Newly released satellite images have revealed a vast military installation under construction in China’s Xinjiang desert, sparking renewed international concern. The octagonal complex, located near a long-range missile center, includes hundreds of bunkers, missile launch pads, and other military structures. Analysts suggest the facility is part of Beijing’s plan to strengthen its strategic nuclear capabilities and ensure retaliatory capacity in the event of a conflict with the United States.

The imagery, analyzed by Reuters, shows the development of command centers, barracks, transport routes, and an airbase, indicating that the site is evolving into a full-scale military complex rather than a simple weapons depot. According to experts, China already possesses long-range missiles capable of striking multiple U.S. cities, and the new underground infrastructure aims to protect and sustain these weapons after potential attacks.

The construction comes amid heightened U.S.-China tensions over Taiwan. A recent Pentagon report noted China’s goal to amass 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030, adding further speculation about the purpose and scale of the Xinjiang facilities.

China has decided to boycott the Asian security summit known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, which is being held in Singapore from May 29 to 31, 2026. The event, hosted at the Shangri-La Hotel, brings together defense leaders, military chiefs, and security experts from around the world. U.S. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is scheduled to be the keynote speaker, but Chinese top officials will not attend despite the inclusion of major issues such as the Iran war.

According to the organizers, the 23rd edition of the Shangri-La Dialogue will include 54 ministerial-level representatives from 44 countries. The absence of China comes at a time of heightened regional and global tensions. Kepler, a maritime monitoring agency, reported that 57 percent of China’s crude oil imports in 2025 came from the Middle East, but supplies were severely disrupted after U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, Oh Ei Sun, noted that renewed U.S.-Iran clashes have reduced the likelihood of any meaningful agreements emerging from the summit.

In 2012, then–Vice President Xi Jinping told Bill Gates during a meeting in Beijing that he had quit smoking years earlier and felt much better. He described tobacco use as a serious problem for China and expressed a desire to take action against it. Days later, Gates attended an anti-smoking event with Xi’s wife, singer Peng Liyuan, where both wore red shirts bearing anti-smoking slogans.

Fourteen years later, Xi has become China’s most powerful leader in decades, yet progress on tobacco control remains limited. Despite global declines in cigarette sales, China’s consumption rose 39 percent between 2003 and 2023, while the rest of the world saw a 26 percent drop. A private report by former officials of China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that China sells about 2.4 trillion cigarettes annually, nearly half of global sales.

Experts attribute the lack of progress partly to the influence of the State Tobacco Administration, which both regulates and operates the industry through the China National Tobacco Corporation. The company earned about 244 billion dollars in 2025, roughly 7 percent of national revenue, comparable to China’s declared defense budget.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a coal mine explosion in China’s Shanxi province. In a condolence message issued on Sunday, he conveyed sympathy on behalf of his government and the people of Bangladesh to the bereaved families and the people of China. The message was shared through the Prime Minister’s Office’s official Facebook page.

The Prime Minister extended prayers for the rescue teams working tirelessly to find the injured and missing workers. He affirmed Bangladesh’s solidarity with China during this tragedy and praised the ongoing efforts to assist victims, treat the injured, and investigate the incident. He also wished that all those affected by the disaster find patience, courage, and comfort.

According to Chinese state media, the gas explosion occurred last Friday at 7:29 p.m. local time, killing at least 90 people while 247 workers were inside the mine at the time of the accident.

Severe rainfall and flash floods in southwest China have left one person dead and 17 others missing, according to state media reports on Sunday. The incident occurred in Yongchuan District, where continuous heavy rain fell from late Saturday night to Sunday morning, causing widespread waterlogging and flooding. Rescue teams are conducting search operations to locate the missing individuals.

Local authorities reported that a road area recorded 296.6 millimeters of rainfall within just two hours, one of the highest recent measurements. The downpour disrupted road transport and caused damage in several areas. Emergency rescue operations have been intensified, and alerts remain in effect across affected regions.

Officials stated that emergency response measures are being reinforced to manage the situation and minimize further losses as rainfall continues to affect the region.

China is set to launch the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft on Sunday at 11:08 p.m. from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, using a Long March-2F Y23 rocket. The mission, part of preparations to send humans to the Moon by 2030, will see three astronauts spend one year aboard the Tiangong space station, marking a new record for China’s space program. The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Yuanzhi, and payload specialist Li Jiaying, the first astronaut from Hong Kong and a former police officer.

The mission aims to study the physical and psychological effects of long-term space habitation, including radiation exposure, bone density loss, and mental stress. It will also test the feasibility of extended human stays in space, a key step toward China’s lunar ambitions.

The launch comes as the United States targets a 2028 human lunar landing, while China plans its own by 2030 and envisions a joint permanent lunar base with Russia by 2035.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has expressed deep sorrow and sympathy over a deadly explosion at a coal mine in northern China that killed 90 people and injured many others. The party’s Secretary General, Mia Golam Porwar, conveyed the condolences in a statement issued to the media on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

According to the statement, the explosion occurred on May 21 in northern China, leaving 90 people dead and many injured. At the time of the statement, at least 201 victims had been rescued, including 123 who were receiving treatment in hospitals. Porwar described the incident as a major loss for China and extended condolences on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami and the people of Bangladesh to the victims’ families, the Chinese people, and the government.

He also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured and expressed hope that the Chinese government and people would soon overcome the tragedy and its consequences.

