China is open to negotiating bilateral economic and trade agreements with the EU, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The remarks were made in response to a media inquiry over reports that some European leaders have raised the possibility of reaching a future China-EU trade agreement, and how MOFCOM assesses the current direction of China-EU economic and trade relations and what conditions China hopes the EU will meet before pursuing a new trade agreement.

China and the EU are important economic and trade partners, ministry spokesperson He Yadong told a press briefing. For many years, China-EU economic and trade cooperation has maintained a solid foundation and strong growth momentum. The deep integration of production and supply chains has formed a virtuous cycle of complementary advantages and mutual benefit, He said.

China has always maintained an open attitude toward negotiating bilateral economic and trade arrangements with the EU and welcomes relevant proposals from European leaders. However, in recent years, the EU has used various economic and trade tools to investigate and restrict Chinese companies.

Recently, the EU has also introduced proposed revisions to the EU Cybersecurity Act (CSA2) and the Industrial Accelerator Act, which have seriously affected the confidence and expectations of Chinese companies regarding cooperation, He said.

"We hope that the EU will listen more to the voices of member states and European industry, abandon protectionist practices, work together with China, replace barriers with open cooperation, properly handle frictions and differences through dialogue and consultation, and jointly promote the sound and positive development of China-EU economic and trade relations," He said.

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

Policy measures are taking effect and the overall trend points to stable and improving growth this year. Even with increased external shocks, the economy is expected to maintain stable growth in 2026 as new drivers, such as high-tech manufacturing and modern services, continue to gain momentum.

Exports remained an important driver. In January and February, exports in yuan terms rose 19.2 percent year-on-year. Demand from emerging markets, including Africa and Latin America, became more noticeable. Trade with Belt and Road Initiative partner countries rose by 20 percent year-on-year. Private companies also did well, with trade growth of more than 20 percent year-on-year.
China's cross-border e-commerce and strong supply chains have helped exporters. And, investment picked up, too. In January and February, broad infrastructure investment rose by 11.4 percent year-on-year, with major projects from the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) being advanced ahead of schedule, becoming a key engine of investment. This helped stabilize market expectations and provided some protection against external uncertainties.

Consumer spending has been steadily recovering with three key features emerging: consumption expanding into lower-tier markets, a broad recovery in services consumption, and strong support from the trade-in programs.

Retail sales grew 2.8 percent in the first two months, faster than in December. Retail sales of consumer goods in rural areas rose by 3.2 percent, with rural markets emerging as a new driver of consumption. Services have been recovering more quickly. Services retail sales expanded by 5.6 percent during the same period.

Trade-in programs that encourage replacing old goods helped boost sales of home appliances. Sales of high-energy-efficiency household appliances continued the rapid growth seen in 2025, with year-on-year increases exceeding double digits.

Industrial production rose in tandem, new economic drivers continued to strengthen, and investment in high-tech industries and high-end services showed strong growth. Equipment manufacturing and high-tech industries have been growing faster than overall industry.

The value-added of high-tech manufacturing enterprises above designated size rose by 13.1 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, the digital and intelligent transformation of industry has been progressing steadily, and green products, led by new-energy vehicles, have seen strong growth.

In January and February, the services production index rose 5.2 percent year-on-year, slightly faster than in December. In February, the services business activity index reached 49.7, up 0.2 points from the previous month, while the activity expectations index stood at 55.8.

Sectors such as accommodation, catering, culture and sports, and entertainment all recorded business activity indices above 60, indicating high momentum.

Growth in artificial intelligence notably boosted demand for information services. In the first two months, the production index for information transmission, software, and IT services rose by 10.1 percent year-on-year, continuing the sector's strong growth over the past two years.

Will the strong growth momentum continue in the next quarters?

On one hand, the overall logic of China's economic operation has not changed, and the rebound in infrastructure investment will help sustain a generally stable and positive growth trend for 2026, following the pattern seen in 2025.

On the other hand, there are market concerns that global oil price volatility could disrupt supply and shipping chains. Such shocks are primarily input cost pressures, which would affect mid- and downstream companies but would not alter the underlying dynamics of China's economy.

The country's complete industrial and supply system provides more options for exports. Calculations show that even if international oil prices remain in the $100-140 per barrel range throughout the year, the overall impact on China's economy will be manageable. On this basis, the strong start in the first quarter is expected to be sustained, and China's economy is likely to maintain stable growth throughout the year.

