace to the world for decades, and in this context, the dialogue between China and France is even more essential than ever,\" Macron said on Thursday.\n\n\"I hope that China will join our call, our efforts to achieve, as soon as possible, at the very least a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes targeting critical infrastructure,\" he said.\n\nXi did not respond to France's call, but said that \"China supports all efforts that work towards peace\" and called for a peace deal that all parties will accept.\n\nChina has provided\u00a0strong diplomatic support\u00a0to Russia since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has also extended an economic lifeline through increased trade.\n\nXi also announced that China will provide $100 million (\u20ac85 million) to help Gaza's ongoing humanitarian crisis and to support the territory's recovery and reconstruction.\n\nXi called for building greater political trust with France by showing each other support while demonstrating each side's \"independence.\"\n\n\"No matter how the external environment changes, both sides as major powers should always demonstrate independence and strategic vision, show mutual understanding and mutual support for each other on core matters and major critical issues,\" he said.\n\n\"China and France should demonstrate their sense of responsibility, raise high the banner of multilateralism ... and firmly stand on the right side of history.\"\n\nSome bilateral deals could undermine EU\n\nXi said during the joint appearance that both sides had agreed to work towards greater economic cooperation in areas of aerospace, aeronautics, nuclear energy, as well as new areas such as green industries and AI.\n\nThey signed 12 agreements, including ones calling for cooperation on a new round of panda conservation efforts and exchanges in higher education and research.\n\nThe European Union ran a massive trade deficit with China of more than \u20ac300 billion last year. China alone represents 46% of France's total trade deficit.\n\nFrance and the European Union have described China as simultaneously a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival.\n\nRecent years have been marked by trade disputes across a range of industries after the EU undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies and China responded with investigations into imports of European brandy, pork and dairy products.\n\nBut France was able to get an exemption for most cognac producers in July.\n\nChina, facing its own economic slump, is also signalling it wants more business.\n\n\"China's open door will only open wider,\" Xi said, saying that the country plans to \"expand market access, and opening up areas\" of investment \"and guide the cross-border, orderly, and rational layout of industrial and supply chains.\"\n\nXi also called for both sides to continue to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the EU.\n\nBut some experts have said they expect Beijing to use this visit to strengthen its individual ties with one of Europe's most important economies, at the expense of the greater EU bloc.\n\n\"China seeks to drive a wedge into this EU approach by making deals bilaterally with individual EU members,\" said Lyle Morris, a senior fellow on Foreign Policy and National Security at the Asia Society.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>China and France pledged deeper cooperation on global issues like Russia's war in Ukraine and trade, as France prepares to take on the presidency of G7 next year.<\/p>\n<p>French President Emmanuel Macron met with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday morning as part of a three-day state visit focused on trade and diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p>The French leader is seeking to involve Beijing in pressuring Russia towards a ceasefire with Ukraine after a recent flurry of diplomacy around a US-led peace proposal.<\/p>\n<p>\"We are facing the risk of the disintegration of the international order that brought peace to the world for decades, and in this context, the dialogue between China and France is even more essential than ever,\" Macron said on Thursday.<\/p>\n<p>\"I hope that China will join our call, our efforts to achieve, as soon as possible, at the very least a ceasefire in the form of a moratorium on strikes targeting critical infrastructure,\" he said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//57//11//60//808x539_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg/" alt=\"Ruins of what was the town of Kostyantynivka, 28 November, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/384x256_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/640x427_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/750x500_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/828x552_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/1080x720_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/1200x800_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/1920x1280_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Ruins of what was the town of Kostyantynivka, 28 November, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Xi did not respond to France's call, but said that \"China supports all efforts that work towards peace\" and called for a peace deal that all parties will accept.