China Admits Flaws in School Construction

A new report from China’s education ministry acknowledges that many school buildings across the country are poorly constructed.

Chinese Warships Sail, Loaded for Pirates

In China’s first modern deployment of battle-ready warships beyond the Pacific, a naval task force set out Friday to begin escorts and patrols in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden.

Police Detain 59 in Tibet, China Reports

The detainees were charged with seeking to foment unrest by spreading ethnic hatred, Chinese media said.

China’s Navy to Join Pirate Patrols

China’s first modern deployment of battle-ready warships left Friday to begin escorts and patrols in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden, state media reported.

Chinese Pockets Filled as Americans’ Emptied

China, some economists say, lulled U.S. consumers and leaders into complacency about their spendthrift ways.

No ‘Dark Knight’ for China

While “The Dark Knight” is already showing in Hong Kong, Warner Brothers has opted not to open it in China, or even offer it to government censors for their consideration.

China’s Financial Industry Recruits Abroad

Chinese institutions are taking advantage of the downturn and focusing on the newly unemployed to upgrade their own staffs.

Qualifying Tests for Chinese Financial Workers

In response to the global financial crisis, China has increased the number of qualification tests for workers in the financial sector.

Cardinal Critical of China to Leave Hong Kong Diocese

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, a sharp critic of China over democratic rights and religious freedoms, said that the Vatican has agreed to his request to step down next year.

Company at Core of China’s Milk Scandal Is Declared Bankrupt

The dairy company is being sued by parents hoping to be paid compensation for the illnesses or deaths of their children.

Internet Portal in China Buys Share of Ad Firm

The Sina Corporation, one of China’s biggest Internet portals, said it would acquire a large piece of Focus Media for about $1 billion in stock.

China Unblocks The Times’s Web Site

The government allowed Internet users in mainland China to view the Web site of The New York Times after access had been stopped for more than three days.

Parents of Schoolchildren Killed in China Quake Confirm Lawsuit

Parents of 127 children killed in the collapse of an elementary school during the May earthquake that devastated western China have filed suit against government officials.

Opinion: China to the Rescue? Not!

The partnership between Chinese and American enterprises is about to undergo a radical restructuring as a result of the current economic crisis.

China Blocks Access to The Times’s Web Site

Authorities have begun blocking access from mainland China to the Web site of The New York Times even while lifting some of the restrictions they had imposed on the Web sites of other media outlets.

After 30 Years, Economic Perils on China’s Path

Chinese leaders are facing a new era in which Deng Xiaoping’s export-led economic model faces challenges.

China Confirms Naval Role in Gulf of Aden

The Chinese government confirmed that it would send naval ships to the Gulf of Aden to help in the fight against piracy there.

2 Uighurs Sentenced to Death for West China Police Assault

A court in the western region of Xinjiang has sentenced two men to death for an attack in August that killed 17 paramilitary officers, according to a state news report.

China Considers Naval Mission Against Pirates in Gulf of Aden

In what would be the first active deployment of its warships beyond the Pacific, China appears set to send vessels to help fight pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

China Is Said to Restore Blocks on Web Sites

The Chinese government has quietly begun preventing access again to Internet sites that it had stopped blocking during the Olympic Games.

Taiwan and China Restore Air Links

An 80-minute flight across the Taiwan Strait marked the first regular cross-strait traffic since the end of the civil war in 1949.

China modern art feels chill

Dec 11 - China's contemporary art market, which just six months ago seemed unstoppable, is feeling the effects of the financial crisis.

Auction houses, galleries and artists are facing a downturn in business as the disposable income of their clients shrinks.

Ex-President of Taiwan Is Indicted

Chen Shui-bian, who served eight years as president of Taiwan, was indicted on corruption charges, making him the first former president to face criminal prosecution.

On Rights Day, China Hails Gains and Detains Protesters

China marked international Human Rights Day with arrests of protesters, as a high-profile dissident remained in jail after drafting a public letter calling for reforms.

Unexpected Drop in China’s Imports and Exports

Global demand for Chinese products is vanishing as the financial crisis slows trade, one economist says.

Whistle-Blowers in Chinese City Sent to Mental Hospital

Security officials in the Shandong city of Xintai have been institutionalizing residents seeking to expose corruption, according to a report in a state-owned newspaper.

Paulson’s China Trip Leaves Big Issues Unresolved

Two days of economic dialogue produced a modest stream of achievements, but also served to highlight tensions between the world’s biggest economy and the world’s largest developing one.

Hong Kong Finds More Tainted Eggs

For the fourth time in less than two months, a batch of eggs imported to Hong Kong from China were found to be contaminated with illegal levels of melamine, officials said.

China Shuns Investments in West’s Finance Sector

The chairman of China’s sovereign wealth fund said that China had no plans for more investments in Western financial institutions, or any plans to “save” the world through economic policies.

Diffusing AIDS time bomb in China

Dec 1 - China targets migrant workers in HIV/AIDS prevention drive.

As World Aids Day marks its 20th anniversary, the fight to stem the deadly virus is far from won.

Infection rates are continuing to soar in many countries, slashing life expectancy and condemning bereaved families to a cycle of perpetual grieving.

In China, where an estimated 700,000 people are HIV positive, authorities are targeting the country's 200 million migrant workers, the backbone of the Chinese economy, who are among the most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.

Treasury’s Lead Role in China in Flux

Secretary Henry M. Paulson has spearheaded American policy toward Beijing since 2006, which raises the question of who will pick up the baton upon his departure.

China’s President Cites Threat of Global Slowdown

President Hu Jintao warned that China could lose its competitive edge as trade growth slows amid the global financial crisis.

Chinese Execute 2 Convicted of Spying

Despite pleas for clemency from the Bush administration and European officials, a biomedical researcher convicted of espionage by a Chinese court was executed Friday.

Report Says Chinese Tycoon Held in Stock Scandal

Huang Guangyu, one of China’s wealthiest entrepreneurs, was detained last week as part of an investigation into stock manipulation, news reports said.

Opinion: Did Britain Just Sell Tibet?

As Western powers struggle with the huge scale of the measures needed to revive their economies, they have turned increasingly to China.

China Irritated with ‘Slanderous’ U.N. Report on Rights

The report, issued Friday by the United Nations Committee Against Torture, alleges that China conducts systemic torture of political and criminal detainees.

New Efforts for Stimulus in Europe and China

China announced its largest interest rate cut in more than a decade, while the European Union outlined a $258 billion plan to spur growth on the Continent.

NY Times Editorial: Beijing’s Blind Spot

It is in Beijing’s interest to pursue serious negotiations with the Dalai Lama about Tibetan autonomy.

I.O.C. Issues Glowing Review of Beijing Games

The International Olympic Committee praised Chinese organizers for their nearly flawless execution of the Games, but watchdog groups criticized the report for ignoring human-rights violations.

Effort Made to Save Man China Convicted of Spying

His family and the U.S. try to save a Chinese man, Wo Weihan, from execution for spying.

