Q: It is reported that during President Trump's visit to China, the two presidents exchanged views on major international and regional issues, including the situation in the Middle East. Did the two sides talk about Iran? What is China's view on the current Iran situation?
A: China's position on the Iran situation is very clear. The conflict has inflicted severe losses on the people in Iran and other regional countries. With the spillover still expanding, the conflict has put a heavy strain on global economic growth, supply chains, international trade order and the stability of global energy supply, which hurts the common interests of the international community. There is no point in continuing this conflict which should not have happened in the first place. To find an early way to resolve the situation is in the interest of not only the US and Iran, but also regional countries and the rest of the world.
The recent US-Iran ceasefire and effort to explore resolving issues through negotiation is welcomed by regional countries and the international community. China always believes that dialogue and negotiation is the right way forward, and the use of force is a dead end. Now that the door of dialogue has been opened, it should not be shut again. It is important to steady the momentum in easing the situation, keep to the direction of political settlement, engage in dialogue and consultation, and reach a settlement on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues that accommodates the concerns of all parties. It is important to reopen the shipping lanes as soon as possible to respond to the call of the international community and jointly keep the global supply chains stable and unimpeded. It is important to reach a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as soon as possible, enable peace and stability to return to the Middle East and Gulf region at an early date, and lay the foundation for building a sustainable security architecture for the region.
Since the conflict began, China has been working for an end to the conflict and peace. President Xi Jinping put forward the four propositions on safeguarding and promoting peace and stability in the Middle East. China and Pakistan issued the five-point initiative for restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East region. China will continue to act in line with President Xi Jinping's four propositions, and work with the international community to provide stronger support for peace talks and play a constructive role in achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon jointly attended a signing ceremony of cooperation documents in Beijing on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump said here Thursday that he looks forward to a "big discussion" with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
"There are those who say this is maybe the biggest summit ever," Trump said in his opening remarks when having talks with Xi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
"When there were difficulties, we worked it out," said Trump. "We're going to have a fantastic future together."
Trump, who is on a three-day state visit to China, repeatedly called Xi a great leader.
He also highlighted the high-level American business delegation accompanying him, describing their presence as a gesture of respect toward China and its leader.
"They look forward to trade and doing business," Trump said.
"It's an honor to be your friend and the relationship between China and the USA is going to be better than ever before," Trump said.
The league, an amateur football tournament featuring 13 teams representing cities across East China's Jiangsu Province that was viral on Chinese social media in 2025, is more commonly known as the "Su Super League."
Unlike 2025's viral success with the "fragmented Jiangsu" meme, during this season, the league caught the audience's eyes with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) virtual hosts, digital replays and smart voice interaction, building a smarter viewing experience and bringing new energy to traditional football.
On the night of April 11, at the opening match in the Changzhou Olympic Sports Center, 200 quadruped robotic dogs and 90 humanoid robots made by Magic Atom, a local embodied intelligence technology company in Jiangsu, put on a show on the rain-soaked field.
It was the world's largest and most complicated outdoor coordinated robot performance ever, according to the website of the JSCL.
The robots moved in perfect sync, and the crowd was amazed by what felt like science fiction come to life, the JSCL said on its website.
During the same game, 13 heavy-loaded drones made by MOVA, another Jiangsu-based technology company, lifted 13 flexible LED screens, creating a stunning "flying screen" formation in the night sky. Each of the 13 screens clearly showed Chinese characters representing Jiangsu's 13 cities. This also set a world record for the most drones flying in formation with hanging display screens, according to the JSCL website.
As the league entered its fifth week, even more advanced tech was on show.
On the pitch, AI tools built by local Jiangsu tech firms have changed how fans watch the football games. A digital twin, a virtual replica of a physical object or system, allows audiences to view the real stadium match from any 360-degree angle. AI large models provide commentaries in local dialects and break down tactics. Smart interaction lets fans take part while they watch.
On the television screens, an AI virtual host named Le Yi made by a Jiangsu provincial television station is both professional and friendly. She knows the cultures of all 13 cities in Jiangsu. She can explain formations, player performance, and match stats, and chat with fans using the local dialects from Nanjing, Suzhou, and other cities. During live broadcasts, Le Yi works with real commentators, answers questions from comments right away, and makes watching feel like a two-way conversation.
Voice control makes watching the game easier. This year's JSCL viewing platform uses smart voice interaction. Fans don't need to tap their phones. They just speak to get player stats, schedules, possession rates, and more. The system can keep chatting, remember which team you support, send you updates, and even let you vote or join real time quizzes. Watching goes from "passive viewing" to "actively joining in."
