Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people themselves, with no room for external interference, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, told a press briefing on Wednesday, in response to a question from a Global Times reporter regarding the "joint statement" issued after the meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and French President Emmanuel Macron, which claimed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits and was thanked by the Taiwan island's so-called "foreign affairs department."
The so-called "joint statement" makes irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question and interferes in China's internal affairs, which we firmly oppose, said Zhu.
Zhu's response came after Takaichi and Macron issued a joint statement on April 1, which claimed to "urge the peaceful resolution" of Taiwan question through constructive dialogue, according to the Nikkei.
Li Zhenguang, director at the Institute of Taiwan Studies at Beijing Union University, told the Global Times on Wednesday that Takaichi has taken a willful and obstinate stance on Taiwan question and even attempted to rally other countries to support her stance.
Spokesperson Zhu stressed that the countries concerned must abide by the one-China principle and stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities' attempt to split the country by relying on external forces is doomed to failure, Zhu added.
Li also said that one of the root causes of the tensions in the Taiwan Straits lies in the instigation of external forces such as Japan, and the provocative actions of the DPP authorities are growing increasingly brazen due to such external support.
China and the US will maintain communication on their respective concerns through the economic and trade consultation mechanism, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), said on Thursday.
The remarks were made at a regular press conference on Thursday when He Yadong, the MOFCOM spokesperson, was asked by foreign reporters to comment on reports that US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would engage with Beijing in working-level dialogues. He was also asked whether there are any plans or discussions to further extend the rare-earth export control measures beyond October 9.
The spokesperson said that, according to the consensus reached during the China-US economic and trade consultations in Kuala Lumpur, the relevant export control measures announced by the Chinese side on October 9, 2025, have been suspended until November 10, 2026.
Also at Thursday's regular press conference, another foreign reporter asked for comment on reports that Greer claimed that the US currently has access to Chinese rare earths but is still promoting multilateral agreements to increase expected supply, and on whether the US should be concerned that China might reimpose restrictions on rare-earth exports to the US.
In responding to the inquiries, He said that China is always committed to maintaining the security and stability of the global industrial supply.
On a further note, the spokesperson said that China fully takes into account the reasonable demands and concerns of the global civilian sector, including that of the US, and actively facilitates compliant trade. Export applications meeting the conditions for legitimate civilian use will be approved in accordance with the law, said He.
China has continuously maintained communication with the US on rare-earth issues, demonstrating its consistent stance of resolving trade matters through dialogue, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Thursday.
It also reflects China's efforts as a responsible major country to ensure the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains, said Zhou.
China has consistently adhered to the principles of openness, coordination, and shared benefits in promoting the development of the rare-earth industry. This approach not only meets the needs of domestic economic and social development but also actively expands global partnerships, making an important contribution to global rare-earth supply and the advancement of the world economy, the expert stressed.
On Wednesday, in responding to a similar question from a foreign reporter on China-US trade of rare earths, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that China-US economic and trade relations are essentially mutually beneficial and win-win in nature, noting that both sides should jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, so as to provide greater stability for bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
Commenting on China and the US maintaining communication on their respective concerns through the economic and trade consultation mechanism, Gao Lingyun, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday that it is always positive for the world's two largest economies to sit down and discuss relevant trade issues through dialogues and consultations as healthy economic and trade relations benefit not only the two countries but also the world.
About 30 leading Chinese automakers, parts suppliers and auto material companies have jointly established a new Strategic Materials Innovation and Application Platform in Beijing to address critical "chokepoint" material problems in the automotive industry, China EV100, an initiator of the platform, said in a statement on Monday.
Industry analysts said that the total number of components in a vehicle often exceeds 10,000, making the safety of the domestic industrial supply chain particularly important.
The platform's goal is to build a comprehensive collaborative innovation system, covering vehicle manufacturers, parts suppliers, material companies, technology, standards, and supply chains, helping accelerate the application of advanced new materials in the automotive sector.
The initiative also aims to provide strong support for the security and self-reliance of China's strategic new materials, media reported.