China, in Dispute Over Dalai Lama, Delays European Talks

China has postponed an annual summit with the European Union, angered by a new visit to several European countries by the Dalai Lama.

Police Officers’ Killer, Hero to Some Chinese, Is Executed

A 28-year-old man convicted of killing six police officers was executed by lethal injection on Wednesday morning, according to state media.

A Global Downturn Puts the Brakes on China’s Industry

The global downturn is reaching deep into the heart of the country’s once-rapid industrial transformation.

A Hotel Chain Turns Upscale in China

Like hotels built in China by other U.S. chains, Days Inns are almost unrecognizable to those familiar with their American counterparts.

Tibetans Reaffirm a Conciliatory Approach to China

After an intense debate, delegates attending a conference of Tibetan exiles recommended a continuation of the Dalai Lama’s conciliatory approach to China.

At Exile Meeting, Tibetans Debate Independence

Long associated with the Dalai Lama and his “middle way,” the exile movement has reached a crossroads.

Garbled Report on Sichuan Death Toll Revives Pain

An error in translation of a news conference by a governor left the impression that the death toll of students in the May earthquake was higher than thought.

Summer in Beijing Was Strong for Sports, but Weak for Ads

Despite strong television ratings for the Games in vital markets, the Summer Olympics failed to provide the expected surge in advertising in China.

China Pledges New Measures to Safeguard Dairy Industry

The Chinese government announced a wide range of food safety measures aimed at reining in abuses in the dairy industry.

John Leighton Stuart, China Expert, Is Buried There at Last

The ashes of John Leighton Stuart, a missionary and educator who was called a symbol of imperialism by Mao, were finally buried in China 46 years after his death.

F.D.A. Opens Office in Beijing to Screen Food and Drug Exports

The U.S. opened a branch of the Food and Drug Administration in the Chinese capital, the first of several overseas offices aimed at regulating the safety of imported food and medicine.

An Eye on Growth, Deals Stretch Across the Pacific

Despite the worldwide downturn, the ties between small businesses in China and Southern California should continue to grow.

Facing a Slowdown, China’s Auto Industry Presses for a Bailout From Beijing

China’s car industry is quietly pressing Beijing for government help as it copes with a jarring slowdown, top Chinese auto executives said.

The Dead Tell a Tale China Doesn’t Care to Listen To

The Tarim mummies have become protagonists in a political dispute over who should control the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

Thousands Battle Police in China’s Northwest

A local government’s decision to move its administrative offices from one city to another has provoked two days of unrest in northwest China.

Computing From Weather to Warcraft

The falling cost of supercomputer systems has allowed a broader range of corporations and institutions to buy them for everything from processing movie graphics to searching for oil.

General Hints China’s Navy Wants to Add Carrier

The acquisition of an aircraft carrier would surely stoke tensions with the U.S. military and its allies in Asia.

Study Abroad Flourishes, With China a Hot Spot

The number of Americans studying in China increased by 25 percent last year, according to a new report.

Tibetan Exiles Meet to Ponder Strategy

The calm in many Tibetan areas of western China could soon crumble, depending on the outcome of a meeting of Tibetan exiles scheduled to begin Monday in India.

China Eases a Licensing Rule for Media

China agreed to loosen restrictions on foreign news and information providers inside the country, settling a trade dispute with the United States, the European Union and Canada.

F.D.A. Detains Chinese Imports for Testing

Products from China that contain milk will be held at the border until tests prove that they are not contaminated.

Factories Shut, China Workers Are Suffering

An export slowdown that has been magnified by the global financial crisis is contributing to the shutdown of factories in China’s coastal regions.

Hong Kong Finds Tainted Chinese Fish Feed

Hong Kong food inspectors have found fish feed imported from China contaminated with high levels of melamine.

Former President of Taiwan Held in Jail

A judge in Taipei ruled that former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian be held in jail while prosecutors in the city pursue money-laundering and corruption charges against him.

Iraq Signs $3.5 Billion Deal for China to Develop Oil Field

The deal between Iraq’s state-owned oil company, North Oil, and China’s CNPC is worth $3.5 billion and is the first major deal since the U.S. invasion in 2003.

Even in Macao, a Gambling Mecca, Signs of a Slowdown

As China’s growth cools, Macao’s gambling revenues are no longer growing as fast as they once were, and competition between the growing number of casinos is fierce.

Former President of Taiwan Is Detained in a Corruption Inquiry

Chen Shui-bian was detained by police after prosecutors sought his arrest on corruption and money-laundering charges.

China Unveils Sweeping Plan for Economy

China announced plans to spend billions on a wide array of infrastructure and social welfare projects in a bold move aimed at bolstering its economy.

Taiwan’s Leader Meets Chinese Envoy

President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan met a senior Chinese envoy in Taipei in a bid to improve diplomatic ties.

Tibetan Envoys Leave China After 8th Meeting

Envoys of the Dalai Lama announced that they had presented Chinese officials with a memorandum on autonomy for Tibetans living under Chinese rule.

China’s Prisoner Treatment Scrutinized

Members of the United Nations Committee Against Torture questioned the way the Chinese government carried out laws barring abusive practices.

President of Taiwan Greets Envoy From Beijing

President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan met with a senior Chinese envoy in Taipei on Thursday in a bid to improve diplomatic ties between their governments.

China Has Sentenced 55 Over Tibet Riot in March

The Tibetans received prison sentences for their actions in the March 14 ethnic riot that engulfed Lhasa, according to a senior Chinese official.

China and Taiwan Expand Accords

Mainland China’s negotiator on Taiwan signed a milestone agreement with his counterpart in Taipei, expanding flights and permitting shipping links.

Chinese Regulators Destroy Tons of Tainted Animal Feed

Officials said that they had confiscated and destroyed more than 3,600 tons of animal feed tainted with melamine.

The Safety Gap

China is becoming the biggest producer of pharmaceutical ingredients in the world – but the F.D.A. inspects just a tiny fraction of China’s drug plants. Can we be sure what we’re taking is safe?

China’s Tainted-Food Inquiry Widens Amid Worries Over Animal Feed

There are growing signs that melamine has leached into the animal feed supplies, posing health risks worldwide.

Negotiations on Tibet to Resume in Beijing

Chinese officials and emissaries of the Dalai Lama are expected to resume talks about the future of Tibet despite low expectations for a breakthrough.

More Lawsuits Filed Over Tainted Milk in China

Nine families with babies suffering kidney problems filed separate lawsuits against Sanlu Group, one of China’s largest milk companies.

Melamine Is Discovered in More Eggs From China

Hong Kong officials said that for the second time in a week they have found a batch of eggs imported from China that contain high levels of melamine.

Tainted Eggs From China Discovered in Hong Kong

Food inspectors have found eggs imported from northeast China to be contaminated with high levels of melamine, the chemical at the heart of an adulteration scandal involving Chinese milk products.

Chinese Activist Wins Rights Prize

In a rebuke of China’s Communist Party, the European Parliament gave a prestigious human rights prize to Hu Jia, an imprisoned advocate for democracy in China.

