China and the European Union have made little headway in repairing ties since a summer summit, the bloc’s top envoy to Beijing said, though the Asian nation’s easing of rare earth controls offered a chance for reset.

Bloc’s China ambassador says last month’s suspension creates ‘new stability’ and a chance to improve frosty relations.

Beijing’s strategy, known as “the pen and the gun,” employs a domestic media campaign and aggressive rhetoric toward Taipei’s friends.

Most foreign firms CNA spoke to are forging ahead with long-term business plans in the country, including expansion. Analysts say this reflects China's enduring weight in the world economy.

The shift from soybean exporter to world’s top buyer has reshaped global markets and forced Beijing to confront new security risks.

China imported no soybeans from the U. for a second straight month in October even as total imports surged to ​a record high on purchases from South America, with buyers aiming to avert ‌supply disruptions amid trade tensions with Washington.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning rejected UK allegations that Chinese spies used LinkedIn to target British lawmakers, calling the claims baseless and politically motivated. She insisted China never interferes in other nations’ internal affairs.

China’s recent naval deployment around Japan comes on the heels of a war of words between Beijing and newly-elected Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi over Taiwan.