China, Hong Kong double down on extradition bill

Brussels is seeking to warn Beijing about supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine — and to use its influence to stop the war. Some experts, however, are skeptical about what can be achieved during the EU-China summit.

Beijing has launched a mass testing drive to detect as many infections as possible in a bid to contain a new outbreak. Meanwhile, Germany's finance minister tests negative for COVID.

Amid a COVID surge, the Chinese capital has also closed entertainment venues and restaurants, in a major blow to the already hard-hit industries. At the same time, Shanghai's strict lockdown has been slightly relaxed.

Wei Fenghe slammed US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's "smearing" accusation that China was causing regional instability. He said Beijing would do whatever it takes to ensure reunification with Taiwan.

Three years ago, a protest movement began in Hong Kong against an extradition bill, which led to an authoritarian response from Beijing that would forever transform the city and its people.

While part of the international community denounces the repression of the Uighur ethnic group in Xinjiang, a region in western China, Uighur "influencers" offer an idyllic vision of their daily life. But a growing number of human rights organisations and the United Nations have documented China’s severe repression of this Muslim ethnic minority.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of travelers flew in and out of China without having to submit to stringent centralised quarantine requirements. The change in policy is raising hope in neighboring countries that this will signal the return of Chinese tourists. Holiday bookings have already increased and markets are trading higher on the news, but as we explain, it will take some time for travel to return to what it was before the pandemic.

China has just recorded its first population decline in 60 years. With the birthrate expected to fall further over the next decade, the consequences for Beijing's economic ambitions could be huge.

What's left of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement? Since the implementation of the 2020 National Security law, police have been arresting anti-regime activists en masse. Most are now in prison or in exile. Authorities dissuade and crack down on all forms of protest.

The Chinese Communist Party is expected to unveil its lowest economic growth target in decades amid an ongoing slump in the country's real estate market. Also on the show: Mexico plans food tariff cuts to confront high inflation, and Franco-Angolan business ties take centre stage as President Emmanuel Macron visits Luanda.

A number of countries, from Japan and South Korea to the Philippines, have been increasingly wary of Beijing's growing assertiveness and influence in the region.

As Chinese leader Xi Jinping begins his three-day trip to Moscow on Monday, all eyes are on how China positions itself in the ongoing war and experts describe the trip as “extremely delicate” for the Chinese President.