Around the stands, smart robots and quadruped robotic dogs work as on site guides. They help police with crowd control and safety. They clearly show people where entrances and exits are, spread out crowds, ease the work of human staff, and make the stadium run more efficiently.
In training, digital twin technologies have changed how teams prepare. The system tracks more than 200 technical and physical stats for each player, makes personalized reports, and helps coaches plan tactics and prevent injuries.
From digital twins that recreate the whole field to AI hosts that make watching fun, to voice control that makes everything simpler, AI has given the JSCL a huge boost.
Beyond the pitch, Jiangsu's smart manufacturing has achieved an even more authoritative benchmark. The province is now home to more than 3,000 national-level specialized, sophisticated, unique and new "little giant" enterprises and 292 national-level manufacturing single champions, China Securities Journal reported.
The JSCL is emerging as a unique window to observe Jiangsu's economic leap from manufacturing to smart manufacturing and its transformation from industrial advantages to consumption advantages. It is more than just tech and sports coming together. It's the fruit of Jiangsu's investment in technology and a demonstration of its smart manufacturing strength.
Beneath a soft Spring drizzle in Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province, Mozambique's President Daniel Francisco Chapo and First Lady Gueta Chapo descended the red-carpeted aircraft stairs on Thursday, greeted by Chinese personnel with a floral reception.
The week-long trip, from April 16 to 22, is the first state visit to China by a Mozambique's head of state in 10 years, and it is also President Chapo's first visit to China since taking office. Chapo's visit coincides with a flurry of recent visits to China by leaders from various countries including Spain, Vietnam and UAE.
During President Chapo's visit, Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a welcome ceremony and a welcome banquet for him. The two presidents will have talks. He will also visit Hunan and Qinghai, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular press conference on Tuesday. According to an official release from the press office of the Presidency of the Republic of Mozambique, the visit by the Mozambican head of state takes place within the framework of deepening and upgrading the existing Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Mozambique and China, reflecting the shared will to consolidate longstanding ties of friendship, solidarity, and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Accompanied by members of the Assembly of the Republic, government officials, and other senior Mozambican state representatives, Chapo started his visit with the aim of strengthening political-diplomatic and economic cooperation with China, while also deepening coordination on issues of common interest on the international agenda, particularly those concerning the Global South, United Nations reform, and climate change, according to the release.
The visit by the Mozambican president showed a high level of exchanges between China and Mozambique, Liu Naiya, executive director of the South African Studies Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.
Liu said through high-level interactions, the two sides are expected to conduct in-depth discussions on cooperation priorities and specific areas, reflecting a pragmatic, results-oriented approach. The visit itinerary, which includes not only major cities but also provinces such as Hunan and Qinghai, also demonstrates clear practical considerations.
Changsha, Chapo's first stop, carries symbolic and practical significance. As the host city of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and home to the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone focused on Africa cooperation, the choice reflects Mozambique's strong interest in expanding economic ties with China, analysts said. It also highlights Hunan's growing role as a hub for China-Africa cooperation.
According to the official website of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the pilot zone aims to pioneer deeper China-Africa economic cooperation by building platforms for trade in non-resource products, enhancing financial services and exploring new mechanisms for local-level cooperation.
More specifically, Liu noted that Qinghai and Mozambique share certain similarities in resource endowments and development needs. For instance, there is potential for cooperation in areas such as mineral resource development and agricultural modernization. Arranging visits and exchanges in Qinghai could be understood as focusing on tangible areas of cooperation with real potential.
Mozambican media outlet Club of Mozambique described the visit as part of efforts to "deepen and elevate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," echoing official statements from Maputo. On the economic front, Chapo is also expected to mobilize resources for major structural projects and support economic recovery in sectors including infrastructure, mining, energy and agriculture.
Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Mozambican president's visit carries broader significance. "Amid intensifying geopolitical competition and rising protectionism, China and Mozambique maintaining sincere cooperation and upgrading their partnership has demonstrative value not only for China-Africa ties but also for Global South cooperation," Song said.
Song noted that under the current global environment, Mozambique and other African countries need China's technology and investment to advance modernization and industrialization, while China in turn values the role of African nations in amplifying the voice of the Global South in global governance.
On the economic front, the head of state will mobilize resources to finance high-impact structural projects, as well as to boost the relaunch of the national economy, focusing on priority sectors such as infrastructure, mining, energy and agriculture, Club of Mozambique reported, citing the release from the Presidency.
Broader China-Africa cooperation
2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Mozambique Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa.
China is an important trading partner, source of investment, and contractor for engineering projects for Mozambique. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $5.4 billion, up 3.6 percent year-on-year, Chinese Ambassador to Mozambique Zheng Xuan wrote on People's Daily.