In China, Steps to Ease Mortgages as Real Estate Loses Its Sizzle

Fearing a surge in loan defaults for banks, the Chinese government announced a series of measures to support real estate prices.

China, an Engine of Growth, Faces a Global Slump

China hopes to prevent the possible global recession and financial crisis from derailing its economic miracle.

Wal-Mart to Toughen Standards

Wal-Mart plans to announce that it will require manufacturers supplying goods for its stores to adhere to stricter ethical and environmental standards.

China Plans to Bolster Its Slowing Economy

China has begun drafting policies to stimulate the economy after slow growth in the third quarter.

China Enacts Major Land-Use Reform

The government announced a rural reform policy that for the first time would allow farmers to lease or transfer land-use rights, a step that advocates say would boost lagging incomes.

Wary of Islam, China Tightens a Vise of Rules

China places intricate restrictions on Muslims in a vast autonomous region in an effort to control Islam’s spread.

Rebuffed by China, Pakistan May Seek I.M.F. Aid

Accepting an economic rescue package from the I.M.F. would be seen as a humiliating step for the government.

Courts Compound Pain of China’s Tainted Milk

Tainted infant formula is the latest in a long string of food and drug safety problems that have exposed corruption among China’s regulators.

Hints of Discord on Land Reform in China

Chinese leaders have yet to announce details of a rural reform policy, contributing to speculation that officials are in disagreement on major aspects of the policy.

China Recalls More Milk Items for Testing

China ordered a recall of all milk products produced before Sept. 14 that are still on the shelves so the products can be tested for melamine.

Pakistan President to Visit China, a Valued Ally

President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit is an effort to reinforce Pakistan’s ties with a traditional ally at a time when relations with the United States have come under considerable strain.

China Announces Land Policy Aimed at Promoting Income Growth in Countryside

Chinese leaders said they would adopt a rural growth policy aimed at vastly increasing the income of China’s hundreds of millions of farmers by the year 2020.

N.B.A. and Partner to Help Build 12 Arenas in China

The N.B.A. and AEG will announce plans to design and operate at least a dozen arenas in China, extending the league’s presence in its largest foreign market.

China May Let Peasants Sell Rights to Farmland

The shift could draw hundreds of millions of farmers more firmly into China’s city-centered market economy.

China Bans One Brand of Herbal Drug After 3 Deaths

China’s Food and Drug Administration said it had discovered two harmful batches of the medicine and urged people to report any problems with it.

Milk Scandal Pushes China to Set Limits on Melamine

China said that it had established limits for the allowable trace amounts of melamine in dairy products that officials assured would make the items safe.

Future of Giant Turtle Still Uncertain

An attempt to mate two elderly turtles during this year’s breeding season ended without producing any offspring.

H.I.V. Spreads in China, Affecting New Populations

Infection with the AIDS virus in China is spreading beyond the country’s original high-risk groups and the virus has spread to all provinces.

Arms Deal to Taiwan Riles China

The $6 billion deal in advanced weapons elicited strong reactions from leaders in China on Saturday.

Warm Taiwan-PRC ties a US concern: report

President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) efforts to improve relations with China will create new challenges for US policymakers amid concerns that those efforts could compromise US interests in the East Asian region, a new congressional report says.

China’s Dairy Farmers Say They Are Victims

In China’s widening milk scandal, dairy farmers say that the real culprits are dairy companies and the milking stations that they operate.

Ruling Backs Chinese Gymnasts

All six members of the Chinese women’s gymnastics team met the age requirements to compete at the Beijing Olympics, officials from the International Gymnastics Federations said Wednesday.

Surveillance of Skype Messages Found in China

A Canadian human rights group has uncovered a system that tracks politically charged text messages sent by customers of Tom-Skype, a joint venture of which eBay’s Skype is a partner.

More Candy From China, Tainted, Is in U.S.

Connecticut’s consumer protection officials issued a public warning against eating contaminated Chinese candy.

Opinion: Ma is selling Taiwanese sovereignty for peanuts

The administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has been weak in its response to tainted products imported from China and has failed to act as the government of a sovereign country.

China mums urged to breastfeed

Sep 30 - China's contaminated milk products scandal, which have sickened thousands of children in China, has reignited calls from medical experts for a return to breastfeeding.

In recent days, provinces across China have reported nearly 10,000 additional cases of children who've developed kidney-related illnesses after drinking contaminated milk formula.

As the milk scandal continues to escalate, Chinese mothers are being urged to return to breastfeeding.

Premier demands apology from China over melamine

Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) yesterday demanded an apology from China for allowing products contaminated with melamine to be exported to Taiwan.

Chinese celebrate 59th anniversary of founding of PR China

The 59th anniversary of founding of the People's Republic of China, which fell on Wednesday, was celebrated by people from different walks of life across the country.

Buffett Buys Stake in Chinese Battery Manufacturer

The billionaire investor announced that he had agreed to buy a 9.89 percent stake in BYD, which plans to sell electric cars in the United States by 2010.

Opinion: The Swill Is Gone

The disaster unfolding now in China is eerily similar to the “swill milk” scandal that rumbled on in New York for several decades of the 19th century.

China Detains 22 in Tainted-Milk Case

Officials have detained 22 people suspected of intentionally contaminating milk, leading to the nation’s worst food safety crisis in decades.

Doubt Arises in Account of an Attack in China

Tourists’ descriptions of an Aug. 4 incident in Kashgar that left 16 officers dead are at odds with officials’ account.

Astronauts Return Safely to China

Three Chinese astronauts returned safely to earth in their space capsule after spending nearly three days in low earth orbit and completing the nation’s first spacewalk.

Chinese Astronaut Takes Nation’s First Spacewalk

Zhai Zhigang performed the nation’s first spacewalk, marking another milestone in China’s space program.

Despite Warnings, China’s Regulators Failed to Stop Milk

The scandal over tainted milk raises the question of whether the Communist Party is capable of creating a transparent, accountable regulatory structure.

Asia Food Tainting Spreads, Leading to Recall in U.S.

The Food and Drug Administration said that some products containing a creamer made in China had been recalled for fear of contamination.

China Launches Spacewalk Mission

The three-day mission by the Shenzhou VII spacecraft is expected to include the country’s first attempt at a spacewalk.

China’s Milk Scandal Now Seen as Risk in Europe

European Union regulators set new testing requirements, fearing that tainted milk powder might be circulating.

China reveals launch schedule for first space walk

China's third manned space shuttle will blast off between 9:07pm and 10:27pm tomorrow from Gansu Province as the nation awaits the country’s first space walk.

China Says Complaints About Milk Began in 2007

One of China’s biggest dairy producers received consumer complaints about its baby milk formula much earlier than previously thought, state media reported.

It Takes Just One Village to Save a Species

By helping a Chinese village out of poverty, Pan Wenshi protects the endangered langur.

