eChina.news

Business

ASEAN official: China-ASEAN ties bring shared opportunities

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership. Pham Thanh Binh, chair of the ASEAN Committee in Beijing and Vietnamese Ambassador to China, said that China and ASEAN are pioneering partners who must continue to share development opportunities.

September 17, 2026

Business

China sets goals for intelligent connected new Energy vehicle industry

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. Inside an intelligent workshop, industrial robots were operating at high speed as new energy vehicle components rolled off the production line in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China, on September 15, 2026. /VCG Editor's note: Li Hongchang is a researcher at the Sustainable Transportation Innovation Center and professor at the School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University. Liu Ziyi is a PhD student at the School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University. The article reflects the authors' opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN. The 15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Intelligent Connected New Energy Vehicle Industry (2026–2030) serves as a national, medium- to long-term specialized policy document for China's intelligent connected new energy vehicle (ICNEV) sector. It delineates the strategic direction of industrial development, key technical indicators, market objectives, and the supporting governance framework.

September 17, 2026

Business

China-ASEAN Expo opens with focus on CAFTA 3.0, AI, and Pinglu Canal

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. The venue of the 23rd CAEXPO in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, September 15, 2026. /VCG The 23rd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) opened on Thursday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, bringing new business opportunities under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 framework into focus. Running from September 17 to 21, the expo has attracted more than 3,400 companies from over 70 countries and regions. The exhibition area covers about 170,000 square meters, with participating enterprises up 5.3% from the previous edition. Timor-Leste is taking part for the first time as a full ASEAN member and co-host, bringing all 11 ASEAN member states together in Nanning. AI and the newly opened Pinglu Canal are also key focuses of this year's expo, with dedicated exhibition areas showcasing their potential to drive regional cooperation. The latest CGTN survey shows that 90.9% of global respondents believe the continued hosting of CAEXPO demonstrates China's commitment to high-standard opening up.

September 17, 2026

Business

Risk of unrest in Asia as Iran war, El Nino threaten food supplies

Severe weather disruptions will amplify food security risks in Asia, potentially triggering civil unrest and political instability in vulnerable countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines, according to consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. The warning comes as the war in Iran has already disrupted fuel and fertiliser supplies, both of which are key agricultural inputs. Now, weather extremes linked to a powerful El Nino are further threatening crops across the region. Indonesia, the world’s...

September 17, 2026

Business

North Korea at Japan’s Asian Games: sports diplomacy or propaganda stunt?

Pyongyang is sending its largest-ever delegation to Japan, signalling a calculated bid to test Tokyo and pave the way for US re-engagement State media reported on Wednesday that a delegation led by Kim Il-guk, North Korea’s sports minister, had left for Japan to attend the Games. The 20th Asian Games are being held in Nagoya and surrounding Aichi prefecture and run from Saturday to October 4. North Korea’s 180-strong delegation is made up of 107 athletes competing across 14 sports – including football, weightlifting, table tennis and wrestling – alongside support staff. It is the country’s largest sporting delegation ever to visit Japan, according to Kyodo News. Tokyo generally bars North Korean nationals from entry under sanctions against Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes, making this a rare exception. Observers say North Korea is using the international stage to project stability and shed its image as a pariah state.

September 17, 2026

Business

CityU’s response to disco night ‘misconduct’ an overreaction

Two adults, both at least partially dressed, took part in some harmless fun. Where is the crime in that? One aspect of this case does merit further examination: the issue of consent. Who among those attending what was essentially a private gathering consented to be filmed? Who among the students present at the event thought it was acceptable to film proceedings at a closed function and release the footage to social media? If anyone is to be disciplined in this case, it should be that person, for intruding on the privacy of fellow students, betraying their classmates’ trust and perhaps tarnishing the reputation of the institution.

September 17, 2026

Business

Concert proposal in China stirs controversy when woman’s reaction blocks, angers spectators

As clip went viral, discussions about incident garnered over 110 million views, challenging the romanticised perception of public engagements A romantic marriage proposal at a concert in northern China attracted significant backlash after the couple blocked the view of other spectators, leading to numerous complaints. On September 12, Chinese folk singer Zhao Lei performed at Beijing’s National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest. As tens of thousands of fans sang along, a man in the front section of the audience stood up to propose to his partner. Videos circulating online featured the woman in a white wedding dress, complete with a veil. Overcome with emotion, she stood up, raised her arms, and waved towards the stage. However, this romantic moment sparked vocal complaints from fans seated behind the couple, who expressed frustration at having their view obstructed. A viral clip clearly captured many attendees shouting: “Sit down!”

September 17, 2026

Business

India, Pakistan summon each other’s diplomats after naval ships collide in Arabian Sea

New Delhi and Islamabad summoned each other’s top diplomats to lodge strong protests after an Indian and a Pakistani naval vessel collided in international waters. India’s foreign ministry said that it had called in Pakistan’s senior envoy to formally register a strong objection over what it said was “unacceptable and unprofessional conduct” of Pakistani naval units that led to a collision with an Indian warship. Pakistan’s foreign ministry also said it had officially called upon the charge...

September 17, 2026

Business

Japan’s Natuna port proposal highlights Indonesia’s balancing act on China

Tokyo offers port upgrades to boost maritime security, but analysts say Jakarta is being pragmatic, not taking sides against Beijing The expanding partnership includes joint defence industry development, intelligence cooperation and expanded military exercises in strategic waterways. Citing Japanese government sources, Kyodo News reported earlier this month that Tokyo was planning to use its official development assistance to help upgrade Indonesia’s fishing ports to allow patrol vessels to operate in more areas.

September 17, 2026

Business

Only ‘idiots’ expect North Korea to give up nuclear weapons: Kim Yo-jong

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said on Thursday that the country’s nuclear-armed status was “absolute”, calling those hoping for its denuclearisation “idiots”. North Korea has legally enshrined its status as a nuclear weapons state, with its leadership declaring the country’s nuclear arsenal permanent and irreversible. US President Donald Trump recently said Pyongyang possessed 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons, with Seoul putting the figure at between 80 and 120. “The...

September 17, 2026

Business

Hong Kong’s 5-year plan, policy continuity offer investors more stability, experts say

Explicit directions John Lee has set are seen as ensuring persistence in policies even if there are changes in government leadership The explicit directions Lee set for Hong Kong in terms of economic and social development are seen as ensuring persistence in policies even if there are any changes in the government leadership. This is Lee’s final policy address of his current five-year term as chief executive. “It is an important start,” Our Hong Kong Foundation vice-president Kenny Shui Chi-wai said.

September 17, 2026

Business

Will Takaichi visit Kyiv? Zelensky’s invite puts Japan PM in diplomatic bind

Analysts say a Ukraine trip will be an ‘excellent opportunity’ for Takaichi to show her mettle, despite concerns about chilly Russia ties Zelensky extended the invitation through Eisuke Mori, speaker of Japan’s House of Representatives, during his visit to the Ukrainian capital earlier this week. Mori, who helped establish the cross-party Japan-Ukraine parliamentary friendship group in 1995, is widely regarded as one of Japan’s more experienced parliamentary voices on Ukraine and did not hold back during his visit. In a speech to the Supreme Council in Kyiv on Tuesday, Mori condemned the Russian invasion as “a barbaric act that shakes the international order and the values that the international community has built over decades”.

September 17, 2026