The trade structure has become more optimized. High-quality Chinese products such as electromechanical equipment, building materials, and general merchandise have supported Mozambique's economic and social development and improved people's livelihoods. Meanwhile, Mozambique's distinctive resources - including cashews, minerals, and timber - have seen steady export growth to China, offering Chinese consumers a more diverse range of choices.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the dispatch of Chinese medical teams to Mozambique. For decades, they have worked at the grassroots level, saving lives and healing the injured, using their compassion and medical expertise to safeguard the health of the Mozambican people, according to the ambassador.
"China-Africa cooperation is a cornerstone of Global South collaboration, and the close interaction between China and Mozambique can serve as a strong example," Song said, viewing China-Mozambique cooperation as a microcosm of broader China-Africa engagement.
China announced in February that it will fully implement zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with China, starting from May 1, according to Xinhua News Agency
China's zero-tariff offer to 53 African countries, set to take effect on May 1, is a game-changer and an impetus to boost the development of strong agricultural, mining and industrial value chains, while also enhancing intra-continental trade, said Jonas Atingdui, a Ghanaian economic analyst, Xinhua reported.
The EU's Industrial Acceleration Act imposes numerous restrictive requirements on foreign investment in four key emerging strategic sectors — batteries, electric vehicles, photovoltaics and critical raw materials — and introduces "EU origin" exclusivity clauses in public procurement and public support policies, constituting serious investment barriers and institutional discrimination, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Monday.
The spokesperson made these remarks after MOFCOM on April 24 formally submitted comments to the European Commission on the EU's Industrial Acceleration Act to express China's official position and grave concerns.
In the comments submitted to the European side, China stated that the draft contains multiple issues, said the spokesperson.
First, it is suspected of violating core World Trade Organization (WTO) principles such as most-favored-nation treatment and national treatment. It is also inconsistent with several agreements, including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994, Agreement on Trade-Related Investment Measures, Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.
Second, Chinese investors would face discrimination, which runs counter to the basic market economy principles of commercial voluntariness and fair competition, and further contravenes the important consensus reached by Chinese and EU leaders on properly managing frictions and differences, said the spokesperson. This would seriously affect Chinese companies' expectations for investment in Europe, the spokesperson said.
Third, it would slow the EU's green transition, undermine fair competition in the EU market and deal a fresh blow to multilateral trade rules.
In its comments, China suggested that the EU remove discriminatory requirements for foreign investors, local-content requirements, mandatory transfers of intellectual property and technology, and restrictions on public procurement, the spokesperson said, noting that China hopes the EU will attach great importance to and carefully consider China's comments, strictly abide by WTO rules and avoid discriminatory restrictive measures.
China will closely follow the legislative process and stands ready to engage in dialogue and communication with the EU, said the spokesperson, stressing that if the EU ignores China's suggestions and insists on pushing the legislation through, thereby harming the interests of Chinese companies, China will have to take countermeasures to firmly safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.
China will expand zero-tariff treatment to all African countries that have diplomatic relations with it starting May 1, 2026, Chinese authorities announced on Tuesday.
From May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028, China will apply zero-tariff treatment to 20 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China and are not classified as least-developed countries (LDCs), according to an announcement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council on Tuesday.
This move represents the active implementation of China's earlier commitments.
For products subject to tariff-rate quotas, only the in-quota tariff rates will be reduced to zero, while out-of-quota rates will remain unchanged. During the two-year implementation period, China will continue to promote the signing of economic partnership agreements for shared development with relevant African countries, according to the statement.
The new policy also marks a further expansion of the existing tariff arrangement. For the 33 African LDCs that have diplomatic relations with China, China has granted zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of tariff lines since December 1, 2024.
The move to expand zero-tariff treatment to the remaining 20 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China reflects China's proactive stance on expanding high-standard opening-up, and it will play an important role in strengthening China-Africa economic and trade ties and promoting the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, the statement said.
Observers said that the landmark move will strengthen China-Africa economic cooperation under China's broader opening-up, helping African countries shift exports from raw materials toward higher value-added products. Such a model represents a paradigm of equality, mutual benefit and shared development, they said.
Amid the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, developing countries, including those in Africa, are facing mounting challenges. Guided by the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith, and a balanced approach to justice and interests, China has adopted innovative arrangements by taking the lead in granting zero-tariff treatment for a set period to expand market access and create development opportunities for African countries, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday.
