While many U.S. papers shrink, the fat, color-printed Chinese broadsheet is expanding across America and opening a one-man Portland bureau. A Chinese official praises the mainland-friendly publication and to begin repairing Portland ties frayed by a recent dust-up over Tibet.

The official death toll from 6.9 magnitude China earthquake rose above 1,100 Friday. Thousands of Tibetan Buddhist monks joined Chinese soldiers to distribute food and clothes in the devastated town of Jiegu. Chinese, Tibetan, and international aid groups rallied in both official and grassroots relief efforts Friday to help the 100,000 people left homeless in western China by a devastating earthquake.

Common strategic interest will bring China close to Latin America as both seek development in a new global order. But cultural relations have lagged behind the development of trade and business ties. Due to geographical distance and cultural differences, the peoples of China and Latin America do not understand each other deeply.

The Alaafin of Oyo... has advocated closer cultural ties between Nigeria and China. The monarch opined that this would go a long way in bringing mutual benefits to the government and people of the two nations.

Although the dispute between the Chinese government and Google continues to evolve, there were signs at the beginning of April that a ceasefire may be taking hold, one that could allow both sides to plausibly claim victory.

"Our primary concern is to make an easier road for overseas Chinese students who want to go back to China, but we also want to make it easier for those in China who wish to study in the U.S.," says [Chinese Returnees International] member Sue Wang, a graduate of Michigan State University.

Everyone is an architecture critic. Why not? So many of the national pavilions at the Shanghai Expo are peacocks waiting to be admired — or not — and it would probably drive their creators nuts if everyone didn't have an opinion.

The curtain has risen for the Festival of India in Beijing, a six-month long event packed with cultural events and inaugurated by Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna.