# Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Latest news and articles about Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Total: 7 articles found
Lunar‑New Year 'Lucky Bags': China’s Foreign Ministry Courts Foreign Press with a Gesture of Warmth
China’s foreign ministry presented Lunar‑New Year “lucky bags” to foreign journalists at a Beijing press briefing, a small act praised as warm by those present. The gesture illustrates how cultural rituals serve as low‑cost public diplomacy aimed at softening interactions with the foreign press amid broader diplomatic tensions.
China’s Foreign Ministry Pushes Festive Diplomacy, Courting Overseas Chinese Ahead of Lunar New Year
At the Foreign Ministry’s last press briefing before the Lunar New Year, spokesman Lin Jian extended festive wishes and highlighted a four-year consular campaign to support and engage overseas Chinese. The initiative combines welfare visits and cultural events run by embassies and consulates to foster people-to-people ties and bolster China’s soft power abroad.
Beijing Signals It May Grant Visa-Free Access to British Citizens—Details to Follow
China has told reporters it is considering unilateral visa-free access for British citizens, with detailed terms to be announced after internal procedures are completed. The move, floated during Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit, would be a high-profile confidence-building step with uncertain scope and timing.
China Signals Possible Visa-Free Entry for British Citizens as Starmer Visits — Details Pending
China has indicated it will announce details “in due course” about a possible unilateral visa-free regime for British citizens, a proposal raised during UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s visit. The move would be a pragmatic confidence-building measure with potential economic upside, but its impact depends on the specific terms and security safeguards.
Beijing Scolds Kaohsiung Officials: ‘Talking Dialogue, Practicing Confrontation’
China’s foreign ministry reproached comments from Kaohsiung officials for simultaneously professing a desire for dialogue while taking actions Beijing deems confrontational. The rebuke signals Beijing’s low tolerance for perceived mixed messaging from Taiwanese local authorities and underscores how municipal interactions have become arenas of broader cross‑strait contestation.
Pandas Return to China as Beijing Invites Japanese Visitors — A Quiet Soft‑Power Move
Two pandas from Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, returned to China on January 27 under existing agreements. Beijing used the occasion to invite Japanese visitors to see pandas in China, underscoring the animals’ role as instruments of cultural diplomacy amid broader bilateral tensions.
Beijing Says It Is 'Handling' Appointment of Japan's Chongqing Consul — A Quiet Diplomatic Signal
China's foreign ministry said it is "handling" the appointment of Japan's new consul general in Chongqing, responding to suggestions that Beijing has delayed agrément. The terse statement leaves open whether the vacancy is a routine administrative gap or a subtle diplomatic signal amid complex Sino-Japanese relations.