Chinese government

A growing number of countries in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific have banned the popular video-sharing app TikTok from government devices as privacy and cybersecurity concerns increase. A handful have prohibited the app altogether.

The Chinese military said it had tracked a US warship in the South China Sea on Thursday and "warned it to leave" waters claimed by Beijing.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea -- a strategic waterway through which trillions of dollars in trade passes annually -- despite an international court ruling that the assertion has no legal basis.

The US administration has suspended the export licenses of American companies for the production of the Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer Huawei and is considering the introduction of а ban, the Financial Times reported.

China will lift its quarantine requirement for inbound travellers starting from January 8. It will also resume issuing visas for residents to travel overseas.

Patients, most of them elderly, are lying on stretchers in hallways and taking oxygen while sitting in wheelchairs as COVID-19 surges in China's capital Beijing.

The Chuiyangliu hospital in the city's east was packed with newly arrived patients on Thursday. By midmorning beds had run out, even as ambulances continued to bring those in need.

The Chinese government sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on visitors from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations.

The first joint public appearance of the two officials took place at the headquarters of MI5 in London, writes the BBC.
FBI Director Christopher Wray has said that China is the "biggest long-term economic and national security threat" and that it is meddling in US domestic politics, including meddling in recent elections.

The head of the FBI and the leader of Britain's domestic intelligence agency raised fresh alarms Wednesday about the Chinese government, warning business leaders that Beijing is determined to steal their technology for competitive gain.

Leaders of the US Senate Intelligence Committee have called for an investigation into whether Chinese officials are getting access to data about U.S. users of video-snippet sharing sensation TikTok.    

In a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chairwoman Lina Khan, the senators urged her to scrutinize how well TikTok safeguards private data.   

Every few generations, Hong Kong transforms itself, evolving from a swampy fishing village to 19th century colonial port, to capitalist outpost and factory after China's 1949 revolution, to 21st century financial center.