Cheng Li-wun, chairwoman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT), continued her mainland visit in Shanghai on Thursday, leading a KMT delegation on a tour offering a firsthand look at the mainland's smart economy and urban development — from visiting Yangshan Port to boarding a display model of the C919 aircraft. 

This was followed by their first stop after arriving in Shanghai from Nanjing by high-speed train on Wednesday afternoon, where they visited Meituan's Shanghai headquarters and experienced drone-based delivery services that offered them a glimpse into the mainland's rapidly developing smart economy.

On Thursday morning, Cheng and her delegation toured Yangshan Port and the Shanghai Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd., manufacturer of domestically developed aircraft including the C919 passenger jet, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Speaking to reporters, Cheng commended Shanghai's prosperity and beauty, while recalling the city's wartime history and transformation. "Peace is the most powerful force," she said. "Given enough time, peace can make anything possible." She urged people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to remain committed to peaceful development, according to Xinhua. 

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Cheng shared her thoughts on her visit to Shanghai, saying that "Before I left, my family and friends in Taiwan would always say, jokingly, that they were waiting for me to bring gifts back. I sincerely hopes that, if possible, the gift I bring to all my family and friends in Taiwan is peace. Because peace makes everything possible. It allows everything everyone hopes for to actually happen."

The delegation departed Shanghai for Beijing on Thursday afternoon, according to Xinhua. 

Cheng wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday that while on a flight from Shanghai to Beijing with Xiamen Airlines, she met five flight attendants from Taiwan region and was delighted to take a group photo with them. The attendants came from Banqiao, Taichung, Kaohsiung, Hualien, and Hsinchu.

Because Xiamen Airlines had previously recruited flight attendants from the island, Cheng said she felt fortunate to have met them in the air. 

According to an itinerary released by Taiwan regional media outlet the United Daily News, the delegation is scheduled to meet with enterprises from both the mainland and Taiwan region on April 11 in Beijing before returning to Taiwan region on Sunday.

Taiwan regional media closely followed the third day of Cheng's mainland visit, with many outlets reporting on her itinerary. For example, "China Times" on Thursday gave extensive coverage to Cheng's trip to Yangshan Port, noting that according to the 2025 global port rankings released by multiple shipping institutions, mainland ports accounted for six of the world's top 10 ports, with the Port of Shanghai ranking first.

Lin Wenhao, a Taiwan youth participating in rural revitalization projects in Putian, Fujian Province, and in the operation of a Taiwan-funded cultural tourism company in Xiamen, told the Global Times that he and some entrepreneurs see such cross-Straits interactions as helping bring greater certainty to the future, giving Taiwan businesspeople and young people more confidence to make medium- and long-term plans for development.

Lin also said he hopes for a further recovery in personnel exchanges, including more convenient flight routes and services. 

He added that he is especially concerned about opportunities for Taiwan youth to intern, work and start businesses on the mainland. "These are real, practical scenarios that can truly enhance mutual understanding," he said.

The US State Department on Tuesday released an annual government report on global human rights abuses, which significantly reduced criticism of some US allies such as Israel while escalating disapproval of perceived foes, BBC reported. 

The latest State Department report on China is similar to last year's version, which smeared the human rights conditions in regions including Xinjiang and Hong Kong. In response, the Commissioner's Office of the China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition on Wednesday, noting that the report disregarded facts and deliberately smeared the human rights and rule of law situation in the SAR.

The report covers the 2024 calendar year, before the Trump administration took office, CNN reported on Tuesday. CNN cited sources as saying that the report was largely completed before US President Donald Trump began his second term. However, it underwent significant revisions in the subsequent months.

The report saw notable changes and other key issues omitted compared with the report released in April 2024, according to media reports. It significantly reduced criticism of some US allies such as Israel and El Salvador while escalating disapproval of perceived foes such as Brazil and South Africa, per the BBC.

The report's section on Israel is much shorter than last year's edition and contains no mention of the severe humanitarian crisis or death toll in Gaza, as the death toll rose to some 61,000 people, Al Jazeera reported. 

According to CNN, there is also no mention of the criminal trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribetaking, fraud and breach of trust, which were ongoing at the time.

However, for traditionally allied European countries, the latest report alleged a deteriorating human rights situation in 2024, noting that "significant human rights issues included credible reports of serious restrictions on freedom of expression." 

