China today cancelled a planned visit by Japan’s foreign minister, after Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi infuriated Beijing by visiting a contentious war shrine.

China today denied a news report that Chinese-made military explosives were used in the London underground attacks on July 7.

China today asked Washington to stop an effort by US lawmakers to establish a military training programme for rival Taiwan.

A top Chinese Communist Party official will travel to North Korea this week, the foreign ministry said today, amid renewed efforts to get Pyongyang to resume stalled talks on its nuclear weapons programme.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw today defended a UK campaign to lift a European arms embargo on China and predicted it would be overturned within six months.

China is willing to host the US proposed six-nation talks on North Korea’s suspected nuclear weapons programme “as soon as possible.”

NORTH KOREA has told the US administration it has produced enough plutonium to make six nuclear bombs, it was reported yesterday.

China today accused the United States of “violating the norms of international behaviour” and called for military action to halt before a full scale attack on Iraq begins.

The new US draft resolution on Iraq today set off a final diplomatic push for tough new weapons inspections, backed by threats of force if Saddam Hussein continues to skirt his disarmament obligations.

The man expected to become China's next leader has met George Bush and, in a rare public appearance, said their countries share important responsibilities.