Observers say Ukraine will be high on the agenda when Chinese President Xi Jinping travels to France, Serbia and Hungary next month, while the West will be watching Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s visit to China for signs Beijing is supporting Moscow’s war efforts.

Their manifesto criticises President Marcos Jnr’s South China Sea stance, claims China’s aggressive actions justified by his provocations

Trip would be the long-time leader’s first abroad since his re-election, amid Western claims that China is propping up Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.

Secretary of State raised concerns in meeting with Shanghai party chief Chen Jining, but also said direct engagement between the two sides is a ‘necessity’.

While visiting Chongqing’s Army Medical University, Xi says China needs ‘new generation of red military doctors’ and stresses importance of improved training, logistical support and specialised battlefield medicine as Beijing steps up war readiness.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Beijing that Hungary is a ‘European country of unique influence’.

The Golden Horizon Fund, which will target companies across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and China, marks the first time that CIC has invested in the Middle East.

Trade, Ukraine among topics on the agenda, with Blinken expected to pressure China to urge its firms to stop supplying dual-use goods to Russia or face more punitive measures.

New force is ‘a key pillar in coordinating the construction and application of the network information system’, according to President Xi Jinping

Developments hours apart come amid rising anxiety in some European capitals over the threat of Beijing’s surveillance practices.

Exchanges between people are ‘as important’ as political relations between countries, analyst says.

Meetings with Foreign Minister Wang Yi expected to cover unfair trade practices and industrial overcapacity in ‘productive and constructive’ trip.

Announcement comes as US city’s mayor, London Breed, nears the end of a weeklong trip to China and just days before US secretary of state is expected in Beijing.

At a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Italy, a US official said China is ‘contributing to Russia’s ability to prosecute’ the Ukraine war in ways that threaten all of Europe.

As well as programmes in industry and education, local governments are encouraged to provide perks, including incentives in housing, start-up investment and schooling and jobs for the family of digital workers.

In public remarks in China, chancellor did not throw support behind Brussels’ de-risking agenda and focused primarily on German business interests.

Firebrand ex-leader Rodrigo Duterte says his successor is a ‘crybaby’, with the two trading jibes over drug-use accusations and their opposing South China Sea stances. Will they ever bury the hatchet? ‘It’s complicated’.

Treasury chief Janet Yellen attends exchanges marking fourth meetings of economic and financial working groups between Beijing and Washington.

The Ukraine president says China could play a role in securing an end to the war, as he seeks Beijing’s backing for a peace summit in Switzerland.

The video call between Secretary Lloyd Austin and Admiral Dong Jun, who was appointed defence minister in December, is the latest sign of a thaw in US-China relations.

Analysts say China has long called for a ceasefire anyway, whereas any demand that it explicitly condemn Russia is likely to fail.

Chinese leader tells the German chancellor that neither side poses a security threat to the other and they should continue to strengthen their economic ties.

Several prominent Filipinos say the deal has effectively handed control of the Second Thomas Shoal to China.