Washington has lambasted European nations with allegations of free speech backsliding. In February at the Munich Security Conference, US Vice-President JD Vance launched a scalding attack on European countries, spending the majority of his speech accusing European governments of retreating from their values, and ignoring voter concerns on migration and free speech, the BBC reported.

Not all of the reports were drastically changed from last year, CNN reported, citing the section on China, which is very similar to the previous year's report, accusing the human rights violations in regions including Xinjiang and Hong Kong. 

A spokesperson for the Commissioner's Office of China's Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region responded to the report on Wednesday, noting that despite its own egregious human rights record, the US fabricated false claims of "deteriorating human rights conditions in Hong Kong," recycled cases of secessionists in Hong Kong to lent them support. This fully exposes the US politicizing and instrumentalizing human rights issues in a despicable attempt to contain China's development by exploiting Hong Kong.

A Chinese observer noted that under the current US government, human rights issues are no longer a foreign policy priority. "They know they aren't exactly a model in that field - with countless human rights issues of their own," Lü Xiang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"Yet, some in the State Department still use it as a tool to smear other countries. They churn out these reports out of habit, recycling baseless claims with no evidence; they still wield human rights as a stick when it suits them to contain China, even though its impact is as feeble as a matchstick," Lü said.

China's progress in social development and human rights conditions, especially in ethnic minority regions, is undeniable and cannot be erased by any such report, the expert stressed.

Top European Union (EU) officials Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa are reportedly arrived in Beijing early Thursday for the 25th China-EU Summit. 
 
In a post on X, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote that "Touch down in Beijing, as we mark 50 years of ties between Europe and China. This Summit is the opportunity to both advance and rebalance our relationship. I'm convinced there can be a mutually beneficial cooperation. One that can define the next 50 years of our relations." 
 
As agreed between China and the EU, President of the European Council Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will visit China on Thursday. Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet with them, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Monday in Beijing, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

A total of nine Chinese cities were accredited as international wetland cities on Thursday during the opening of the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15) held in Zimbabwe's resort city of Victoria Falls, bringing the total number of such cities in China to 22, the highest in the world.

The nine newly accredited cities are Chongming in Shanghai, Dali in Yunnan Province, Fuzhou in Fujian Province, Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province, Jiujiang in Jiangxi Province, Lhasa in the Xizang Autonomous Region, Suzhou in Jiangsu Province, Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, and Yueyang in Hunan Province.

Johane Chenjekwa, mayor of Kasane in Botswana, commended China for promoting wetland conservation, noting that Africa can benefit from cooperation with China in wetland management.

"We will see, as we interact, what we can learn from them. They are also willing to learn from how we do things here, so it's really a (great) experience to be mingling (together)," he said.

Chenjekwa added that as the world faces the common challenge of wetland degradation, joint efforts with China can help tackle its impacts.

In his opening remarks, Jay Aldous, deputy secretary-general of the Convention on Wetlands, noted that while urbanization brings tangible development progress, there is a need to ensure that it does not interfere with wetland preservation.

"Unplanned or poorly managed urban expansion has emerged as a global concern, contributing to the degradation of wetlands, loss of biodiversity, disruption of ecological balance, rising greenhouse gas emissions, worsening air and water pollution, and escalating the impacts of climate change," he said.

In response to these challenges and recognizing the pivotal role of cities and urban wetlands, the Convention on Wetlands launched the Wetland City Accreditation scheme to encourage the protection of urban wetlands and their integration into sustainable urban planning, Aldous said.

"By embracing the convention's principles of wise use, cities can harness the ecological, social, and economic benefits that wetlands provide, including climate adaptation and mitigation, flood regulation, cultural value, and improved human well-being," he said.

Held under the theme of "Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future", the COP15, which will conclude on July 31, has brought together contracting parties to strengthen international commitments to wetland protection.

The Chinese people and their armed forces will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China or tolerate any external forces in undermining the efforts for reunification, Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom (UK) Zheng Zeguang said here Friday.

Both the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, issued by major victorious nations of World War II including China and the UK, stated in explicit terms that Taiwan is a territory that Japan had stolen from the Chinese, and shall be restored to China, he told a reception to celebrate the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

"All countries having diplomatic ties with China must properly handle Taiwan-related issues, which is key to the smooth development of our bilateral relations," the ambassador said.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the recovery of Taiwan from Japanese occupation.

