Latest news with #ChinesePeople
Bloomberg
7 days ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Rubio Eulogizes Tiananmen Protesters as Hong Kong Issues Warning
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised pro-democracy protesters who were killed in Beijing's bloody Tiananmen Square crackdown 36 years ago, carrying on Washington's criticism of China's human rights record as tariff disputes further test already frayed ties. 'Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989,' Rubio said in a statement on Tuesday.
Reuters
7 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Rubio praises bravery of Chinese people killed in Tiananmen Square crackdown
June 3 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday praised the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed in a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters at Tiananmen Square in Beijing 36 years ago. "Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Rubio said in a statement. "The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Chinese tanks rolled into the square before dawn on June 4, 1989, and troops opened fire to end weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers. The ruling Communist Party has never released a death toll, though rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into the thousands. The events are a taboo topic in China and the anniversary is not marked or publicly discussed, although public commemorations take place annually in overseas cities. "Their courage in the face of certain danger reminds us that the principles of freedom, democracy, and self-rule are not just American principles. They are human principles the CCP cannot erase," Rubio said. The statement from the U.S.'s top diplomat comes at a rocky time in the U.S.-China relationship. Since beginning his second White House term on January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump has unleashed 145% tariffs on most Chinese goods over what his administration sees as decades of trade abuses by China. Beijing responded with its own 125% tariffs on U.S. products. Officials from the two sides agreed in Geneva to dial back the triple-digit tariffs for 90 days, but have yet to address the underlying reasons for Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods, mainly longstanding U.S. complaints about China's state-dominated, export-driven economic model. Senior U.S. officials have said this week that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would speak soon to iron out trade issues, including a dispute over critical minerals and China's restrictions on exports of certain minerals. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a regular news briefing on Tuesday the Trump administration "is actively monitoring China's compliance with the Geneva trade agreement," and added that "there will be a leader-to-leader talk very soon."
Free Malaysia Today
03-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Chinese travel more during Dragon Boat holiday but spending lags
China's Dragon Boat Festival took place from May 31 to June 2, 2025 and was celebrated throughout the country with local dragon boat races. (EPA Images pic) HONG KONG : Chinese people travelled more over the three-day Dragon Boat holiday this year, but spending remained below pre-pandemic levels, government data showed today, indicators that are closely watched as barometers of consumer confidence. Consumption in the world's second-largest economy has suffered amid sputtering growth and a prolonged property crisis, with uncertainty from the US-China trade war also weighing on consumer confidence. The latest data painted a mixed picture for China's consumer economy. Tourists took an estimated 119 million domestic journeys from Friday to Monday, up 5.7% from the same holiday period last year, according to the tourism and culture ministry. Overall spending over the period rose to ¥42.73 billion (US$5.94 billion, a year-on-year increase of 5.9%, but the average amount spent per traveller was a little under ¥360 (US$50), according to Reuters calculations, remaining stubbornly below 2019 levels of around ¥410 per trip. The annual festival took place from May 31 to June 2 this year and is celebrated throughout the country with local dragon boat races. Many people take the opportunity to have short holidays, crowding train stations and airports around the country. Overall, more than 653.7 million inter-regional trips across all regions in China, which include tourist trips, were made during the three-day holiday, up 2.5% year-on-year, state media Xinhua reported today, and road travel was up 2.4% from last year with 597.3 million trips recorded. Cross-border journeys rose 2.7% to 5.9 million, with 231,000 foreign nationals entering the country visa-free during the holiday. China has been expanding its visa policy, with citizens of 43 countries granted visa-free access, while visa-free transit for up to 240 hours in China is available for 54 countries. Chinese also boosted spending on entertainment over the holiday, with cinema box office revenue reaching ¥460 million (US$63.9 million), surpassing last year's ¥384 million, according to data from online ticketing platform Maoyan. Tom Cruise's latest movie 'Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning' topped charts, and generated ¥228 million, half of the total revenue during the holiday period, which was seen as a positive indicator for the upcoming summer season.
Reuters
03-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
China sees 657 million trips during Dragon Boat holiday, up 3% y/y
HONG KONG, June 3 (Reuters) - Chinese people took an estimated 657 million passenger trips during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, up 3% year-on-year, the country's state broadcaster reported, with the indicator closely watched as a barometer of Chinese consumer confidence.
