Liu Zhen

Zhen joined the Post in 2015 as a reporter on the China desk. She previously worked with Reuters in Beijing.

China’s President Xi Jinping and Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative. Photo: EPA-EFE

Diplomacy

Portugal’s support for China’s belt and road plan ‘bad news’ for EU

6 Dec 2018 - 10:13pm 18

Presidents Xi Jinping and Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa shake hands after their meeting in Lisbon on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Portugal signs agreement with China on Belt and Road Initiative

6 Dec 2018 - 6:50pm 31

Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan during a gala dinner in Madrid on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Diplomacy

Mao suits all round for Xi Jinping and entourage at gala dinner in Spain

30 Nov 2018 - 9:23pm 30

Xi Jinping shakes hands with Pedro Sanchez after their meeting in Madrid on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Diplomacy

China and Spain oppose protectionism as Xi touts belt and road plan

29 Nov 2018 - 9:58pm 4

Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with King Felipe of Spain in Madrid on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

Xi reaches out to Europe as US trade showdown at G20 looms

28 Nov 2018 - 11:17pm 29

China and India have agreed to increase border trade and reduce border tensions as Beijing builds relationships with its neighbours, ahead of the G20 summit, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet on the sidelines. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

China and India agree to boost trade and lower temperature on the border

26 Nov 2018 - 10:34pm 7

A limousine carrying President Xi Jinping drives past dancers in traditional attire during his arrival in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy

Of Xi’s limo diplomacy – and drive for support in trade war with US

23 Nov 2018 - 10:27pm 41

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, speaker of the Philippines’ House of Representatives, said ties between Manila and Beijing are “perhaps” as good as they have ever been. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

China-Philippine relations ‘never been better’, says ex-president Gloria Arroyo

22 Nov 2018 - 12:25pm 5

China and Philippines sign oil and gas exploration deal as Xi Jinping meets Rodrigo Duterte

Diplomacy

China and Philippines sign oil and gas exploration deal as Xi meets Duterte

21 Nov 2018 - 10:55am 82

Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed with Brune’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to link their countries’ economic development blueprints. Photo: EPA

Diplomacy

China and Brunei to step up oil and gas development in South China Sea

19 Nov 2018 - 10:47pm 16

The guided-missile destroyers Lanzhou and Changsha, part of the PLA’s South Sea Fleet. Photo: Handout

Military

China tries to strengthen navy in face of growing US challenge

17 Nov 2018 - 10:04pm 57

Chinese forces seized a US Navy buoyancy glider like this one in 2016. The vehicle uses changes in its buoyancy to convert vertical motion to horizontal, propelling itself forward while using little power. Photo: US Navy Photo

Military

Reward: China offers cash for spotting underwater foreign spy drones

14 Nov 2018 - 11:07pm 22

Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan meets former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger in Beijing on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

‘Mutual respect’ key to ending trade war, Liu tells Kissinger

11 Nov 2018 - 11:15pm 38

Russia has more than 100 products on display at this year’s Airshow China, including the S-400 Triumph air defence missile system seen here on parade in Moscow in May. Photo: AFP

Military

The Russian military hardware on show at Airshow China

10 Nov 2018 - 11:18pm 3

Air show deals highlight Russia’s prospects for arms sales to China in spite of US sanctions

Military

Air show deals highlight Russia’s prospects for arms sales to China

9 Nov 2018 - 9:58pm 37

A full-size model of China’s new stealth drone, the CH-7, is on display at Airshow China in Zhuhai. Photo: AP

Military

China’s latest stealth drones go on display at Airshow China 2018

8 Nov 2018 - 6:42am 12

PLA Red Falcons take part in an aerial display at the Zhuhai air show on Tuesday. Photo: Dickson Lee

Military

China’s biggest air show has low-budget look thanks to trade war

6 Nov 2018 - 11:33pm 2

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announces the initiative to “combat Chinese economic espionage” on Thursday. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

China tells US to provide ‘concrete evidence’ of trade secrets theft

3 Nov 2018 - 1:47am 51

Structures and an airstrip are seen on man-made Subi Reef, where China has built one of three weather observation facilities. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

Beijing opens weather stations on artificial islands in South China Sea

1 Nov 2018 - 8:56pm 8

AVIC has successfully tested the Morning Star, a solar-powered drone which is designed to remain in the air for months. Photo: Handout

Military

Successful test flight for China’s solar-powered Morning Star drone

1 Nov 2018 - 1:02am 6

Angela Merkel has made a great personal effort to promote German business in China during her 13 years as chancellor. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Merkel 'has set a good example' for Western leaders dealing with China

31 Oct 2018 - 1:03pm 8

China has only one fixed-wing plane that can fly to the polar regions, the Xue Ying 601, or Snow Hawk. Photo: CCTV

Diplomacy

China to begin building first permanent airfield in Antarctica

29 Oct 2018 - 11:46pm 9

Keeping the new Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge safe from attack will be a joint effort, a military expert said. Photo: Xinhua

Military

Counterterrorism teams ‘must work together’ on mega bridge, says expert

24 Oct 2018 - 11:58pm 6

The Hundred-Year Marathon is said to have influenced the Trump administration’s hard-nosed China policy. Photo: Tory Ho.

Diplomacy

How the United States got lost in Chinese translation

24 Oct 2018 - 10:57pm 42

The train was travelling on a route popular with tourists when the accident happened. Photo: Facebook

Society

Taiwan tourist train crash leaves at least 18 dead and 168 injured

22 Oct 2018 - 2:23pm 41

A cave-in at the Longyun Coal Mine in east China has left two people dead and 20 trapped underground. Photo: Xinhua

Society

Cave-in at Chinese coal mine kills two, leaves 20 trapped

21 Oct 2018 - 11:14pm 3

Three years after publishing his book The Hundred-Year Marathon, Michael Pillsbury’s views have been picked up by Washington officials as “evidence” to support their arguments. Photo: Tory Ho

Diplomacy

This book may be the reason Trump and his hawks are targeting China

16 Oct 2018 - 11:48am 104

China’s military has recruited specialists from the private sector to work on missile development projects. Photo: PLA Daily

Military

China’s military recruits private experts to work on defence projects

12 Oct 2018 - 11:38pm 3

The China-developed Wing Loong II will be built by Chengdu Aircraft Corp and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. Photo: Handout

Military

China, Pakistan to build 48 strike-capable Wing Loong II drones

10 Oct 2018 - 4:25pm 6

Researchers tested three different design shapes and monitored the performance of each, CCTV reported. Photo: Sina.com.cn

Military

China takes step towards precision warheads for nuclear weapon

29 Sep 2018 - 11:31pm 50

Taiwan Air Force F-16 fighter planes, which are covered by the proposed new arms deal. Photo: EPA

Diplomacy

Beijing tells US to cancel US$330 million Taiwan arms deal

25 Sep 2018 - 11:35pm 124

Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s deputy prime minister, said he hopes to sign a deal to work with China on its belt and road plan before the end of the year. Photo: Bloomberg

Diplomacy

Italy aims to be China’s first G7 partner on belt and road

22 Sep 2018 - 2:16pm 25

China’s purchase from Russia of Su-35 fighters, like this one, and a surface-to-air missile system, have resulted in sanctions by the United States. Photo: PLA

Military

What Russian weapons are being bought by China?

21 Sep 2018 - 5:55pm 19

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) with the Pakistani chief of staff Qamar Javed Bajwa. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

China urges Pakistan to maintain trust between two sides

20 Sep 2018 - 10:38pm 3

The Chinese navy has begun a nationwide scouting programme for candidates to become pilots of its carrier-based J-15 fighter jets. Photo: navy.81.cn

Military

China’s navy begins national search for trainee top-gun pilots

19 Sep 2018 - 12:39am 3

Russian, Chinese and Mongolian national flags fly from armoured vehicles during joint military exercises on Thursday in eastern Siberia. Photo: AP

Military

Russia rolls out advanced weapons during Vostok 2018 with China

15 Sep 2018 - 10:00pm 16

Mitsuhiko Fujii kicked the memorial after delivering a letter of protest. Photo: Facebook

Diplomacy

Japanese nationalists apologise for comfort woman statue kick

13 Sep 2018 - 5:02pm 19

Icebreaker could pave the way for nuclear powered super ship but for now it’s all about exploration and scientific surveys

Military

China breaks the Arctic ice with launch of new research vessel

12 Sep 2018 - 5:13pm 5

Islamabad’s new leaders tell China’s visiting foreign minister they want to review US$62 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

Diplomacy

Pakistan wants to review US$62 billion infrastructure plan with China

11 Sep 2018 - 3:54pm 6

The Royal Thai Navy signed a deal to buy an S26T submarine derived from the PLA Navy’s Yuan-class boat (pictured) last year. Photo: Handout

Military

China starts work on US$411 million submarine for Thai navy

6 Sep 2018 - 5:41am 30

The removal of the Philippine Navy’s flagship from the Half Moon Shoal by two commercial tugboats is praised as ‘a good ending for all parties’

Diplomacy

China ‘relieved’ at removal of Philippine ship from South China Sea

5 Sep 2018 - 10:34pm 5

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan’s relationship with China has returned to a “normal track”. Photo: Kyodo

Diplomacy

Hopes high as China push likely to seal huge Asian free-trade deal

3 Sep 2018 - 4:20pm 78

BRP Gregorio del Pilar, the Philippines’ largest naval ship, ran aground while on a routine patrol in the region. Photo: Twitter

Military

Beijing sends coastguard vessels after Philippine warship runs aground

31 Aug 2018 - 11:28pm 56

Currency and destination names changed on carrier’s site in ‘flexible workaround’

Diplomacy

United has solved Beijing’s ‘one China’ problem – and Taiwan is grateful

30 Aug 2018 - 5:16pm 73

The Liaoning is undergoing its first major revamp since it was commissioned in 2012. Photo: Weibo

Diplomacy

China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier gets brand new command centre

28 Aug 2018 - 2:33pm 33

A PLA rocket launch drill in a high-altitude area. Photo: wemedia.ifeng.com

Diplomacy

China ‘developing electromagnetic rocket with greater fire range’

27 Aug 2018 - 6:59pm 76

China is the second-biggest spender on defence after the United States. Photo: Xinhua

Diplomacy

Seven Chinese defence firms in world’s top 20, think tank says

25 Aug 2018 - 10:23pm 14