BEIJING: The death toll from a giant explosion at a fireworks factory in central China rose to 26, with 61 more injured, officials said Tuesday. The explosion occurred at around 4:43 pm on Monday at the Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company in Liuyang, Hunan province, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Following the blast, all fireworks makers in Hunan&#39;s provincial capital Changsha, which administers Liuyang, had been ordered to stop production ahead of safety inspections, CCTV said. Videos on social media from Monday showed continuous explosions accompanied by a vast cloud of smoke rising high into the air in a rural area surrounded by mountains. Drone footage from CCTV taken a day later showed a swathe of smoldering debris where buildings had stood, with rescue workers and excavators scouring the rubble. Smoke continued to rise from some buildings left standing, many of them with their roofs blown off. Changsha mayor Chen Bozhang told a news conference on Tuesday afternoon that another five people had died since earlier reports that 21 were killed. &quot;We feel deeply grieved and filled with remorse,&quot; Chen said, adding that search and rescue work was &quot;basically complete&quot;. The central government had sent experts to guide rescue efforts, while more than 480 rescuers had been urgently dispatched to the site, according to CCTV. They had established a 3-kilometre control zone around the site and evacuated people nearby. Police had apprehended the company&#39;s management while investigations into the cause of the accident continue, CCTV said. President Xi Jinping had called for &quot;all-out efforts&quot; to treat the injured, search for missing persons, and for those responsible to be held accountable, state news agency Xinhua reported. Liuyang is a major fireworks hub, producing around 60 % of the fireworks sold in China and 70% of those exported. Industrial accidents, including in the fireworks industry, are common in China due to lax safety standards. Last year, an explosion at another fireworks factory in Hunan killed nine people, and in 2023, three people were killed after blasts struck residential buildings in the northern city of Tianjin. In February, separate explosions at fireworks shops in Hubei and Jiangsu provinces killed 12 and eight people.

Firefighters spray water at the scene of a fireworks factory explosion in Liuyang, in China’s central Hunan province on May 5, 2026. (AFP)

China

A fireworks factory explosion in central China kills 26 and injures 61, prompting safety shutdowns, evacuations, and an investigation, as authorities deploy rescuers and pledge accountability for the disaster.

China fireworks factory explosion kills 26, injures 61

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief on Tuesday over a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-fireworks-factory-explosion-kills-21-injures-61" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">deadly explosion</a>&nbsp;at a fireworks factory in China. According to an official statement posted on X (Twitter), PM Sharif said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and injuries caused by the blast in Liuyang, Hunan province. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2051678463992684944&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=a5b9dfb6e49d814bb83fcc6ff6f4a5c0f4e0e931&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2051678463992684944&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=16ff121c6dd01fb7225e26bedc145675543c5d12&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> At least 26 people were killed and 61 were injured in the explosion at a fireworks factory in Liuyang, Hunan province, according to the Chinese state broadcaster. The blast occurred around 4:43 pm Monday at the Liuyang Huasheng Fireworks Manufacturing and Display Company. Authorities ordered fireworks producers in Changsha, which oversees Liuyang, to halt operations for safety inspections. More than 480 rescuers were deployed, a control zone was set up, and nearby residents were evacuated. The prime minister extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to those injured. He also expressed solidarity with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese people and the Chinese government. Pakistan FM sends message of solidarity Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed grief on Tuesday over the fireworks factory explosion in a statement posted on X. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 369px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=e30%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2051683827840618864&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=16ff121c6dd01fb7225e26bedc145675543c5d12&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Dar said he was deeply saddened by the incident in Hunan province and extended condolences to the Chinese leadership and the families of those killed. He offered his condolences to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and said Pakistan prays for the swift recovery of those injured.

Foreign Affairs

PM Sharif offers condolences after a fireworks factory explosion in China kills 26 and injures 61; expresses solidarity with Chinese leadership, wishing recovery for those injured.