At the same time, the nation will ensure stable and sustained benefits for African partners by advancing negotiations on economic partnership agreements for shared development, providing long-term, stable and predictable institutional support for deepening China-Africa economic and trade ties.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. The MOFCOM said that it will work with relevant departments to effectively implement the zero-tariff measures, advance negotiations on economic partnership agreements for shared development in line with the principles of equal consultation and mutual benefit, deepen institutional economic and trade cooperation, and share opportunities and pursue common development with African countries.
He Wenping, a research fellow at the China-Africa Institute, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Africa has long grappled with trade imbalances, noting that comprehensive zero-tariff access will effectively balance imports and exports while empowering Africa's independent industrial development.
This policy builds on China's sustained efforts to extend exclusive economic benefits to African nations via international platforms such as the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China International Import Expo, said He, adding that these initiatives have provided tangible support, including preferential policies and complimentary exhibition booths.
Contrasting this with the rise of global protectionism and the misuse of unilateral tariffs by certain nations, He highlighted the clear distinction in China's approach.
"While some countries frequently brandish 'tariff sticks' and weaponize their domestic markets, China is building platforms for win-win cooperation," He said. "This brings practical benefits to both African nations and the Chinese people, driving shared global development."
According to customs data, China's trade with Africa surged from 87.38 billion yuan ($12.78 billion) in 2000 to 2.49 trillion yuan in 2025. Scaling up from the 10-billion-yuan bracket to the trillion-yuan level, bilateral trade has registered a 27.5-fold increase with an average annual growth rate of 14.3 percent.
Meanwhile, in the first quarter of this year, China's imports from Africa rose by 14.6 percent.
Officials from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the country's top industry regulator, announced on Tuesday plans to conduct policy research and set standards for the coordinated development of computing power and electricity. MIIT also aims to promote the orderly development of the space computing power industry, chinanews.com reported.
The announcement was made during a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday, introducing developments in industry and information technology in the first quarter of 2026. Zhang Yunming, an MIIT official, stated that the ministry will guide the construction of computing power infrastructure based on demand and enhance China's national computing power platform.
Space-based computing refers to the deployment of computational capacity in space, enabling seamless global coverage through satellite networking. Compared with terrestrial data centers, its greatest advantages lie in real-time responsiveness and global coverage.
In recent years, computing infrastructure has become a key foundation driving the development of artificial intelligence (AI), Zhang said, adding that in the next step, the ministry will guide the coordinated layout of green power and computing power, advance full-coverage automated monitoring of computing resources, improve China's national computing power platform, facilitate precise matching of computing power supply and demand, and enhance the efficiency of computing resource utilization.
The ministry will further transform research results into practical applications, improve the computing power standard system, support forward-looking research in space computing power technologies, and orderly promote the development of the space computing power industry, Zhang said.
Chinese authorities and experts have emphasized the importance of developing the space computing industry.
Xiang Ligang, a veteran industry analyst and director-general of the Zhongguancun Modern Information Consumer Application Industry Technology Alliance, told the Global Times on Tuesday that compared with traditional terrestrial data centers, which face multiple bottlenecks such as high energy consumption, scarce land resources, high cooling costs, and limited coverage, space computing boasts advantages such as real-time on-orbit processing, low-cost energy and wide-area coverage.
It can help improve the efficiency of "space-based data processing," enhance space energy development capabilities, strengthen global coverage and anti-interference capabilities, and expand the boundaries of network applications, giving it significant strategic value and broad industrial prospects, Xiang said. Developing space computing can fundamentally break through the energy and spatial constraints of terrestrial computing, providing the digital economy with a new type of computing supply that is zero-carbon, green, sustainable, and widely accessible, he added.
Zhao Ce, an official from the MIIT's information and communications development department, stated at a recent conference on space computing industry that China should seize the potential opportunities presented by space computing power as an emerging industry and proactively address challenges related to chip performance, inter-satellite communication, power supply, and heat dissipation.
He also stressed the need to strengthen systematic planning, make forward-looking arrangements, deepen industrial development, strengthen coordination, and steadily and orderly advance the growth of the space computing industry, the Economic Daily reported on April 13.
"Space computing power is the extension and integration of terrestrial industries into space, and a frontier deployment for building a global ubiquitous computing network. It will strongly support the high-quality development of applications such as artificial intelligence," said Li Jie, deputy director of the Cloud and Big Data Institute of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), according to the Economic Daily report.
On the international front, China is the first country to achieve in-orbit networking and operation of a space computing constellation. In terms of engineering practice and the speed of commercial implementation, it is already among the world's leaders, ranking in the top tier globally in the space computing power sector, said Xie Lina, deputy director of the data center department at the Cloud Computing and Big Data Research Institute under the CAICT, the Economic Daily reported.