<\/p>\n<p>China has provided strong diplomatic support to Russia since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has also extended an economic lifeline through increased trade.<\/p>\n<p>Xi also announced that China will provide $100 million (\u20ac85 million) to help Gaza's ongoing humanitarian crisis and to support the territory's recovery and reconstruction.<\/p>\n<p>Xi called for building greater political trust with France by showing each other support while demonstrating each side's \"independence.\"<\/p>\n<p>\"No matter how the external environment changes, both sides as major powers should always demonstrate independence and strategic vision, show mutual understanding and mutual support for each other on core matters and major critical issues,\" he said.<\/p>\n<p>\"China and France should demonstrate their sense of responsibility, raise high the banner of multilateralism ... and firmly stand on the right side of history.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.662\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////images.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//57//11//60//808x535_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg/" alt=\"France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures towards children next to China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, 4 December, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/384x254_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 384w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/640x424_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 640w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/750x497_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 750w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/828x548_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 828w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/1080x715_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/1200x794_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/1920x1271_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures towards children next to China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, 4 December, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2><strong>Some bilateral deals could undermine EU<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Xi said during the joint appearance that both sides had agreed to work towards greater economic cooperation in areas of aerospace, aeronautics, nuclear energy, as well as new areas such as green industries and AI.<\/p>\n<p>They signed 12 agreements, including ones calling for cooperation on a new round of panda conservation efforts and exchanges in higher education and research.<\/p>\n<p>The European Union ran a massive trade deficit with China of more than \u20ac300 billion last year. China alone represents 46% of France's total trade deficit.<\/p>\n<p>France and the European Union have described China as simultaneously a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n <div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n <div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n <div class=\"widget__contents\">\n <figure class=\"widget__figure\">\n <img class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////static.euronews.com//articles//stories//09//42//98//01//808x539_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg/" alt=\"Grapes at the Cognac Pasquet vineyard in Bellevigne, 23 July, 2025\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/384x256_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 384w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/640x427_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 640w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/750x500_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 750w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/828x552_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 828w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/1080x720_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/1200x800_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/1920x1280_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 95vw, (max-width: 1024px) 80vw, (max-width: 1280px) 55vw, 728px\"\/>\n <figcaption class=\"widget__caption\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionWrap\">\n <span class=\"widget__captionText\">Grapes at the Cognac Pasquet vineyard in Bellevigne, 23 July, 2025<\/span>\n <span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">AP Photo<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Recent years have been marked by trade disputes across a range of industries after the EU undertook a probe into Chinese electric vehicle subsidies and China responded with investigations into imports of European brandy, pork and dairy products.<\/p>\n<p>But France was able to get an exemption for most cognac producers in July.<\/p>\n<p>China, facing its own economic slump, is also signalling it wants more business.<\/p>\n<p>\"China's open door will only open wider,\" Xi said, saying that the country plans to \"expand market access, and opening up areas\" of investment \"and guide the cross-border, orderly, and rational layout of industrial and supply chains.