Attending companies include BYD, Geely, SAIC, Dongfeng, Li Auto, PPG, Kingfa Science & Technology, KraussMaffei, China Salt Lake Group, Magna, Dow and others, according to the statement by China EV100, a non-profit organization and third-party think tank aimed at boosting the development of electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Among the participating companies, one Chinese tech company has achieved large-scale production of single-wall carbon nanotubes (a rolled structure of single-layer graphene), paving the way for key applications in new-energy vehicles (NEV) and aerospace. Another firm has developed high-tech composite materials that make automotive parts both lower-carbon and significantly lighter, according to CCTV News.
"We can achieve carbon reduction of 30 percent or even over 40 percent," Liu Yanwei, General Manager of Kingfa Science & Technology's Automotive Division, was quoted as saying.
Zhang Yongwei, Vice Chairman of China EV100, said at the launch ceremony of the platform that"the automotive industry has an extremely long industrial chain, and resources and materials are the most critical links.
"The establishment of this platform is mainly to solve the integration problem between the automotive industry and its supply chain. We need to strengthen strategic planning for raw materials, increase strategic reserves, and build early warning capabilities to ensure resource security," said Zhang Yongwei.
China still has relatively high dependence on foreign sources for certain key raw materials - lithium over 60 percent, nickel over 90 percent - posing challenges to supply chain stability. In addition, domestically produced automotive chips currently account for only about 20 percent of application in Chinese brand vehicles, CCTV News reported, citing industry experts.
New materials are listed as one of the eight strategic emerging industries in China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).
"The new platform will help translate cutting-edge material innovations into real-world applications across industries," Zhang Xiang, a visiting professor in the engineering department of Huanghe Science and Technology University, told the Global Times on Monday.
The launch of the platform was announced during the Intelligent Electric Vehicle Development Forum, hosted by China EV100, having generated representatives from multiple fields including government, automotive, energy, transportation, and technology gathered to discuss the development trends of the automotive industry.
Su Bo, former minister of industry and information technology, said at the forum on Sunday that, by 2030, NEVs will become the dominant force in China's automobile market, with domestic penetration rate likely to exceed 70 percent.
Tsinghua University Professor Ouyang Minggao said at the forum that, by 2030, new-energy passenger vehicles will account for 70 percent of annual new passenger car sales, which is expected to surpass 80 percent by 2035 and reach over 85 percent by 2040.
Question: According to reports, Japan's Minister of Defense announced the deployment of long-range missiles with "enemy base strike capabilities". Some analysts believe this deployment is clearly targeted at China. What's your comment on this?
Zhang Xiaogang: Japan's reckless and dangerously accelerated push for remilitarization is spiraling out of control. This is a complete betrayal of its pacifist Constitution and exclusively defense-oriented principle, laying bare its ambition for military expansion. The proliferation of neo-militarism in Japan has become a real menace. Should an evil tiger be unleashed from its cage, it would inevitably wreak havoc far and wide, and plunge the Japanese people into an abyss of disaster. The international community should stay on high alert against it. It must be underlined that as evil will never outgrow virtue, the Chinese military will always have sufficient capability to counter threats and provocations, make aggressors pay an unbearable price, and defend national sovereignty, security and development interests.
In response to a media inquiry over US officials and analysts saying that Chinese companies have built up a network of ports around the world to exercise control over global commerce, conduct espionage, and enable far-seas missions for the Chinese military, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Wednesday stated that these accusations are just aimed at creating anxiety.
Lin added that we hope the US will stop overstretching the concept of security, stop peddling so-called "China threat," and stop smearing and disrupting China's economic and trade cooperation with other countries.
Six university students accidentally died on Wednesday during an educational visit at a mining company in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the emergency management authority in Hulun Buir City.
According to Xinhua, the six students, who were from Northeastern University in the city of Shenyang in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, were learning about the flotation process at a plant of Wunugetushan copper-molybdenum deposit, which belongs to China Gold Inner Mongolia Mining Co.,Ltd, when they fell into a flotation tank at around 10:20 am on Wednesday due to the falling off of a grate.
After all efforts to rescue them, the students were retrieved but were confirmed drowned by medical personnel. Additionally, one teacher was injured.
Currently, the local government, Northeastern University, and China National Gold Group Corporation are carrying out follow-up handling of the incident.
