JIUQUAN, China, April 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - China on Wednesday announced that a veteran astronaut will this week lead two crew members on their first flight to the country's Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou-20 mission is scheduled to blast off at 5:17 pm Thursday (0917 GMT) from the Jiuquan Sate»»»

Clifford CoonanTactically, China's Xi Jinping is using the trade war as an opportunity. On a tour of Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, Xi sold a vision of Beijing as a responsible power willing to work with regional neighbours to offset the impact of US tariffs. https://p.dw.com/p/4tOQBAdvertisementC»»»

China is expected to launch a new crewed mission into space this week, as Beijing takes steady steps towards its goal of putting astronauts on the Moon. The Shenzhou-20 mission will blast off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China, carrying three astronauts to the country's »»»

— As the world rushed to pay tribute to Pope Francis following his death, the response has been comparatively muted in China – an officially atheist state with millions of Catholics whose government has had a difficult and complex relationship with the Vatican. In the passing of Pope Francis, Beiji»»»