China’s Top Food Quality Official Resigns

The chief of China’s food and product safety agency was forced to resign in a scandal over a tainted milk supply.

Chinese, U.S. presidents talk over phone about ties, U.S. financial turmoil

Chinese President Hu Jintao and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush discussed bilateral relations and the financial upheavals in the United States in a phone conversation on Monday morning Beijing time.

13,000 Babies in Hospital for China Formula

The number of infants taken to hospitals after drinking tainted milk formula has climbed to nearly 13,000.

China Seeks to Calm Fears Amid Dairy Scandal

Seeking to calm public anxiety about a nationwide milk safety scandal, Chinese officials ordered the removal of all tainted supplies from stores and promised more safeguards.

China baby milk scare scandal

Sept. 20 - Chinese officials have ordered widespread checks on dairy products and a recall of tainted items after thousands of babies became ill.

With four deaths and thousands of babies suffering the ill effects of contaminated milk, the Chinese government has announced that all affected children will be given free check-ups and treatment.

It has also made calls to ensure there's sufficient screening in remote areas.

It comes as Malaysia joined Singapore in banning all Chinese milk imports.

NY Times Editorial: China’s Baby Formula Scandal

The deaths of Chinese babies killed by drinking tainted milk powder are a frightening reminder that the country still has not improved safety standards.

Fashion's New Faces

A diverse group of beauties is finally breaking through in the fashion industry. Meet Hye Park, Du Juan, and Eugenia Mandzhieva.

Read the related story in Time magazine here.

Ma, MOFA regret latest rejection of UN attempt

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) expressed regret yesterday after the UN on Wednesday rejected a proposal to include Taiwan’s request to be allowed to participate in UN agencies on the General Assembly agenda.

Schoolgirl kills classmate over boy

Xiao Ming’s mother said her daughter had been friendly with the boy since early childhood and the QQ chat records show that Xiao Ming had explained this to Xiao Juan.

All the names in this report are pseudonyms.

China Says More Milk Products Show Signs of Being Tainted

Chinese authorities arrested a dozen people, fired a senior government official and acknowledged that a wider range of milk products were contaminated.

10 Petitioners Still Detained After Arrest in Beijing

The detainees, including a 79-year-old woman, and another with a four-month-old in tow, have been held in Beijing since Sept. 10.

Worried Parents in China Wait for Answers on Tainted Formula

China’s health minister reported Wednesday that more than 1,300 infants had been hospitalized after being fed contaminated baby formula.

Baby Formula Sickened Many More, China Says

The new scandal is especially charged politically because government officials pledged to reform food safety regulation after a spate of problems last year.

As Economy Slows, China Eases Monetary Policy

China abruptly reversed course on monetary policy, cutting interest rates and easing lending restrictions.

Chinese Baby Formula Scandal Widens as 2nd Death Is Announced

China’s Ministry of Health announced that two babies have died and 1,253 others have been sickened by contaminated milk powder in a widening food safety scandal.

2 Lose Posts in China Over Deaths Near Mine

The officials’ firing is the latest sign that Beijing authorities are holding party members accountable for their handling of environmental and work safety disasters.

China Detains 19 as Toxic Formula Sickens Hundreds of Infants

The formula is implicated in the death of one infant, and at least 432 others have been afflicted with kidney problems.

China’s Media Moguls Tutored by Masters of Hollywood

Some of Hollywood’s more impressive agents, executives and power brokers have been providing China’s next wave of film and television moguls with a private tutorial in the tao of show business.

China milk scandal threatens babies

Sep 12 - China is suffering from a 'fake milk powder' scare causing babies under 11 months to develop kidney stones.

The health scare broke out after doctors in the northwestern Gansu province said the Sanlu-brand formula could be responsible for the development of kidney stones in babies.

Dozens of cases have emerged in other provinces, and one baby died from the stones. The incident has brought back memories of a similar scare four years ago where more than a dozen babies were killed as a result of drinking contaminated formula.

Death Toll Rises From Mud Flow in Chinese Village

The Chinese government sent 1,550 rescuers to search for people who may have survived a cascade of iron-ore waste that deluged a village in central China on Monday.

Would-Be Protesters Find the Olympics Failed to Expand Free Speech in Beijing

People who were kept from protesting are skeptical that there has been any real increase in freedom of speech, despite the hopes of the International Olympic Committee.

China Tells Businesses to Unionize

Already facing rising labor costs, corporations doing business in China are now under a Sept. 30 deadline to let their workers unionize.

Real Estate Woes Spread to China

Real estate brokers say prices in China are down from peaks reached earlier this year, while the number of transactions has plunged.

T. Norbu, Dalai Lama’s Brother, Dies at 86

Thubten J. Norbu was the eldest brother of the Dalai Lama and was also regarded as a reincarnated saint.

Curbs Imposed on Muslims in Western China During Ramadan

Local governments in a Muslim desert region in western China have imposed strict limits on religious practices during the traditional Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

China Calls for Peaceful Resolution of Nuclear Standoff

President Hu Jintao of China urged a negotiated resolution to Iran’s nuclear issue during a meeting with the country’s president.

China Admits Building Flaws in Quake

Chinese officials said Thursday that a rush to build schools might have led to shoddy construction that resulted in student deaths in the May earthquake.

Main Bank of China Is in Need of Capital

China’s central bank is in a bind, after snapping up roughly $1 trillion worth of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed debt issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the last seven years.

Coke Bids for Chinese Juice Giant

The Coca-Cola Company said it had made a bid to acquire one of China’s largest juice makers for about $2.5 billion.

Uighurs on Both Sides of Conflict in China

The slaying of two police officers suggests that some of the violence in Xinjiang could be aimed at Uighurs seen by other Uighurs as collaborators with the ethnic Han Chinese.

Toll in China Quake Is Worse Than Feared

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Sichuan Province Saturday destroyed more than 100,000 homes and caused at least 28 deaths, China’s state-run media reported.

No Voice Is Too Small for a China Still Nervous About Dissent

China’s decision to detain petitioners reflected the extreme irritability to even minor protest actions that gripped the capital during the Olympics.

Report Accuses Officials In China of Embezzlement

A report from China’s top auditor says that ten central government departments “misused or embezzled” more than $660 million last year.

Report Accuses Officials In China of Embezzlement

A report from China’s top auditor says that ten central government departments “misused or embezzled” more than $660 million last year.

Iraq Signs Oil Deal With China Worth Up to $3 Billion

The contract was the first major oil deal the Iraq government has made with a foreign country since 2003.

China Deports 8 Americans Held in Protests

Students for a Free Tibet said eight American men were placed on a Los Angeles-bound flight on Sunday evening, just as the closing ceremony was getting under way.

Olympics Are Ratings Bonanza for Chinese TV

The broadcast of the Beijing Olympic Games has been a boon for China Central Television, one of the chief propaganda arms of the state and perhaps a new global media titan.

Iraq Poised to Revive Oil Contract With China

The 11-year-old contract with China, worth $1.2 billion, is Iraq’s largest oil deal since the invasion in 2003, an Oil Ministry official said.