The recent outbreak of conflict along the Cambodia-Thailand border, resulting in casualties, is deeply distressing and concerning. The root of this issue lies in the legacy left by Western colonial powers, and it now requires calm and careful handling, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while meeting with Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn in Beijing on Friday.
China appreciates and supports the active mediation efforts by the ASEAN chair, and encourages dialogue and political resolution through the "ASEAN way," said Wang.
Wang said that as a mutual neighbor and friend to both Cambodia and Thailand, China is committed to maintaining an objective and impartial stance, and stands ready to play a constructive role in helping de-escalate tensions and stabilizing the situation, according to a release from China's Foreign Ministry.
Kao Kim Hourn said that on the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict, we believe the leaders of the countries involved have the political wisdom to resolve the issue. The "ASEAN way" remains a viable approach, and the ASEAN chair is actively mediating in the spirit of the ASEAN Charter, according to the release.
We also appreciate China's constructive efforts in promoting dialogue and de-escalation, said Kao.
Clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border reportedly continued on Friday, causing casualties on both sides and sparking worries, with regional countries and the international community calling for a ceasefire and de-escalation, according to multiple media outlets.
Thailand's military-run Channel 5 reported on Friday that clashes broke out at several areas along the Thailand-Cambodia border in the early hours of the day, saying Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilizing heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Thai forces responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation and issued advisories to local civilians to avoid entering areas where clashes have taken place. Early Friday, the sound of artillery fire was heard again near the border area, the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand reported, citing a local official in Surin province.
According to the deputy spokesperson of the Thai Ministry of Public Health, 14 Thai people were killed and 46 others injured in military clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border as of 9:00 pm local time on Thursday, Xinhua reported.
The deputy governor of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, Met Meas Pheakdey, told Xinhua over the telephone that one villager was killed and five others were wounded on Thursday when the Thai side fired artillery shells into Cambodian territory.
"More than 2,900 families living near the border have been evacuated to a safe refuge," he added. "Fighting is still going on as of Friday morning," he said, according to the report.
Cambodian Defense Ministry's Undersecretary of State and spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, said in a press briefing on Friday morning that Thai troops had used heavy weapons and F-16 fighter jets as well as cluster bombs to attack several locations in the Cambodian provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear, according to the report.
The Royal Thai Army has firmly denied allegations from Cambodian media claiming that Thailand used F-16 fighter jets to strike civilian targets during the ongoing border conflict, while accusing Cambodia of using civilians as human shields by placing artillery in civilian areas, according to Nation Thailand.
The situation on the Thai-Cambodian border escalated following skirmishes on Thursday. The two sides traded accusations following the escalating situation.
Immediate de-escalation appears unlikely, as the core issue lies not in the clashes themselves but in deep political mistrust between the two countries' leaders. This distrust has spilled into domestic politics, with both sides constrained by internal pressures and left with little room for compromise, raising the risk of further escalation, Xu Liping, Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.
But a full-scale war between Thailand and Cambodia also seems unlikely. Despite ongoing tensions, the military imbalance, international mediation by ASEAN, China, and the UN, and strong global opposition to escalation serve as restraining factors, said Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert.
More importantly, the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand is rooted in complex colonial-era issues that cannot be resolved through a full-fledged war, said Song, noting that the conflict is more likely to be prolonged and sporadic, with occasional skirmishes but overall situation under control.
Call for de-escalation
China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, called for the situation between Cambodia and Thailand to cool down on Thursday. China has expressed concern over the situation between the two countries, urging both sides to exercise restraint, and hopes that the situation can stabilize and peace can be achieved, Fu said.
Fu said Cambodia and Thailand are not only good neighbors of China, but also friendly neighbors to each other, and at the same time, important members of ASEAN. He added that ASEAN has always adhered to the tradition of resolving differences through peaceful means, and China hopes that peace will prevail.
China is playing a mediating role in facilitating communication between the two sides and hopes that the situation can stabilize as soon as possible, Fu said.
The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on the Thailand-Cambodia border clashes on Friday, which was reportedly requested by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, per Xinhua.
On late Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a post on X that he has spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. He appealed, in Malaysia's capacity as the current ASEAN chair, to both leaders for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further hostilities and to create space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution.
