The controversial practice has long been criticized by human rights campaigners who say that it could hasten the pace that prisoners are put to death in China.
The woman is suing the government after customs officers confiscated books without telling her why they were banned. The case comes as the country is taking steps to revamp its legal system.
China has for the first time announced a ceiling to its future carbon emissions. Critics say the commitment is primarily symbolic, and unlikely to have a significant impact in the near future.
Chinese investors will now be allowed to directly buy stock in Hong Kong and foreign investors will be able to do the same in Shanghai. Its a small move with big implications.
Even the White House wasn't sure what to expect when Chinese President Xi Jinping took a rare question from a U.S. reporter during a joint news conference with President Obama in Beijing.
The first impression most Chinese have of the U.S. government comes when they apply for a visa. A deal announced this week between the U.S. and China may spare people from having to apply every year.
The Chinese island is renowned as a gambling capital and a place to launder cash. An anti-graft campaign has driven away high rollers and others dependent on its shady financial services.
The existing tariff system, which adds as much as 25 percent to the cost of American high-tech exports, covers more than $4 trillion in annual trade, the White House says.