Thailand and Cambodia clashed for a fourth day on Sunday, despite US President Donald Trump warning them they are risking potential trade deals with the US. The US president said on Saturday the leaders of the two countries had agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire.

Since the armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai soldiers over disputed border areas broke out on Thursday, more than 30 people have been killed from both sides, and more than 100,000 people have been evacuated to safe areas, according to figures provided by the two countries, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Thailand's acting prime minister Phumtham Wechayachai said Thailand "agrees in principle to have a ceasefire in place" but "would like to see sincere intention from the Cambodian side."

Phumtham was responding in a Facebook post to a series of social media posts by Trump. Trump said he had spoken to Phumtham and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and warned them that he would not make trade deals with either if the border conflict continued, according to Reuters.

"Both Parties are looking for an immediate Ceasefire and Peace," Trump wrote as he gave a blow-by-blow account of his diplomatic efforts.

In the early hours of Sunday morning local time, Hun Manet thanked Trump and said that Cambodia agreed with "the proposal for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire between the two-armed forces."

A statement from Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it wished to see "sincere intention from the Cambodian side," which is similar to what Phumtham said.

However, fresh artillery clashes erupted on Sunday morning near two long-contested ancient temples in the frontier region between northern Cambodia and northeast Thailand that has seen the bulk of the fighting, according to Bangkok Post.

Cambodian defense ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata said Thai forces began attacking areas around the temples at 4:50 am, AFP reported.

Thai Army Deputy Spokesman Ritcha Suksuwanon said Cambodian forces began firing artillery around 4:00 am as the two sides battled for control of strategic positions, according to AFP.

Trump's involvement followed US calls for restraint on both sides. He said he spoke to each leader and relayed messages back and forth. However, Trump offered no details on the ceasefire negotiations he said Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to hold.

The US mediation effort is generally aligned with the direction of regional countries, including China and ASEAN members, in hoping that the two countries can swiftly end the conflict and return to the negotiating table, Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

At a press conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that Thailand and Cambodia are both China's friendly neighbors and important members of ASEAN. Good-neighborliness and properly settling differences serves the fundamental and long-term interests of the two sides.

Guo added that we are deeply concerned over the ongoing developments and hope that the two sides will properly address issues through dialogue and consultation. Bearing in mind the common interest and concerns of regional countries, China upholds a just and impartial stance. We have and will continue to promote talks for peace in our own way and play a constructive role in promoting deescalation.

China may engage with the two countries through channels such as their embassies in China, Ge said. Based on historical experience, the conflict remains under control, he said.

The city of Foshan in South China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday reported a local outbreak of chikungunya fever caused by imported cases, confirming 478 cases.

According to a statement released by the health bureau of Shunde district in Foshan, after the epidemic was detected on July 8, the city immediately organized professional teams for case searches and testing. As of Tuesday, 478 confirmed cases have been reported in the district, primarily concentrated in three towns, and all are mild cases.

Chikungunya is a viral illness transmitted to humans by mosquitoes carrying the virus. Although rarely fatal, the disease typically causes fever, joint pain and fatigue. Symptoms are generally self-limiting, resolving within two to three days, and individuals who recover from it acquire lifelong immunity.

The statement said that as the current hot and rainy season leads to increased mosquito activity, it is the peak period for mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and chikungunya, warning citizens to be more aware of mosquito biting and promptly seek medical treatment once experiencing any suspected symptoms.

When asked to comment on a Beijing court on Wednesday sentencing a Japanese man working for a Japanese pharmaceutical company to three years and six months in prison for espionage, and the Japanese side's claim that the verdict could impact bilateral ties, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China is a country governed by the rule of law, and its judicial authorities handle cases strictly in accordance with the law, ensuring the legal rights and interests of parties concerned. 

In accordance with relevant international conventions and the China-Japan consular agreement, we provide convenience for the Japanese side to carry out consular duties, Lin said.

Lin noted that China has consistently supported China-Japan economic and trade cooperation, providing a favorable environment for the legitimate operations of Japanese enterprises and personnel in China. 

"We welcome foreign enterprises to engage in economic and trade cooperation in China. As long as foreign nationals in China—or those coming to China—abide by the law and carry out their activities in accordance with the law, there is no need for concern or anxiety," Lin added.