"I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility. I firmly believe that ASEAN's strength lies in its solidarity and that peace must always be our collective and unwavering choice," he said.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn on Friday morning convened diplomats and military attachés from multiple countries, including the US and China, to brief them on developments regarding the Cambodia-Thailand border situation and to reaffirm Cambodia's firm stance on peacefully resolving border disputes, CCTV News reported on Friday.
The US, China and Malaysia, which is the current chair of the ASEAN regional bloc, have offered to facilitate dialogue but Bangkok is seeking a bilateral solution to the conflict, Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters.
There are obstacles to the mediation efforts. Both Cambodia and Thailand hold conflicting maps and refuse to accept the other's version, Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times.
Though ties have been downgraded, diplomatic channels remain open. ASEAN has launched shuttle diplomacy to push for a ceasefire and renewed talks, and China maintains a neutral stance, urging both sides to return to dialogue and supporting ASEAN-led mediation, said Ge.
As Thailand and Cambodia are both ASEAN members, a war between them would destabilize Southeast Asia and undermine regional economic integration. Easing tensions and returning to dialogue serves the fundamental interests of both countries and the region, said Song.
Many of today's conflicts can be traced back to unresolved border and ethnic issues left by colonial powers. This remains a persistent threat to global peace, underscoring the need to continue advancing global decolonization, said the expert.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $565-million credit line and launched free trade talks with the Maldives on Friday during a visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago. However, Modi's visit to the Maldives was interpreted by some Indian media outlets as a demonstration of India's success in eclipsing China's influence in the Maldives.
Chinese experts criticized such rhetoric, describing it as a reflection of the Indian media's "outdated" mind-set, which is rooted in a purely adversarial, zero-sum game mentality.
Modi's two-day trip has been aimed at boosting India's development partnership with the Maldives, and he said the credit line was central to that goal, per Reuters.
Modi is the first foreign leader to visit Muizzu since he took office in 2023, pledging at the time to end the Maldives' "India first" policy, and taking steps to strengthen ties with China, according to Reuters.
Some Indian media outlets portrayed Modi's visit as a victory against Chinese influence. An article titled "Muizzu's U-turn: India in, China out? Maldives seemingly pivots again as PM Modi offers big incentives," published on the Times of India, highlighted that Muizzu now calls India a "trusted friend" and rolled out the red carpet for PM Modi, breaking with protocol to personally receive him at the airport.
The Hindustan Times reported that months after spearheading the "India Out" campaign, Muizzu has "stunned Beijing with a dramatic policy shift calling India the "first responder" and "most trusted partner."
Some Indian media outlets often view the Maldives' relations with China and India through a geopolitical adversarial lens; however, the Maldives is a sovereign nation that naturally prioritizes its relationship with neighboring India while actively pursuing a diversified foreign policy which includes strengthening its ties with China and aligning with the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times. He further noted that this serves the interests of the Maldives and that these two approaches are not mutually exclusive.
"This mind-set in Indian media reflects an outdated geopolitical adversarial perspective, trapped in a zero-sum game mentality," said Qian.
During his visit to China in January, Muizzu said the Maldives is willing to always be China's closest partner, continuously consolidate their traditional friendship, strengthen cooperation in various fields, and push for greater development of bilateral relations, according to Xinhua News Agency.
The Maldives appreciates China's leadership in safeguarding world peace and stability and is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in international and regional affairs to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice, Muizzu said.
China's economy posted a solid 5.3 percent growth in the first half of 2025, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Tuesday, demonstrating the strong resilience of the world's second-largest economy despite a complex global environment.
In the second quarter alone, the economy expanded by 5.2 percent compared with the same period last year, easing slightly from the 5.4 percent growth recorded in the first quarter.
China's economy withstood pressure and made steady improvement despite challenges. The production and demand grew steadily, employment was generally stable, household income continued to increase, new growth drivers witnessed robust development and high-quality development made new strides, helping ensure overall social stability, according the NBS.
Generally speaking, with the more proactive and effective macro policies taking effects in the first half of the year, the national economy maintained steady growth with good momentum, showcasing strong resilience and vitality, said Sheng Laiyun, deputy head of the NBS at a press conference on Tuesday.