\"<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//03//28//france-and-china-edge-closer-to-resolving-cognac-import-trade-dispute/">France and China edge closer to resolving cognac import trade dispute<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//2024//06//19//french-farmers-worry-pork-exports-will-suffer-in-eu-china-row-over-customs/">French farmers worry pork exports will suffer in EU-China row over customs<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>Xi also called for both sides to continue to promote mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the EU.<\/p>\n<p>But some experts have said they expect Beijing to use this visit to strengthen its individual ties with one of Europe's most important economies, at the expense of the greater EU bloc.<\/p>\n<p>\"China seeks to drive a wedge into this EU approach by making deals bilaterally with individual EU members,\" said Lyle Morris, a senior fellow on Foreign Policy and National Security at the Asia Society.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1764830941,"updatedAt":1764870581,"publishedAt":1764856691,"firstPublishedAt":1764856691,"lastPublishedAt":1764856691,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_df9a60ed-4963-54a8-b1c6-2c515e80e479-9571160.jpg","altText":"Chinese President Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron attend a welcome ceremony on the occasion of the French President's visit to China, 4 December, 2025","caption":"Chinese President Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron attend a welcome ceremony on the occasion of the French President's visit to China, 4 December, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":1904,"height":1071},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_bcb516d3-e071-54a1-87bf-d62f889456e2-9571160.jpg","altText":"Ruins of what was the town of Kostyantynivka, 28 November, 2025","caption":"Ruins of what was the town of Kostyantynivka, 28 November, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333},{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/11\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_cfa230ae-1f41-5c49-860c-6723422c70a2-9571160.jpg","altText":"France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures towards children next to China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, 4 December, 2025","caption":"France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures towards children next to China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, 4 December, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1324},{"url":"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/42\/98\/01\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_3804b3ad-ed17-53b6-afe3-33cb22586997-9429801.jpg","altText":"Grapes at the Cognac Pasquet vineyard in Bellevigne, 23 July, 2025","caption":"Grapes at the Cognac Pasquet vineyard in Bellevigne, 23 July, 2025","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP Photo","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":2972,"urlSafeValue":"blackburn","title":"Gavin Blackburn","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":9339,"slug":"chinese-politics","urlSafeValue":"chinese-politics","title":"Chinese politics","titleRaw":"Chinese politics"},{"id":11408,"slug":"xi-jinping","urlSafeValue":"xi-jinping","title":"Xi Jinping","titleRaw":"Xi Jinping"},{"id":12357,"slug":"emmanuel-macron","urlSafeValue":"emmanuel-macron","title":"Emmanuel Macron","titleRaw":"Emmanuel Macron"},{"id":117,"slug":"france","urlSafeValue":"france","title":"France","titleRaw":"France"},{"id":26692,"slug":"war-in-ukraine","urlSafeValue":"war-in-ukraine","title":"War in Ukraine","titleRaw":"War in Ukraine"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"image","count":3},{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2851285},{"id":2852131},{"id":2852210}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"R4DHMu0b8kA","dailymotionId":"x9v2ceq"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/30\/87\/72\/02\/ED_PYR_3087722_20251204174942.mp4","editor":"","duration":67000,"filesizeBytes":12614054,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/30\/87\/72\/02\/SHD_PYR_3087722_20251204174942.mp4","editor":"","duration":67000,"filesizeBytes":17757677,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"1080p","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/30\/87\/72\/02\/FHD_PYR_3087722_20251204174942.mp4","editor":"","duration":67000,"filesizeBytes":53955949,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"AP","additionalReporting":"","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"world","urlSafeValue":"world","title":"World 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CHINA MACRON WELCOME","daletPyramidId":3499010,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"Macron welcomed in China for talks with Xi on trade ties and the war in Ukraine","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":null,"titleListing2":"Macron welcomed in China for talks with Xi on trade ties and the war in Ukraine","leadin":"French president Emmanuel Macron was welcomed in Beijing by Chinese president Xi Jinping for discussions focused on trade relations and the conflict in Ukraine.","summary":"French president Emmanuel Macron was welcomed in Beijing by Chinese president Xi Jinping for discussions focused on trade relations and the conflict in Ukraine.","keySentence":"","url":"macron-welcomed-in-china-for-talks-with-xi-on-trade-ties-and-the-war-in-ukraine","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2025\/12\/04\/macron-welcomed-in-china-for-talks-with-xi-on-trade-ties-and-the-war-in-ukraine","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"French president Emmanuel Macron was greeted by Chinese president Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People as he began a three-day visit to China.