5 Americans Are Arrested for Protest in Beijing

Chinese authorities arrested five Americans on Tuesday after they spelled out “Free Tibet” with blue L.E.D. lights near the National Stadium.

Would-Be Protesters Detained in China

Ten days into the Games, the government has yet to permit a single demonstration in the three official protest zones and at least four would-be protesters are in custody.

Quake Victims in China Rally From Painful Losses

Far from Beijing and its gathering of Olympic athletes, victims of the earthquake that devastated Sichuan Province learn to use prosthetic limbs at a medical center.

As Its Work Force Ages, Japan Needs and Fears Chinese Labor

With one of the world’s most rapidly aging populations and lowest birthrates, Japan is facing acute labor shortages.

KMT denies Beijing name allegations

The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) dismissed allegations yesterday that it had agreed to Beijing’s arrangement of the Olympics opening march in exchange for Chinese media referring to Taiwan’s Olympic team as Zhonghua Taibei (中華台北, Chinese Taipei).

Questions Swirl After Death of China’s Food Safety Chief

Wu Jianping, the head of China’s food safety watchdog, died after jumping from a building a day after being questioned by prosecutors about his financial assets.

Chinese Religious Dissident Escapes From Police Custody

Hua Huiqi’s escape from police custody is sure to irritate the Chinese government when it is eager to keep international attention focused on the Olympic Games.

Attack in West China Kills 3 Security Officers

The attack is the third in nine days against Chinese security forces in the autonomous region of Xinjiang.

In Grand Olympic Show, Some Sleight of Voice

At the Olympic opening ceremony, 9 year-old Lin Miaoke’s voice was perfect. Too perfect.

New Spasm of Violence in Western China as 11 Die in Wave of Bombings

The attacks in the Xinjiang region came less than a week after a separate attack in the area — described as China’s worst in recent memory — killed 16 paramilitary officers.

Police in Western China Kill 5 Suspected Militants After Bombing Attack

Five people were killed after a violent confrontation in western China in which the police fired on assailants who had attacked a police station with homemade bombs, state media reported.

Group Says Video Warns of Olympic Attack

A terrorist group seeking an independent Muslim state in western China has released a video threatening an attack on the Olympic Games.

Bush Praises China but Continues Rebuke During Embassy Dedication in Beijing

President Bush was eager to shift his focus to Olympic sports, only hours after China pointedly rebuffed his criticism of the country’s record on human rights.

Bush faces China balancing act

Aug 6 - President Bush faces a hurdle in Beijing, where he may be pressed to push on rights issues at the same time as honoring Olympic games.

Bush is expected to raise the issue of rights in China in a speech in Bangkok, according to copies of the speech which were released in advance.

Bush to Urge China to Improve Human Rights

On the eve of his arrival for the opening of the Olympics, President Bush raised “deep concerns” about China.

Opinion: An Olive Branch From the Dalai Lama

With the Tibet question casting a shadow over the Olympics, the Dalai Lama has expressed an unprecedented willingness to compromise and accept Communist Party rule in Tibet.

China Defends Right to Deny Activists’ Visas

A day after revoking the visa of former U.S. Olympian and activist Joey Cheek, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement defending China’s right to decide who crosses its borders.

China’s Leaders Are Resilient in Face of Change

An upsurge in Chinese patriotism around the Olympics has bolstered the party against international criticism.

Town in China Returns to Normal a Day After a Bold Attack

China said the men who ambushed a military police unit belong to a movement that it considers as a terrorist group.

Getting in Shape for Games, China Strengthens Ties With Neighbors

Improved relations with Taiwan and Japan have helped showcase China’s frequent claims to be a new kind of global power that intends to rise on the world stage.

Ambush in China Raises Concerns as Olympics Near

Officials labeled the attack terrorism and suggested the culprits were from a group seeking independence for China’s Uighur minority.

Booming China Suddenly Worries That a Slowdown Is Taking Hold

Growth in China is expected to slip a couple of percentage points below the double digit threshold over the coming year, relieving inflationary pressure but undermining global growth.

Despite Flaws, Rights in China Have Expanded

Political change in China, however gradual and inconsistent, has made it a significantly more open place for many people than it was a generation ago.

China’s Leader Meets the Press, but Only on His Country’s Very Narrow Terms

President Hu Jintao’s press conference on Friday was the first he has held in Beijing in the six years he has served as China’s top leader.

To Save Olympic Sailing Races, China Fights Algae

In the city of Qingdao thousands of people are mobilized to clean up an algal bloom choking the coastline and threatening to impede the competition.

Taiwan’s Olympic title fuels controversy

The head of the Sports Affairs Council said Taiwanese athletes would drop out of the Games if Beijing insisted on referring to the nation as ‘Taipei, China.’

China Sets Zones for Olympics Protests

The Chinese government will permit public protests inside three city parks, but demonstrators must obtain permits and abide by laws that usually make political demonstration nearly impossible.

China Presses Hush Money on Grieving Parents

Local governments have begun a campaign to buy the silence of parents whose children died in the earthquake.

After the Shock of an Earthquake, Thousands Now Huddle in Fear of a Flood

Emergency relief officials have created 50 evacuation routes and everyone in danger, they say, is within two miles of higher ground.

China Says It Will Accept Aid From Japan’s Military

China said it would accept disaster relief from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces in what would be the first Japanese military air mission to China since the end of World War II.

China and Taiwan Discuss Direct Flights

After a break of almost a decade, China and Taiwan agreed to resume discussions on issues such as visits by mainland Chinese, according to the state news agency.

Opinion: Terrorism and the Olympics

We should encourage China to tolerate peaceful protesters even as it prosecutes terrorists. But instead of clarifying that distinction, we have helped China blur it.

River Threatens China Quake Survivors

With millions of people downstream threatened, soldiers and engineers are at work as evacuations continue.

China Leader Makes Debut in Great Wall of Facebook

A supporter of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has set up a page on the popular social networking Web site. Already, the page has drawn more than 12,500 supporters.

Home Village Exerts Pull, Even Amid the Rubble

Returning to their villages destroyed by the May 12 earthquake in China, survivors face countless obstacles as they attempt to refashion their lives.

Parents’ Grief Turns to Rage at Chinese Officials

Protests by grieving parents are forcing Chinese officials to address a growing political backlash over shoddy construction of public schools.

Fearing Floods, Chinese Order Evacuations in Quake Area

The Chinese authorities are evacuating 150,000 people threatened by possible flooding, if natural dams on a major river were to burst.

Taiwanese Party Leader Visits Mainland China

The chairman of Taiwan’s Nationalist Party began a six-day trip to mainland China, the latest in a series of moves by officials on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to forge closer relations.

Amid Tremors, a City Trembles With Dread

Although Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, has escaped serious physical damage, it has lost its joie de vivre with each new tremor.

One-Child Policy Lifted for Quake Victims’ Parents

Chinese officials said that parents whose only child was killed or grievously injured in the May 12 earthquake could apply for legal permission to have another child.