The steady 5.3 percent growth achieved in the first half of 2025 keeps China well on course to meet its full-year target of about 5 percent growth, an analyst said. This performance also serves as a direct rebuttal to pessimistic narratives by some foreign media outlets, reaffirming the strength and resilience of the Chinese economy.
With GDP growth projected to outpace most major economies in 2025, China is set to reinforce its position as both a driver of global growth and a source of stability amid international uncertainties, the analyst said.
Growth highlights
Retail sales of consumer goods grew 5 percent year-on-year to 24.54 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, while the value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size was up 6.4 percent, and fixed-asset investment climbed by 2.8 percent, according to the data released by the NBS.
In the first half of the year, the urban surveyed unemployment rate averaged 5.2 percent, 0.1 percentage points lower than that of the first quarter, according to the NBS.
Manufacturing continued to serve as a key driver of economic growth, supported in part by steady external demand. The momentum from new quality productive forces became increasingly evident, observers noted.
Tuesday's major economic indicators also align with the resilient performance of China's foreign trade.
In the first six months, China's total merchandise trade rose 2.9 percent year-on-year to $3.04 trillion, driven by the country's strenuous efforts to optimize its foreign trade structure and stabilize economic growth, according to data from China's General Administration of Customs on Monday.
This shows that the impact of short-term factors such as the US tariffs is fading, and with the dual support of the Chinese government's effective policies and China's strong industrial fundamentals, foreign trade has shown a positive trend of recovery, an expert said.
Hu Qimu, deputy secretary-general of the Forum 50 for Digital-Real Economies Integration, called the second-quarter results "hard-won," noting that they reflect the inherent resilience of China's economy and the ongoing appeal of its massive market, despite rising global volatility and increasingly protectionist stances, highlighted by the US tariffs.
The first-half GDP growth reflects the strong resilience of China's economy, underpinned by its comprehensive industrial system and vast market capacity — both of which provide a solid foundation for withstanding external shocks, Hu said.
However, challenges persist, mainly driven by global headwinds such as US tariffs, Hu said, adding that further policy measures are needed to keep growth on track to meet the full-year target.
Further efforts needed to endure momentum
China's steady growth comes at a time when concerns about a potential US tariff-driven slowdown loom in many parts of the world.
Responding to media questions about measures to mitigate the impact of the tariffs on the Chinese economy, Sheng said high tariffs have increased trade costs and are detrimental to economic and trade growth.
Since the beginning of this year, in response to changes and pressures in the external environment, the Chinese government has taken proactive and adaptive measures, placing greater emphasis on strengthening the domestic economic cycle, Sheng said.
On the further note, the NBS official said that efforts have been intensified to implement more proactive macro policies to expand domestic demand and boost consumption. "We will continue managing our own affairs well and use the stability and certainty of the Chinese economy to navigate external uncertainties," he said.
The second-quarter performance injected much-needed stability into the fragile global economy, reinforcing China's role as a key driver of the global recovery, experts said.
The global growth environment is under pressure, with obstacles to trade, disruptions to logistics, and rising raw material prices all posing challenges to China's economy. Yet despite these headwinds, China's export performance has remained in line with expectations, said Cao Heping, an economist at Peking University.
At the same time, booming sectors — particularly the application of digital and green technologies — have fueled significant breakthroughs across industries, with rapid progress in areas like new-energy vehicles, autonomous driving, and artificial intelligence, said Cao.
In particular, Chinese companies have quickly filled gaps in the semiconductor industry, despite trade blockages and sanctions, demonstrating the speed of the country's technological progress, the expert said.
"China's economic performance this year marks a noticeable recovery and upward momentum," Xi Junyang, a professor at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times. He attributed the improvement largely to more robust macroeconomic policies, pointing to a series of monetary easing steps, including multiple reductions in reserve requirement ratios and interest rates. The expert also noted a marked increase in fiscal spending as a contributing factor.
In the second half of the year, the economy is projected to sustain its growth momentum, supported by further opening-up measures, robust trade and supply chains, and increased market diversification, keeping it on course to achieve the full-year economic growth target, experts said.
Looking at the second half of the year, Sheng also said that despite considerable external uncertainties and internal pressures from structural adjustments, we believe there is solid support for China's economy to maintain steady growth.