\n\nMacron and his wife Brigitte were welcomed at the airport by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi before continuing to a scheduled visit to the Qianlong Garden in the Forbidden City.\n\nThe visit takes place as France prepares to host the 2026 G7 summit and China readies to chair the APEC forum, amid ongoing EU concerns over a significant trade deficit with China.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>French president Emmanuel Macron was greeted by Chinese president Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People as he began a three-day visit to China. <\/p>\n<p>Macron and his wife Brigitte were welcomed at the airport by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi before continuing to a scheduled visit to the Qianlong Garden in the Forbidden City. <\/p>\n<p>The visit takes place as France prepares to host the 2026 G7 summit and China readies to chair the APEC forum, amid ongoing EU concerns over a significant trade deficit with China.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1764827026,"updatedAt":1764832031,"publishedAt":1764831632,"firstPublishedAt":1764831632,"lastPublishedAt":1764831632,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/57\/10\/67\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_5c06f0ed-9a7c-5301-bdce-1a247c4f23e8-9571067.jpg","altText":"In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, France's President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron disembark from their plane upon arrival at the Beijing","caption":"In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, France's President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron disembark from their plane upon arrival at the Beijing","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"Xinhua","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1333}],"authors":{"journalists":[],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":11408,"slug":"xi-jinping","urlSafeValue":"xi-jinping","title":"Xi Jinping","titleRaw":"Xi Jinping"},{"id":13358,"slug":"brigitte-macron","urlSafeValue":"brigitte-macron","title":"Brigitte Macron","titleRaw":"Brigitte Macron"},{"id":12357,"slug":"emmanuel-macron","urlSafeValue":"emmanuel-macron","title":"Emmanuel Macron","titleRaw":"Emmanuel Macron"},{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"}],"widgets":[],"related":[],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":{"youtubeId":"btAp-Ja1WU0","dailymotionId":"x9v0kdm"},"hasExternalVideo":1,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":1,"video":1,"videos":[{"format":"mp4","quality":"md","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/ED\/30\/83\/47\/01\/ED_PYR_3083471_20251204054909.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":12790763,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"hd","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/SHD\/30\/83\/47\/01\/SHD_PYR_3083471_20251204054909.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":18086229,"expiresAt":0},{"format":"mp4","quality":"1080p","type":"normal","url":"https:\/\/video.euronews.com\/mp4\/FHD\/30\/83\/47\/01\/FHD_PYR_3083471_20251204054909.mp4","editor":"","duration":60000,"filesizeBytes":50297055,"expiresAt":0}],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":"","additionalReporting":"euronews","freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"nocomment","urlSafeValue":"nocomment","title":"No Comment","online":1,"url":"\/nocomment"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"news","verticals":[{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":1,"slug":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"News"},"themes":[{"id":"news","urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World","url":"\/news\/international"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":1,"urlSafeValue":"news","title":"World"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/video\/2025\/12\/04\/macron-welcomed-in-china-for-talks-with-xi-on-trade-ties-and-the-war-in-ukraine","lastModified":1764831632},{"id":2851285,"cid":9568860,"versionId":2,"archive":0,"housenumber":null,"owner":"euronews","isMagazine":0,"isBreakingNews":0,"daletEventName":"CHINA CONDOM TAX BIRTH RATES","daletPyramidId":3479355,"channels":[{"id":1},{"id":2},{"id":3},{"id":4},{"id":5},{"id":10},{"id":12},{"id":14}],"status":2,"title":"China to tax condoms for first time in 30 years as demographic crisis deepens","titleSeo":null,"titleListing1":"China taxes condoms for first time in 30 years to boost births","titleListing2":"China to tax condoms for first time in 30 years as demographic crisis deepens","leadin":"The removal of a tax exemption reflects Beijing\u2019s concerns over ageing, labour shortages, and slowing long-term growth.","summary":"The removal of a tax exemption reflects Beijing\u2019s concerns over ageing, labour shortages, and slowing long-term growth.","keySentence":"","url":"china-to-tax-condoms-for-first-time-in-30-years-as-demographic-crisis-deepens","canonical":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/2025\/12\/02\/china-to-tax-condoms-for-first-time-in-30-years-as-demographic-crisis-deepens","masterCms":"v2","plainText":"For the first time in more than three decades, condoms will no longer enjoy VAT-exempt status in China as a new law seeks to boost birth rates.