In recent years, China has gradually carried out pilot construction and verification of space computing networks, accelerated technological breakthroughs and advanced multiple constellation projects, Xinhua News Agency reported. Meanwhile, the country is accelerating the cultivation of the space computing industrial ecosystem, according to Xinhua.
Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng on Monday called for restoring common sense and reason to economic, trade, and science and technology cooperation, stressing that China and the US should advocate fair competition and help each other succeed, instead of engaging in a zero-sum game.
The ambassador made the remarks in a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 56th Annual WTCA Global Business Forum.
Xie said that while safeguarding national security is both legitimate and essential, the concept should not be overstretched or misused as a catch-all, according to a speech transcript published by the Chinese Embassy in the US on Wednesday.
“Even now, the Chinese side still cannot figure out why Chinese EVs have been singled out and accused to be ‘data collectors on wheels’; where the so-called ‘spy equipment’ is installed in Chinese cranes; and how Chinese garlic could ever possibly be classified as a ‘national security threat,’” the ambassador said.
This kind of paranoid illusion lacks basic common sense, and does not hold up against the facts, Xie noted, adding that it would only destabilize global industrial and supply chains, suffocate innovation, and ultimately serve no one’s good.
The ambassador emphasized that the yardstick of national security should be brought back to its proper measure. “What we need is fewer unfounded suspicions and accusations, and more rationality grounded in market rules and commercial logic. Only then can the vast potential of China-US cooperation be fully unleashed,” he added.
Regarding China-US economic and trade ties, Xie cited the healthy competition between Tesla and Chinese electric vehicle (EV) companies as an example, saying “it is only natural that China and the US have competition in areas such as economy and trade, and what matters more is how the two sides choose to compete.”
“Such a race [between Tesla and Chinese EV companies] to the top is mutually beneficial and win-win, and also serves the best interests of global consumers,” Xie added.
The ambassador said that this sets an example for competition between China and the US, which should be like competing for excellence in a racing field, not beating one another down in a wrestling ring. Moreover, the playing field should be level, and the rules should be observed.
He stressed that one should accept either outcome with grace, instead of applying double standards, extolling free trade when one is competitive, yet turning to fair trade when outcompeted.
“It also means one should not predetermine the result, accepting only scenarios in which they win, while denying others the right to outperform them. Still less should one resort to smearing, trapping, or tripping others up in order to undermine them,” Xie said.
An elderly couple from Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, discovered an unusual piece of "scrap iron" while collecting recyclables. After handing it over to a local police station, it was preliminarily identified as a bronze musical instrument known as the Gou Diao from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods (770–221 BC), The Paper reported. The couple, from the Wuxing district in Huzhou, discovered a metal object of peculiar shape and archaic ornamentation while gathering discarded items by the riverside, The Paper reported. They realized that this "lump of metal" was unlike ordinary scrap iron—it felt unusually heavy and bore decorative patterns on its surface, the report said.
Convinced that the object, which resembled scrap iron, was not a modern item, they packed it in a gunny sack and delivered it in person to a local police station, per the report.
Upon preliminary inspection, the object appeared elongated and slender, with a surface patina of bluish‑green rust, per The Paper. Its faint decorative patterns were still discernible, and the form was neat and symmetrical, suggesting it might be an ancient bronze artifact, according to the report.
Police officers then conducted online research and compared the item with archaeological catalogs. Based on its weight, shape and decorative features, they preliminarily concluded that it was most likely a Gou Diao—a distinctive bronze percussion instrument unique to the Wu and Yue regions, which cover present-day areas such as Suzhou and were once under the rule of the Qin Empire (221 BC-207 BC), The Paper reported.
Gou Diao was a percussion instrument used by aristocracy in the Wu and Yue regions for sacrificial rituals and banquets. Renowned for its melodious sound, it also represented one of the highest achievements of bronze casting technology at that time, holding significant value for the study of ritual and musical systems of the pre-Qin period (pre-221 BC) in the Wu and Yue region.
To ensure an accurate assessment of the object, the local police officers also contacted the municipal cultural relics bureau and invited archaeological experts to conduct an on-site preliminary appraisal.
After measurement, the experts confirmed that the artifact dates back no later than the Song Dynasty (1127-1279), with a history of at least 1,000 years, The Paper reported. Its form closely matches that of the bronze Gou Diao from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, and it possesses considerable historical, artistic, and scientific value, per the report.
The bronze Gou Diao has been formally transferred to the Huzhou municipal bureau of cultural relics for further examination, cleaning, and dating analysis, The Paper reported. It will be considered for incorporation into the exhibition plan of the local museum based on subsequent findings.