A gas explosion at a coal mine in northern China’s Shanxi province has killed 90 people, marking the country’s deadliest mining accident in more than a decade. The incident occurred at the Liusheniu coal mine in Changzhi city on Friday evening around 7:30 p.m. local time. At the time of the explosion, 247 workers were inside the mine. By Saturday morning, at least 201 workers had been rescued, while nine others remained missing.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, rescue operations are still underway, and the number of casualties is being verified. The state news agency Xinhua reported that carbon monoxide levels inside the mine had dangerously exceeded safety limits before the explosion. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered a full-scale rescue effort and called for a thorough investigation into the incident, instructing that those responsible be held legally accountable.

China has called on the United States to refrain from making threats of force and to stop using sanctions and judicial measures against Cuba. The appeal was made by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun during a regular briefing on Thursday, where he emphasized that Washington should cease actions that undermine Cuba’s sovereignty.

Guo stated that China firmly supports Cuba’s efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and national dignity and opposes any form of external interference. His remarks came after the United States filed charges of murder and conspiracy against former Cuban leader Raúl Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft between Cuba and Florida, an incident that continues to strain U.S.-Cuba relations.

Cuba has rejected the U.S. charges as politically motivated, while China’s comments signal its alignment with Havana and opposition to U.S. pressure tactics in the region.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will visit Beijing from May 23 to 26, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The visit aims to advance bilateral relations and discuss shared interests between the two countries. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the leaders will meet in Beijing to address ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and promote peace initiatives.

China expressed full support for Pakistan’s “fair and balanced” mediation role in efforts to restore peace and stability in the Middle East. In recent months, Pakistan has acted as a key mediator in easing tensions between the United States and Iran. As part of these diplomatic efforts, Pakistan’s army chief and commander-in-chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, is visiting Tehran on Thursday.

The visit follows Beijing’s recent hosting of U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, reflecting China’s active engagement in global diplomacy.

China has condemned the United States for filing murder and conspiracy charges against former Cuban president Raul Castro. Beijing stated that Washington should cease its legal actions and threats toward Cuba. The remarks came from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun during a regular press briefing on Thursday.

According to the report, the United States has accused the 94-year-old Raul Castro of involvement in a conspiracy to commit murder, linked to the 1996 downing of two aircraft between Cuba and Florida that resulted in the deaths of American citizens. At that time, Castro was serving as commander of Cuba’s armed forces and faced strong international criticism following the incident.

China’s statement reflects its opposition to U.S. sanctions and judicial measures against Cuba, urging Washington to avoid repeated threats of force in dealing with disagreements.

Beijing hosted U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in close succession, welcoming both with similar pomp and ceremony. Despite the matching grandeur, China’s approach carried subtle distinctions. Trump was greeted by China’s vice president, a largely ceremonial figure, while Putin was received by a senior Communist Party Politburo member, signaling that Beijing views Moscow as a closer partner in an emerging non-Western order.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov downplayed comparisons, but Russian state media framed Putin as a “trusted ally” and Trump as an “uncertain partner.” While Trump’s visit produced few tangible results on trade or technology issues, Putin’s trip held deeper strategic weight amid Russia’s economic strain and Western sanctions. Discussions included the long-delayed Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline, though no concrete timeline was announced.

Analysts cited in the report said Chinese President Xi Jinping gained the most diplomatically, portraying himself as a global power broker by hosting both leaders within the same month. However, neither visit yielded progress on major conflicts such as the war in Ukraine or Middle East tensions.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Beijing on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. At the start of their meeting, Xi warned that the world risked returning to a 'law of the jungle' situation, implying a global order dominated by power rather than rules. He described China-Russia relations as a major force for global stability. The meeting took place just days after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump, highlighting Beijing’s active diplomatic engagements with major powers.

Before the bilateral talks at the Great Hall of the People, Putin received a red-carpet welcome with full state honors. A military band played both national anthems, Chinese troops presented a guard of honor, and children waved Chinese and Russian flags while shouting greetings in Chinese. The ceremony mirrored the recent reception for Trump’s visit, which included discussions on trade, investment, and regional issues such as Iran and Taiwan.

The meeting underscored China’s effort to balance relations with both Russia and the United States amid shifting global dynamics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that relations between China and Russia have reached an unprecedented height, describing them as a model for modern international relations. He made the remarks during the opening of a high-level meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Putin emphasized that despite global challenges, the two nations’ strategic partnership and economic cooperation continue to advance strongly.

According to Putin, trade between China and Russia has increased more than thirtyfold over the past twenty-five years, with annual trade volumes exceeding 200 billion dollars for several consecutive years. He identified the energy sector as the main driver of economic cooperation, noting that Russia remains a reliable energy supplier while China acts as a responsible consumer amid ongoing Middle East tensions.

Putin added that the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries serves as an exemplary model of state relations in the modern era, built on mutual trust and resilience against global pressures, with the welfare and prosperity of both peoples as its core objective.

Beijing has announced the purchase of 200 Boeing aircraft, confirmed by China’s Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday. The announcement coincided with a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under the agreement, the United States will ensure the supply of aircraft engines and components to China.

The ministry stated that both sides will work to extend the tariff truce agreed upon last October and explore ways to reduce tariffs on goods worth 30 billion dollars or more. Boeing described its recent visit to China as highly successful, noting that the reopening of the Chinese market for Boeing aircraft was a key achievement. The company said the 200-aircraft order represents an initial commitment, with expectations of further agreements.

Earlier, Chinese and US officials reached an understanding in Kuala Lumpur to extend the tariff truce until November of this year, including reduced US tariffs on Chinese goods and suspension of Chinese restrictions on rare earth exports.