Xi Jinping

In the realm of Chinese politics, Chairman Xi Jinping has long been viewed as an indomitable force, steering the nation with an iron grip. However, recent events suggest cracks in his formidable facade as mounting setbacks challenge his once-unassailable position.

Day 703 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

BELGRADE - Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlic met on Friday with a delegation of a Serbia-China association for promotion of the economy, trade, culture and tourism, noting that the two countries were connected by a strategic partnership and an iron-clad friendship forged, above all, thanks to Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Xi Jinping.

China's vice foreign minister was in Pyongyang on Friday for a meeting with his North Korean counterpart.

China and Russia are North Korea's traditional allies, and Washington warned last year that military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow were "growing and dangerous".

The United States has called on Beijing — the North's biggest economic benefactor — to restrain Pyongyang.

Xi Jinping's crackdown on official corruption has ripped through a secretive missile force, the Communist Party elite, the national football team, and now risks hammering a finance industry already grappling with an economic slowdown.

Taiwanese authorities arrested Lin Hsien-Yuan, an online journalist, who worked for a media outlet called Fingermedia, a few weeks ago over a poll showing pro-China parties on course to win the upcoming January 13 election.

A devastating earthquake of magnitude 6.2 struck Gansu Province in northwest China's Jishishan county, claiming 116 lives and injuring hundreds, as reported by CNN from state media sources.

At least 111 people were killed when an earthquake collapsed buildings in northwest China, state media reported Tuesday, as rescue workers raced to start digging through rubble.

About 100 were killed and scores more injured in Gansu province after the strong, shallow tremor struck, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing the provincial earthquake relief headquarters.

BELGRADE - Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan have sent a New Year's message to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a source in the Presidency of Serbia told Tanjug on Thursday.

It is the first New Year's message Vucic has received for 2024.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that the EU and China must address "imbalances and differences" between them.

"China is the EU's most important trading partner," von der Leyen said at the start of the Beijing summit, "but there are clear imbalances and differences that we need to overcome."