Falun Gong Marchers Are Jeered in Chinatown

Tensions between Beijing and practitioners of Falun Gong, a form of exercise and meditation outlawed in China, are nothing new, but anguish over the recent earthquake in China led to disturbances on Sunday.

China Struggles to Shelter Millions of Quake’s Homeless

Relief agencies say China’s needs are staggering, and officials worry that the international community may not have enough tents.

Aftershock in China Topples Many Buildings

The powerful aftershock in Sichuan Province destroyed thousands more buildings and injured hundreds of people, according to reports.

Chengdu eases one-child policy for quake victims

Authorities in Chengdu City said it will relax the one-child policy for families who lost their only child in the Sichuan earthquake, the Sichuan-based Tianfu Morning Post reported, citing the provincial capital's family planning commission.

Chinese Are Left to Ask Why Schools Crumbled

A staggering number of students died as schools collapsed in the May 12 earthquake, and grieving parents are speaking out about shoddy construction.

U.N. Leader Praises China’s Quake Response

The secretary general of the United Nations flew to the heart of China’s earthquake zone and pledged his organization’s support.

When Nature Turns Savage, Like the Dogs of War

In China after the earthquake, as in combat, the agonizing choice of deciding whom to save — or ignore.

Opinion: Where Breathing Is Deadly

China’s economic boom is raising living standards hugely in many ways, but the toll of the resulting pollution can be brutal.

Learning to Speak Olympics

With the Games approaching, a question: Can an irritating monkey help China become conversant in English?

China’s Rush to Dispose of Dead Compounds Agony

Family members have not been able to identify relatives and traditional reverence for the deceased has been upset.

Russia and China Attack U.S. Missile Shield Plan

Dmitri A. Medvedev’s diplomacy in China may signal an intention to continue Russia’s assertive foreign policy.

Stillness Returns, Sadness Lingers

Along the jagged peaks that stretch north toward the Tibetan plateau, 184 historic sites were damaged or destroyed in the earthquake that struck Sichuan Province on May 12.

In Ravaging China, Quake Pushes Tibet to Sidelines

Tibetan opponents of Beijing are struggling to compete with China’s growing diplomatic and economic clout.

Global Monitor Finds No Radioactive Leaks in Quake Zone

The finding supports reassurances by China and the United States that the giant earthquake of May 12 resulted in no nuclear releases.

Rescue Ends One Ordeal for Young Chinese Pupils

Safe for the first time since disaster struck, students at a school in Chengdu, China, alternately laughed and cried, still unaware that many of their parents had died.

Opinion: Earthquake and Hope

The Sichuan earthquake may be remembered as a milestone in the peaceful evolution of China toward capitalism and democracy.

Taiwan needs 'international space' to improve China relations - president

Taiwan must be able to secure reasonable international recognition if its relations with China are to improve, said Ma Ying-jeou, the island's newly installed president.

New President Takes Office in Taiwan

A Nationalist, Ma Ying-jeou, took office as Taiwan’s new president on Tuesday and used his inaugural speech to repeat campaign promises to seek closer economic relations with mainland China and an eventual peace accord.

Dalai Lama’s Britain Visit Raises Questions of Protocol

European governments are trying to balance China’s hostility toward the Dalai Lama against their support for human rights in Tibet.

In Quake, Apotheosis of Premier ‘Grandpa’

As China grapples with its greatest natural disaster in three decades, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao’s uncommon image as an empathetic, benevolent official has been cemented in popular lore.

China Blocks Thousands of Hindus From Tibet Pilgrimage

The Chinese government is refusing to issue visas to pilgrims from Nepal and India trying to make the traditional summer journey to what they hold to be the home of Lord Shiva.

Rescues Continue in China, but Focus Is Shifting to the 5 Million Left Homeless

As the confirmed death toll rose to more than 40,000, Chinese authorities issued an urgent appeal for tents.

Opinion: China’s Class Divide

Perhaps the Sichuan earthquake can do some good by helping dispel a widespread myth: that the new generation of Chinese students are materialistic and selfish.

Many Hands, Not Held by China, Aid in Quake

Thousands of Chinese have streamed into the quake region or donated money in an unscripted response.

NY Times Slideshow: A Moment of Silence

China began three days of national mourning on Monday for victims of the earthquake that devastated Sichuan Province a week earlier.

One Week Later, a Nation Pauses to Share Its Mourning and Grief

Thousands of people tried to evacuate the Sichuan provincial capital after a televised warning of a possible severe aftershock.

In Rubble, Couple Clung to Each Other, and to Life

A tale of survival in China is also a tale of a rekindled love for two people who might have died had they been trapped alone.

As the Search for Survivors Scales Back, an Air of Hopelessness Descends

As the search for survivors was scaled back in many areas, officials announced a three-day mourning period during which the Olympic torch relay will be halted.

Earthquake Opens Gap in Controls on Media

The earthquake has tested China in many ways, but one of the biggest challenges is to the country’s sometimes sophisticated, sometimes heavy-handed propaganda system.

Chinese Flee Flood Threat From Quake

Thousands of earthquake survivors fled camps and villages after warnings that lakes and rivers were getting close to overflowing.

Larger Than Life, More to Fight Over

Statues of Martin Luther King Jr. are always too this or too that. But the memorial planned for the National Mall is too Mao?

Taiwanese tourists found alive

The 14 Taiwanese tourists who had been missing for six days since an earthquake devastated China’s Sichuan Province on Monday were finally located yesterday.

In China, Skittish Pandas, Then Exploding Cliffs

Foreign tourists described an escape from Monday’s earthquake made possible by panda keepers’ heroism.

Glimpses of Survivors, Miraculous and Few, in Earthquake’s Ruins

Chinese officials said rescuers were still finding survivors of an earthquake that has killed nearly 29,000 people.

Rescuers Aim for Chinese Villages Yet Unreached

Rescue workers are still struggling to reach untold numbers of remote villages, which could contribute tens of thousands more bodies to the earthquake death toll.

Superstitions About Quake Meet the Web, Irritating the Chinese Authorities

Persistent rumors and tall tales by some Chinese bloggers are proving nettlesome to the authorities as they grapple with China’s most calamitous disaster in a generation.

Western Experts Monitor China’s Nuclear Sites for Signs of Earthquake Damage

China’s main centers for making and storing nuclear arms lie in the earthquake zone, leading Western experts to look for signs of any damage that might allow radioactivity to escape.

In Departure, China Invites Outside Help

China sought experts and equipment from Japan and Taiwan as President Hu Jintao visited the area affected by the earthquake.

Opinion: Isolated China benefits nobody

The potential deterioration of China’s international relations serves nobody’s interest and threatens to undermine global peace and security.

Two Taiwanese reported dead, 14 remain missing

Two Taiwanese, including a three-year-old boy, were yesterday repor­ted killed following the devastating earthquake in southwest China. At press time last night, 14 Taiwanese tourists remained unreachable by phone.

