A man who flew his plane into Beijing’s tallest skyscraper last week was a 66-year-old local resident who had expressed suicidal thoughts, Chinese authorities said Thursday, amid intense speculation about the pilot’s identity and motivation.

Heavy rains have left five people dead in northern China, while a tropical storm has toppled tree and submerged cars in the south, according to state media.

Beijing’s No. 2 official played down worries about the disruption wrought by his country’s surging exports on the global economy, championing the benefits provided to the world by China’s development.

China's commerce ministry says Beijing and Brussels will be holding ministerial-level meetings once or twice a year

The shake-up is believed to be an effort to ensure the military's loyalty to the Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping.

Students pose for photos after the graduation ceremony at Renmin University of China in Beijing, capital of China, July 4, 2026. Renmin University of China held the graduation ceremony on Saturday and saw about 8,244 graduates participating in the on-campus celebrations. (Photo: Xinhua)

Iran’s ambassador to Beijing said China and other friendly nations will be granted “special considerations” when Tehran determines the level and nature of service fees charged to ships using the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States and the European Union expressed ⁠concern ⁠on Thursday about China's new law on ⁠ethnic unity that went into effect this week and gives Beijing the legal basis to ​take action against people outside its borders.