European Union countries will agree next month to talks with China on a pact making it easier to do business, possibly paving the way for a free-trade deal between two of the world's biggest markets, EU officials said on Tuesday.

• September 18, 2013

China's military told the United States this week not to support Japan, nor let it do as it pleased, over a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea, the Chinese Defense Ministry said on Friday.

• September 13, 2013

Steam has been seen rising from North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear facility, suggesting that the reactor has been restarted, a US institute says.

• September 12, 2013

China responded coolly on Wednesday to a French draft resolution at the U.N. Security Council to control Syria's chemical weapons, saying any decisions must be based on consensus and promote a peaceful resolution.

• September 11, 2013

China said it would not tolerate provocation after Japan's top government spokesman said on Tuesday Japan might station government workers on disputed islands in the East China Sea to defend its sovereignty.

• September 10, 2013

China's Foreign Ministry urged a role for the U.N. Security Council in resolving the crisis in Syria on Friday after the United States said it had given up trying to work with the council on Syria, accusing Russia of holding it hostage.

• September 6, 2013

The U.S. special envoy for North Korea will travel to South Korea, China and Japan next week for consultations on policy toward Pyongyang, the State Department said on Thursday.

• September 6, 2013

The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged on Thursday, and markets turned their attention to ECB chief Mario Draghi's news conference for any signs a euro zone recovery will affect the bank's policy stance.

• September 5, 2013