China quake brings new threats

May 15 - Damage to dams is emerging as another threat to life in the aftermath of the quake that hit Sichuan province.

Official estimates of the number of dead have reached 15,000 but with an estimated 25,000 still unaccounted for, the toll is certain to rise despite the best efforts of rescue teams to find those buried in mud and rubble since the quake struck on Monday.

Protestors take aim at China's Hu

May 13 - Nepali police battle with Tibetan protestors during an anti-China rally in the capital Kathmandu.

Demonstrators tried to burn an effigy of China's President Hu Jintao following remarks by China's ambassador to Nepal.

Zheng Xialing had earlier urged the Nepali government to curb continuing Tibetan protests in the Himalayan country.

There have been regular demonstrations in Nepal by exiled Tibetans after deadly riots in Chinese-controlled Tibet in March (2008).

NY Times Slideshow: Grief in Juyuan

The children who died in the recent earthquake in China symbolized the disaster’s seemingly indiscriminate cruelty. But the cruelty, in the eyes of their parents, was also man-made.

Tiny Bodies in a Morgue, and Grief in China

Many victims of the quake are children in a country where most families are allowed to have only one.

Sichuan’s Migrant Sprawl Now a Network of Worry

Efforts by migrant workers to get word of their families in Sichuan are being thwarted by downed telephone lines and disrupted cellular phone base stations.

Rescues Require Skills, Specialists Say

Once the first 24 hours immediately after an earthquake pass, rescuing survivors becomes a technical exercise best handled by specialists.

NY Times Slideshow: The Rescue Effort Continues

In the aftermath of this week’s powerful earthquake, the latest figures put the number of people still buried at 26,000 and the missing at 14,000.

Chinese Soldiers Rush to Bolster Weakened Dams

The Chinese government said that the earthquake had damaged nearly 400 dams, and the death toll estimate rose to 15,000.

Historical Tremors

The wreckage in Dujiangyan, China, stands as a tragic monument to a culture that turned its back on its remarkable and glittering history.

NY Times Slideshow: A Historical Tibet

In Gansu and Qinghai Provinces of China, Nicholas D. Kristof encounters Tibetan herders and monks.

Opinion: The Terrified Monks

When President Bush visits China for the Olympics, he should strongly encourage serious negotiations between Beijing and the Dalai Lama.

Camera crew captures quake terror

May 12 - A Japanese camera crew captured the panic and confusion at Chengdu airport following the massive earthquake on Monday (May 12) that has killed over 12,000 people.

Chaos struck the departure terminal of Chengdu airport just as the TV Tokyo crew were in the departure lobby. Their footage shows scared and distressed people as the tremor rocked the large terminal building.

Passengers on all planes were told to evacuate and found themselves walking on the tarmac. In the terminal, security guards raced around ordering everyone out of the building before closing down the airport

Nearby residents also took to the streets, fearing more aftershocks.

China's grief grows by the day

May 14 - A massive operation to rescue the victims of one of China's deadliest earthquakes is continuing as the death toll continues to rise.

Tens of thousands of troops, firefighters and civilians raced to save more than 25,000 people buried across a wide swathe of southwest Sichuan province under collapsed schools, factories and hospitals after Monday's 7.9 magnitude quake. The official death toll climbed to 14,866, as rescuers pulled at tangled chunks of buildings for signs of life. The government sent 50,000 troops to dig for victims.

China troops boost quake rescue

May 14 - Thousands of extra troops head to Sichuan to join those already searching for survivors of the massive earthquake.

Some 30,000 additional troops are being sent to the stricken region where Monday's devastating earthquake of 7.9 magnitude flattened homes, schools, hospitals and factories.

China earthquake aftermath

May 12 - China earthquake victims brace for rainy cold night.

Residents in China's Sichuan Province are struggling to cope with rain after their homes were reduced to rubble by Monday's earthquake which had a magnitude of 7.9.

NY Times Slideshow: Powerful Earthquake Hits China

A powerful earthquake struck a mountainous region of western China on Monday, killing several thousand people and trapping more than 900 students beneath a collapsed high school.

A Rescue in China, Uncensored

The rescue effort playing on Chinese television is remarkable for a country that has a history of concealing the scope of natural calamities.

Quake Toll Rises; China Struggles to Reach Victims

Rescue workers struggled to reach the tens of thousands of people who remained buried in the aftermath of the earthquake, as the death toll climbed above 13,000.

‘No Hope’ for Children Buried in Earthquake

As dawn crept across the shattered town of Dujiangyan, the site of a school collapse became a center of mourning.

Disaster Set Off by Colliding Land Masses

As a result of a continuing collision between India and Asia, an upward thrust fault broke on Monday afternoon, generating an earthquake in the Sichuan Province of China.

Powerful Quake Ravages China, Killing Thousands

An earthquake struck in China, toppling thousands of buildings and killing at least 10,000 people.

Olympic Torch Reaches Everest Peak

The Chinese government had long hoped to have the Olympic flame lit atop the world’s highest mountain.

China Orchestra Plays for Pope for First Time, Hinting at Thaw

The concert performed for Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday could signal the end to the tense relationship between the Vatican and the Chinese government.

In His Visit to Japan, China Leader Seeks Amity

The leaders of China and Japan pledged to make their nations partners instead of rivals as Chinese President Hu Jintao began a goodwill mission to Tokyo.

Stopping Traffic in the People’s Republic

A blond man no longer stuns the Chinese, but mixed-race children do.

One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong Press

In Hong Kong’s boisterous media, daily newspapers and local television news programs regularly carry photos and reports that would be banned on the Chinese mainland.

Chinese Students in U.S. Fight View of Their Home

Chinese students in the U.S. are confronting an image of their homeland they neither recognize nor appreciate.

Protests of the West Spread in China

Demonstrations against a French supermarket chain spread as thousands of people protested what they said was France’s sympathy for pro-Tibetan agitators.

Sympathy on the Streets, but Not for the Tibetans

An incident that has gone largely unpublicized in the West has crystallized the outrage and humiliation felt by many Chinese over recent protests against the Olympics.

Olympic stadium opens its doors

Apr. 15 - Beijing's Olympic Bird's Nest Stadium makes its debut to the foreign media.

The iconic 3.5 billion yuan (500.2 million USD) arena, the centrepiece of the Beijing Olympics, took more than four years to build.

Construction started in December 2003 and was completed 14 weeks behind schedule.

It will host the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics and soccer finals during the Aug. 8-24 Summer Games.

New Museum Offers the Official Line on Tibet

The Chinese Communist Party’s unflinching line on Tibet’s historic status has fueled Tibetan resentment.

Chinese Student in U.S. Is Caught in Confrontation

A student who acted as a referee between a pro-Tibet vigil and a pro-China group has been accused of being a traitor.

More Steps Urged on Interest Rates in China

The government said price controls had limited the cost of many essential items and exports to the United States had weakened.