\n\nThe legislation, approved in late December 2024, sets out a revised list of tax-exempt goods and services, which cover areas such as agriculture, medical treatments, and cultural activities \u2014 but it notably omits birth control products such as condoms.\n\nThese items will now be subject to a 13% levy, signalling a policy U-turn after years of strict family planning laws in China, designed to limit population growth.\n\nAlthough the new VAT law was adopted last year, it will not take effect until 1 January 2026, which is the usual lead-in period for major tax reforms. This grants local authorities and businesses a full year to update accounting systems and ensure an orderly transition.\n\nChina\u2019s decision sits against the backdrop of a rapidly worsening demographic picture.\n\nTo encourage family formation, the government is simultaneously removing VAT on childcare providers, elder-care institutions and marriage-related services.\n\nThe birth rate has steadily declined for decades, hastened by the one-child policy that lasted from 1979 to 2015, with an average of 6.77 births per 1,000 people in 2024.\n\nThe policy restricted most families to a single child through a system of fines, registration limits, and workplace enforcement. The state promoted widespread use of contraception and sterilisation out of concern that limited resources could not keep pace with rising births.\n\nThe approach was also part of a broader belief that strict population control was essential for economic modernisation and social stability.\n\nWhile births were reduced, it left lasting demographic pressures, including a shrinking workforce, a rapidly ageing population, and a gender imbalance. Due to a preference for male children, the country\u2019s overall sex ratio became skewed toward males as baby girls were abandoned or even killed by their parents.\n\nThe fertility rate of the population was 1 in 2023, according to the World Bank. That's about half the 2.1 level needed to maintain the country's population \u2014 known as the \"replacement level\".\n\nChina\u2019s economic rise since the 1980s has been underpinned by a vast, youthful labour force that enabled large-scale manufacturing, infrastructure-led growth, and competitive export industries which transformed it from an impoverished nation into a major global economic power \u2014 also known as the Chinese Economic Miracle.\n\nIf the working-age population continues to narrow, China may find it more difficult to maintain high growth and support a rapidly ageing society over the next half-century.\n\nWhile the government moves to make contraception more expensive, critics nonetheless fear the effect on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Others have argued that the policy is insufficient when the cost of raising a child in China is still a barrier for many prospective parents. According to a report released by the YuWa Population Research Institute in 2024, the average cost of raising a child in China until the age of 18 is 538,000 yuan (\u20ac65,484) \u2014 making it one of the most expensive countries for parents.\n\n","htmlText":"<p>For the first time in more than three decades, condoms will no longer enjoy VAT-exempt status in China as a new law seeks to boost birth rates.<\/p>\n<p>The legislation, approved in late December 2024, sets out a revised list of tax-exempt goods and services, which cover areas such as agriculture, medical treatments, and cultural activities \u2014 but it notably omits birth control products such as condoms.<\/p>\n<p>These items will now be subject to a 13% levy, signalling a policy U-turn after years of strict family planning laws in China, designed to limit population growth.<\/p>\n<p>Although the new VAT law was adopted last year, it will not take effect until 1 January 2026, which is the usual lead-in period for major tax reforms. This grants local authorities and businesses a full year to update accounting systems and ensure an orderly transition.<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s decision sits against the backdrop of a rapidly worsening demographic picture.<\/p>\n<p>To encourage family formation, the government is simultaneously removing VAT on childcare providers, elder-care institutions and marriage-related services.<\/p>\n<p>The birth rate has steadily declined for decades, hastened by the one-child policy that lasted from 1979 to 2015, with an average of 6.77 births per 1,000 people in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The policy restricted most families to a single child through a system of fines, registration limits, and workplace enforcement. The state promoted widespread use of contraception and sterilisation out of concern that limited resources could not keep pace with rising births.<\/p>\n<p>The approach was also part of a broader belief that strict population control was essential for economic modernisation and social stability.