Pakistan's PM condoles with China over deadly fireworks factory blast

BEIJING: Beijing said on Monday it is in talks with Washington over a visit by US President Donald Trump expected this month. Trump has suggested Washington may delay the planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping if Beijing does not assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has effectively closed the waterway, critical to oil transportation, in retaliation for the US and Israeli war against Tehran. &#39;Maintaining communication&#39; Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry said on Monday that Beijing and Washington &quot;are maintaining communication regarding President Trump&#39;s visit to China&quot;. &quot;Head-of-state diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-US relations,&quot; spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference. He did not address Trump&#39;s recent pressure on NATO allies and China to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The &quot;tense situation&quot; in the strait has &quot;disrupted international trade routes for goods and energy&quot;, Lin said when asked about Trump&#39;s comments. Global oil prices&nbsp; Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50% since the war began, with the waterway choked off and Iran&#39;s attacks on energy and shipping industry targets in its Gulf neighbors. China is a net importer of oil and one of several major Asian economies that depend on the strait for energy. The Middle East was the source of 57% of China&#39;s direct seaborne crude imports in 2025, according to analytics firm Kpler. Washington has said Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2, although Beijing has yet to confirm those dates in line with its usual practice.

Asia

Trump has suggested Washington may delay the planned summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping if Beijing does not assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

China says 'maintaining communication' with US over Trump visit

BEIJING/MOSCOW: Russian leader Vladimir Putin hailed Moscow&#39;s economic, political, and security ties with Beijing as a &quot;stabilizing&quot; factor in turbulent times globally, in a video call with China&#39;s Xi Jinping on Wednesday. &quot;Amid growing turbulence, the foreign policy alliance between Moscow and Beijing remains an important stabilising factor,&quot; Putin told Xi in a video broadcast on Russian state TV.&nbsp; Xi was holding the call with Putin via a video link from the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The call comes days after top diplomats from both countries agreed bilateral relations could &ldquo;break new ground&rdquo; this year as <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/britains-starmer-hails-good-progress-after-meeting-chinas-xi" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Beijing</a>&nbsp;and Moscow seek to ramp up economic cooperation. &lsquo;Close exchanges&rsquo;Their strategic partnership has grown closer since Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The two leaders, who are regularly in contact, exchanged New Year greetings on Dec. 31, in which Xi expressed &quot;readiness to continue maintaining close exchanges&quot; with Putin, according to China&#39;s foreign ministry. They last met in person in September when the Russian leader attended Beijing&#39;s massive military parade. &lsquo;Unprecedented level&rsquo;During the visit, Putin told Xi during talks that their countries&#39; ties were at an &ldquo;unprecedented level&rdquo;. Putin and a slew of world leaders had visited the port city of Tianjin before that to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit - a forum that China sees as an alternative to Western-dominated international cooperation. Xi also visited Moscow last year, in May, for Russia&#39;s celebrations of the World War II defeat of the Nazis. The two chatted while they watched tanks and missiles roll across Red Square during Russia&rsquo;s flagship Victory Day Parade.

'Amid growing turbulence, the foreign policy alliance between Moscow and Beijing remains an important stabilising factor,' Putin told Xi in a video broadcast on Russian state TV. 

Putin tells Xi Moscow-Beijing alliance 'stabilizing' for world

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping called on countries to protect the &ldquo;central role&rdquo; of the United Nations in international affairs, urging his Brazilian counterpart on Friday to help safeguard international norms, state media reported. The comments come after US President Donald Trump unveiled plans for his new &ldquo;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/what-is-trumps-board-of-peace" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Board of Peace</a>&rdquo; at the World Economic Forum. While China and Brazil have both been <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-confirms-invited-to-join-trumps-board-of-peace" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">invited to join Trump&#39;s new grouping</a>, neither has confirmed participation. Xi told President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during their Friday morning phone call that in the current &ldquo;tumultuous&rdquo; international situation, China and Brazil &ldquo;are constructive forces in maintaining world peace and stability&rdquo;, according to a readout published by state broadcaster CCTV. &lsquo;Right side of history&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;They should stand firmly on the right side of history... and jointly uphold the central role of the United Nations and international fairness and justice,&rdquo; Xi said. While in Davos, Switzerland, Trump said that once complete, the board &ldquo;can do pretty much whatever we want&rdquo;, while adding that &ldquo;we&#39;ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations&rdquo;. Beijing&#39;s foreign ministry said on Wednesday that &ldquo;no matter how the international situation changes, China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core&rdquo;. Brazil has also expressed skepticism about the Board of Peace, saying it could represent &ldquo;a revocation&rdquo; of the United Nations. Multilateral trading systemLula&#39;s special adviser, Celso Amorim told Brazilian media that &ldquo;we cannot consider a reform of the UN made by one country.&rdquo; During Trump&#39;s global tariff onslaught last year, China and Brazil sought to present their countries as staunch defenders of the multilateral trading system. Xi told Lula in August that they could set an example of &quot;self-reliance&quot; for emerging powers.

