China launches first crewed space mission

China and ASEAN states signed a declaration intended to manage disputes and encourage confidence-building. It reflected China’s growing role in regional diplomacy but did not resolve territorial...

The World Health Organization issued a global alert after cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome appeared across several countries. The outbreak tested China’s public-health transparency and...

The mainland and Hong Kong governments signed the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, reducing trade barriers and expanding economic integration. The agreement responded to Hong Kong’s economic...

A mass march in Hong Kong opposed proposed national-security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law and voiced broader dissatisfaction with governance. Estimates of turnout differed...

The World Health Organization announced that the last known chain of person-to-person SARS transmission had been interrupted. SARS began in southern China and became a transnational health crisis; the...

The National People’s Congress amended the constitution to state that citizens’ lawful private property is inviolable and that the state protects inheritance rights. The change recognized a larger...

The National People’s Congress adopted a law setting out the PRC’s position on preventing Taiwanese independence and authorizing “non-peaceful means” under specified conditions. Beijing framed it as a...

The People’s Bank of China moved from a strict US dollar peg toward a managed floating exchange-rate regime referencing a basket of currencies, and revalued the renminbi. The step responded to...

Chinese and Russian forces conducted a large joint exercise, with participation by other Shanghai Cooperation Organization states. It demonstrated expanding military cooperation and regional...

China launched Shenzhou VI, its first crewed mission carrying two astronauts and its first multi-day human spaceflight. The mission demonstrated advances in engineering and state capacity. Space...