After a decade in Chinese President Xi Jinping's shadow, Li Keqiang is taking his final bow as the country's premier, marking a shift away from the skilled technocrats who have helped steer the world's second-biggest economy in favour of officials known mainly for their unquestioned loyalty
Chinese students in rural areas struggle with poor teachers, nutritional deficiencies, and mobility issues, whereas education in urban areas places a strong emphasis on creativity and innovation, assisting young people in arming themselves with knowledge and skills
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday questioned External Affairs S Jaishankar's recent remarks on the size of the Chinese economy, asking the minister if India's economy was big when the country was fighting with the Britishers.
Though 2023 started on a weak note for stock investors, the outlook is expected to be bright globally as the year proceeds, fueled partly by the reopening of the Chinese economy after the Covid-induced lockdown.
China's exports to its largest trading partner, the US, fell by 12.6 per cent in October, a third-straight month of decline. Exports to the EU were down by 9 per cent.
This was well below forecast and seems to have been caused by lockdowns associated with its Zero Covid policy, the London-based consultancy said in a report.
The Chinese economy was already struggling when Beijing abruptly relaxed its stringent zero-Covid policy. Retail sales had contracted in November because of widespread lockdowns, and unemployment had surged to the highest level in six months.
As Chinese leader Xi Jinping kicks off his third term as general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Beijing is reeling under economic stress due to the real estate crisis and zero-Covid policy, deeply affecting its manufacturing units.