Beijing's foreign ministry said on Wednesday that ‘no matter how the international situation changes, China firmly upholds the international system with the United Nations at its core’.

China's Xi urges 'central role' of UN in call with Brazil's Lula

BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the country&#39;s economy is expected to have grown &ldquo;around five percent&rdquo; in 2025, despite &ldquo;pressure&rdquo; during a year he described as &ldquo;very unusual&rdquo;, state media said. The announcement came in a New Year&#39;s Eve speech by Xi to a top political consultative body, reported by state news agency Xinhua. Such an annual expansion would be in line with the official government target and on par with the five percent growth recorded in 2024. The world&#39;s second-largest economy has come under increasing pressure in recent years, with consumer sentiment having so far failed to recover from a pandemic-induced plunge. &lsquo;Faced challenges head-on&rsquo;A persistent debt crisis in the property sector, industrial overcapacity, and heightened trade conflict with Washington have also darkened the outlook. &ldquo;We faced challenges head-on and strived diligently, successfully achieving the main goals of economic and social development,&rdquo; Xi said in his remarks to the Chinese People&#39;s Political Consultative Conference, Xinhua reported. &ldquo;The growth rate is expected to reach around five percent,&rdquo; he said. He added that &ldquo;overall social stability was maintained&rdquo; and an anti-corruption drive was &ldquo;relentlessly pursued&rdquo;, according to the report. Gathering in early MarchExperts widely expect Beijing to announce a similar economic growth target for 2026 at a major annual political gathering in early March. Data released Wednesday offered a positive sign for policymakers, with factory activity in December inching into expansionary territory to snap an eight-month streak of contraction.

Business

The Chinese president says, ‘We faced challenges head-on and strived diligently, successfully achieving the main goals of economic and social development’; experts widely expect Beijing to announce an economic growth target for 2026 at a major annual political gathering in early March.

President Xi says China to hit 2025 growth target of 'around 5%'

BEIJING: China suspended an export ban to the United States that had targeted gallium, germanium and antimony, metals crucial for modern technology, including semiconductors, Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry announced Sunday. The restrictions banned the export of so-called &quot;dual-use&quot; goods, materials that can have both civilian and military applications. Imposed in December 2024, the ban will now be suspended until November 27, 2026, Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry said in a statement. The announcement comes after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on October 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation. At one point, duties on both sides reached prohibitive triple-digit levels, hampering trade between the world&#39;s two largest economies and snarling global supply chains. Throughout the trade war, China has sought to leverage its chokehold over the critical minerals underpinning everything from smartphones to advanced military technology.

Americas

The announcement comes after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on October 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation.