Coca-Cola Faces Critics of Its Olympics Support

As one of the most prominent sponsors of the Olympics, Coca-Cola found itself on the hot seat on Wednesday at its annual shareholder meeting.

Inflation and Growth Ease Somewhat in China

The figures for inflation in March and for first-quarter economic output showed that prices were still rising at an uncomfortably swift pace while the economy still threatened to overheat.

Chinese Entity Buys a Stake in British Oil Giant

A Chinese government entity has acquired a sizable stake in BP for about $2 billion, the latest indication that China is becoming an increasingly important global investor.

Europe Steps Around Tibet as Trade Issue

The European Commission said that worries about human rights and Tibet should not be “walled off” from Europe’s trade relationship with China but that it did not support boycotts.

Beijing Stops Construction for Olympics

Chinese officials laid out a sweeping series of measures intended to clear the air for the Olympics this summer.

Recycling That Harms the Environment and People

The dismantling of electronic circuit boards, which contain lead, zinc, copper and other metals, can be dangerous to human health, a new study suggests.

Beijing cleans up act for Olympics

Apr. 14 - Beijing announces new measures for heavy polluters to improve air quality for the Olympics.

To offset concerns about the health implications for competitors, Beijing is taking drastic action to ensure the Games don't stumble at the last hurdle.

Olympic torch in Oman

Apr. 14 - The Olympic torch is expected to get a protest-free outing in the Gulf sultanate of Oman for the sole Middle East leg of its journey to Beijing.

The torch was greeted in the capital Muscat by a low-key ceremony attended by the Omani Sports Minister and representatives of the Chinese diplomatic mission.

80 athletes, including Omani footballers, are expected to relay the flame along a 20-kilometre (13-mile) route.

The early stages of the torch trip in London and Paris were overshadowed by demonstrations against Beijing's crackdown on protests in Tibet, and the third stage in San Francisco was curtailed.

The most recent legs in Buenos Aires and Dar es Salaam passed with little incident.

After its trip to Oman, the torch will go to the Pakistani capital Islamabad.

China and Taiwan Report Small Steps in Easing Tensions

Weedkend meetings between top Chinese and Taiwanese officials produced progress on improving economic relations and reducing tensions across the Taiwan Strait.

Dalai Lama Says His Aides Are Talking to China

Yet officials in Beijing continue to portray him as having orchestrated protests in Tibet that have led to a crackdown and violence there.

Tibet Backers Show China Value of P.R.

With the Olympics in mind, China has been exploring American-style public relations approaches.

Olympic torch in Tanzania

Apr 13 - The Olympic torch arrives in Tanzania for its only Africa leg of the world relay ahead of Beijing games.

The Olympic torch arrived in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, on its only African leg of a relay that's has been plagued by protests.

Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai was scheduled to take part, pulled out at the last minute over China's policy in Tibet.

Monks accused of bombing

Apr 13 - Chinese police arrest nine Tibetan Buddhist monks suspected of bombing a government building in Tibet.

Chinese police have arrested nine Buddhist monks, suspected of bombing a government building in Tibet.

China has accused Tibetan groups of planning suicide attacks following last month's riots and protests, but this appeared to be the first report of a bomb attack during the unrest.

China’s Leader Insists Sovereignty Is at Stake Over Tibet

President Hu Jintao of China described the recent Tibetan demonstrations as violent crimes orchestrated by the Dalai Lama.

For the West, Many Tough Calls on China

The intrusion of politics into the 2008 Olympic Games to be hosted by China has become a major worry for diplomats, athletes and the event’s commercial sponsors.

Opinion: Don’t Know Much About Tibetan History

Tibet was not “Chinese” until Mao Zedong’s armies marched in and made it so.

Opinion: China’s Loyal Youth

As is clear to anyone who lives in China, most young ethnic Chinese strongly support their government’s suppression of the recent Tibetan uprising.

Former Party Boss in China Gets 18 Years

The former Communist Party boss of Shanghai, Chen Liangyu, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for taking bribes and abusing power.

No Trouble for Olympic Torch in Buenos Aires, to Organizers’ Relief

The Olympic torch passed through the Argentine capital in an orderly manner, making this leg of the torch relay one of the most trouble-free of its world tour to date.

China Tries to Solve Its Brand X Blues

Even as the West fears Chinese manufacturing, China fears Western brands and marketing.

Fear remains after Tibet riots

Apr. 11 - Life in a Tibetan-dominated town in China's northwest is returning to normal after last month's riots.

But fears still exist after the pro-Tibet violence which swept through the area. More than 400 people including 170 monks are still being held by authorities.

China releases riot video

Apr.11 - Chinese authorities release dramatic video to visiting journalists filmed by government sources.

Chinese officials say the video footage shot in several towns in Gansu province highlights the scale and intensity of recent unrest over Tibet.

Dalai Lama Shows Support for Olympics, and Protests

The Dalai Lama also insisted that pro-Tibet groups had the right to demonstrate during the torch relay.

Olympic Official Calls Protests a ‘Crisis’

The president of the Olympic committee called on the authorities in Beijing to improve human rights.

Carrying the Olympic Torch, and Protesting It, Too

An environmental activist from the Bronx recalled her experience of pulling out the Tibetan flag as she carried the Olympic torch in San Francisco.

Yuan Hits Milestone Against Dollar

For the first time in over a decade, the dollar bought less than 7 yuan, a milestone that is just the latest sign of China’s growing economic power.

Dalai Lama: China violence outdated

Apr. 10 - The Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, says no-one can stop protesters from expressing their anger over Tibet.

Speaking in Japan, the Dalai Lama said that China's use of violence was an outdated way to suppress unrest in Tibet but expressed support for Beijing's hosting of the Olympics.

The passing of the torch

Apr 9 - A peaceful start to San Francisco's Olympic torch relay... but all along the relay route, massive security aimed at avoiding the chaos seen when the torch passed through London and Paris.

But pro-Tibet protesters weren't the only ones there to make their voices heard. They clashed with pro-China demonstrators there to voice their support for the country hosting the Beijing's Olympic games.

Gere blasts China in pro-Tibet vigil

Apr. 9 - Actor Richard Gere has urged world leaders to "acknowledge the situation" in China regarding alleged human rights abuses by the government.

Gere is a Buddhist and supporter of Tibetan freedom made his comments ahead of a candlelight vigil in support of Tibetan freedom in San Francisco. Tibet demonstrators rallied in the streets on San Francisco during the day to protest against China's treatment of Tibet.

Gere: "Deep problems" in China

Apr 8 - In an interview with Reuters, actor Richard Gere said national leaders must acknowledge there are "deep problems" in China.

Gere, a close follower of the Dalai Lama and chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet, said the conflict could be resolved with mutual dialogue and opposed the idea of boycotting the Olympic games.

Olympics chief on torch "crisis"

April 10 - The head of the International Olympics Committee says the torch relay will not be halted despite security worries.

But after protests have disrupted the Olympic flame tour in Europe and San Francisco, the IOC expressed concern for the upcoming Beijing summer games.