A weekly edition of the state-owned publication appeared on UK newsstands last Friday (3 December) and is also available on subscription.

PrintWeek understands that the 32pp title is printed at Newsfax in East London; it has coincided with a European launch of the title, printed in Belgium. The UK edition is reportedly a 25,000 copy print run each week.

It also follows the launch of the China Daily US edition, which is printed at five locations across the US.

The title covers politics, business, culture and society, and is aimed at European, as well as Chinese, readers.

According to the publisher, the UK publication "builds on China Daily’s aspiration to be a newspaper which provides a window for China to understand and be understood by the world".

Renzhong Zhi, general manager of China Daily UK, said: "We identified a gap to provide a useful source of news and analysis to European businesses seeking to better understand and engage with China. 

"As more partnerships develop between China and the West, it is crucial that there exists a regular source of insight on changing trends. While there is an element of breaking news, the majority of the paper seeks to provide a more in-depth review of headlines of the week – a useful guide to help readers understand the emerging opportunities that exist between China and Europe."