China halts export ban to US of some 'dual use' materials: ministry

HONG KONG: Asian stocks were subdued Thursday morning, with investors closely watching talks between the leaders of the United States and China for potential breakthroughs to defuse a damaging trade war. Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met for the first time since 2019 in Busan, South Korea, engaging in high stakes talks about the relationship between the world&#39;s top two economies.&nbsp;The meeting comes after days of a tech-fueled bull run in global markets, boosted further by an interest rate cut in the United States, confirmed Wednesday by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. But Powell&#39;s announcement also cast doubt on an additional cut in December, jolting US markets and lifting the value of the dollar. The Nasdaq later recovered, finishing at a fourth straight record after another gain by artificial intelligence giant Nvidia, which became the first company to reach a $5 trillion market value. A &quot;cautious reaction&quot; is expected in Asia, wrote Lorraine Tan, director of equity research for the region at Morningstar, in a note. &quot;The decline in US rates provides more flexibility to the Asian central banks to lower if they want to as there may be some pressure on the USD,&quot; she said. Main benchmarks were nearly flat during Thursday morning trading in Tokyo, Shanghai and Sydney. Hong Kong &mdash; back from Wednesday&#39;s public holiday &mdash; and Taipei tracked moderate gains. Stocks in Seoul surged by more than one percent, helped partly by tech giant Samsung Electronics posting a 32 percent rise in profits on-year for the third quarter and strong automotive gains. Attention is now laser-focused on talks between Trump and Xi, which began with a handshake and friendly greetings before closed-door discussions between the two sides&#39; delegations. Before the talks kicked off in earnest, Xi said the two countries &quot;should be partners and friends,&quot; while Trump said they would have a &quot;fantastic relationship for a long time.&quot; Markets have been boosted by comments this week by Trump expressing confidence that a sweeping deal can be struck with Beijing. Among the key issues that could be discussed are the supply of rare earth minerals &mdash; a strategic sector currently dominated by China &mdash; competition over artificial intelligence and computer chips and geopolitical hotspots, including Ukraine and Taiwan. Key figures at around 0230 GMT&nbsp;Tokyo - Nikkei 225:&nbsp;UP 0.1 percent at 51,368.71&nbsp;Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index:&nbsp;UP 0.5 percent at 26,475.53&nbsp;Shanghai - Composite:&nbsp;DOWN 0.2 percent at 4,009.86&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate:&nbsp;DOWN 0.6 percent at $60.09 per barrel&nbsp;Brent North Sea Crude:&nbsp;DOWN 0.6 percent at $64.53 per barrel&nbsp;Euro/dollar:&nbsp;UP at $1.1615 from $1.1595 on Wednesday&nbsp;Pound/dollar: UP&nbsp;at $1.3205 from $1.3187&nbsp;Dollar/yen: DOWN at 152.49 yen from 152.82 yen&nbsp;Euro/pound:&nbsp;UP at 87.96 from 87.94 pence&nbsp;New York - Dow:&nbsp;DOWN 0.2 percent at 47,632.00 (close)&nbsp;London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 9,756.14 (close)

The meeting comes after days of a tech-fueled bull run in global markets, boosted further by an interest rate cut in the United States.

Asia stocks muted with all eyes on Trump-Xi meeting

BEIJING: China said that leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump will have &quot;in depth&quot; talks on &quot;major issues&quot; on Thursday, as expectations grew for their high-stakes talks in South Korea. Trump has said he expected their first face-to-face meeting of his second term to result in the United States lowering tariffs imposed on China in relation to fentanyl. Beijing confirmed the face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of a summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which is taking place in the city of Gyeongju. The Chinese foreign ministry said the talks would take place in Busan, a short flight from Gyeongju. &quot;During this meeting, the two leaders will have in depth communication on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-US relations, as well as major issues of mutual concern,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news conference on Wednesday. &quot;We are willing to work together with the US side to ensure that this meeting yields positive outcomes, provides new guidance, and injects new momentum into the stable development of China-US relations,&quot; Guo added. Trump said earlier he expected a &quot;lot of problems&quot; to be solved with Xi in their talks on dialling down their hugely damaging trade war.

The two leaders are set to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

China says Xi, Trump to have 'in depth' talks on 'major issues'

BEIJING: China&#39;s foreign minister warned on Monday that a &quot;multipolar world is coming&quot;, a veiled jab at Washington ahead of key talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.&nbsp;Global markets are watching closely to see if Thursday&#39;s planned meeting between the two presidents can halt a trade war sparked by the sweeping tariffs Trump announced after returning to office this year.&nbsp;Speaking at a forum in Beijing on Monday, Wang Yi urged &quot;an end to politicizing economic and trade issues, artificially fragmenting global markets, and resorting to trade wars and tariff battles.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Frequently withdrawing from agreements and reneging on commitments, while enthusiastically forming blocs and cliques, has subjected multilateralism to unprecedented challenges,&quot; Wang said, without naming specific countries.&nbsp;&quot;The tide of history cannot be reversed, and a multipolar world is coming,&quot; Wang said.&nbsp;Trump began a tour of Asia on Sunday, which is set to culminate in a meeting with Xi in South Korea -- the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since the US president began his second term in January.&nbsp;US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China&#39;s Vice Premier He Lifeng have already held two days of trade talks, seeking an agreement to avoid additional 100% tariffs set to take effect on Nov. 1.&nbsp;China&#39;s vice commerce minister, Li Chenggang, said a &quot;preliminary consensus&quot; had been reached.&nbsp;Bessent told ABC that the extra tariffs had effectively been averted and signaled that a deal on rare earths and American soybean exports had been reached.

Global markets are watching closely to see if Thursday's planned meeting between the two presidents can halt a trade war sparked by the sweeping tariffs Trump announced after returning to office this year.

Articles tagged with "Chinese President Xi Jinping"