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id=\"\" data-event=\"widget_related\">\n <div class=\"c-widget-related__title\">\n <b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b>\n <\/div>\n <ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n <li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//business//2025//07//29//china-announces-child-subsidy-program-as-births-hit-historic-lows/">China announces child subsidy programme as births hit historic lows<\/a><\/li><li class=\"c-widget-related__item\"><a class=\"c-widget-related__article\" href=https://www.euronews.com/"https:////www.euronews.com//green//2025//09//25//china-announces-landmark-pledge-to-cut-carbon-emissions-but-experts-say-it-is-too-timid/">China announces landmark pledge to cut carbon emissions but experts say it is 'too timid'<\/a><\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<p>While births were reduced, it left lasting demographic pressures, including a shrinking workforce, a rapidly ageing population, and a gender imbalance. Due to a preference for male children, the country\u2019s overall sex ratio became skewed toward males as baby girls were abandoned or even killed by their parents.<\/p>\n<p>The fertility rate of the population was 1 in 2023, according to the World Bank. That's about half the 2.1 level needed to maintain the country's population \u2014 known as the \"replacement level\".<\/p>\n<p>China\u2019s economic rise since the 1980s has been underpinned by a vast, youthful labour force that enabled large-scale manufacturing, infrastructure-led growth, and competitive export industries which transformed it from an impoverished nation into a major global economic power \u2014 also known as the Chinese Economic Miracle. <\/p>\n<p>If the working-age population continues to narrow, China may find it more difficult to maintain high growth and support a rapidly ageing society over the next half-century.<\/p>\n<p>While the government moves to make contraception more expensive, critics nonetheless fear the effect on the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Others have argued that the policy is insufficient when the cost of raising a child in China is still a barrier for many prospective parents. According to a report released by the YuWa Population Research Institute in 2024, the average cost of raising a child in China until the age of 18 is 538,000 yuan (\u20ac65,484) \u2014 making it one of the most expensive countries for parents.<\/p>\n","hashtag":null,"createdAt":1764677709,"updatedAt":1764690586,"publishedAt":1764686229,"firstPublishedAt":1764686229,"lastPublishedAt":1764690586,"expiresAt":0,"images":[{"url":"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/56\/88\/60\/{{w}}x{{h}}_cmsv2_9dd95e20-dfd7-529d-bb2a-d400825aedb6-9568860.jpg","altText":"Condoms made by China's 'Guangzhou Daming United Rubber Products' during a news conference in Hong Kong. 20 Feb. 2014.","caption":"Condoms made by China's 'Guangzhou Daming United Rubber Products' during a news conference in Hong Kong. 20 Feb. 2014.","captionUrl":null,"captionCredit":"AP\/Kin Cheung","sourceUrl":null,"sourceCredit":null,"callToActionUrl":null,"callToActionText":null,"width":2000,"height":1388}],"authors":{"journalists":[{"id":3408,"urlSafeValue":"hajdari","title":"Una Hajdari","twitter":null}],"producers":[],"videoEditor":[]},"keywords":[{"id":311,"slug":"china","urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","titleRaw":"China"},{"id":28930,"slug":"birth-rate","urlSafeValue":"birth-rate","title":"birth rate","titleRaw":"birth rate"},{"id":4976,"slug":"demography","urlSafeValue":"demography","title":"Demography","titleRaw":"Demography"}],"widgets":[{"slug":"related","count":1}],"related":[{"id":2851564}],"technicalTags":[],"externalPartners":[],"hasExternalVideo":0,"hasInternalOrExternalVideo":0,"video":0,"videos":[],"liveStream":[{"startDate":0,"endDate":0}],"scribbleLiveId":0,"scribbleLiveRibbon":0,"isLiveCoverage":0,"sourceId":1,"sources":[],"externalSource":null,"additionalSources":null,"additionalReporting":null,"freeField1":null,"freeField2":"","type":"normal","displayType":"default","program":{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","online":0,"url":"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/business\/business\/business"},"season":"","episode":"","episodeId":"","vertical":"business","verticals":[{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"}],"primaryVertical":{"id":11,"slug":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"themes":[{"id":"business","urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business","url":"\/business\/business"}],"primaryTheme":{"id":7,"urlSafeValue":"business","title":"Business"},"advertising":0,"advertisingData":{"startDate":0,"endDate":0,"type":null,"slug":null,"title":null,"disclaimerLabelKey":null,"sponsor":null,"sponsorName":null,"sponsorUrl":null,"sponsorLogo":"","sponsorLogoReverse":"","isDfp":0},"geoLocation":{"lat":0,"lon":0},"location":1,"continent":{"id":12,"urlSafeValue":"asia","title":"Asia"},"country":{"id":311,"urlSafeValue":"china","title":"China","url":"\/news\/asia\/china"},"town":[],"contextualSignals":{"doubleVerify":{"ids":[],"slugs":[]}},"grapeshot":null,"versions":[],"programDeliverable":{"slug":"article-video","format":"default"},"showOpinionDisclaimer":0,"allViews":0,"allViewsMeta":{"pointOfView":[],"survey":[],"tweetId":0,"tweet2NdId":0,"displayOverlay":0},"storyTranslationMethod":[],"localisation":[],"autoPublished":0,"autoLocalised":0,"isReviewed":0,"path":"\/business\/2025\/12\/02\/china-to-tax-condoms-for-first-time-in-30-years-as-demographic-crisis-deepens","lastModified":1764690586}]">
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