China is doubling down on efforts to appeal to foreign investors, with Premier Li Qiang promising offshore players wider access to the country’s markets and better services. Addressing company executives in the eastern economic powerhouse of Zhejiang, Li said China put high value on the development of foreign-invested firms and would “steadily expand” their access … Read more
At a key meeting on Monday of the State Council, China’s cabinet, officials were urged to “revitalise and develop” the country’s football industry and bring it into a “new phase”. It was an unexpected agenda item at a meeting, chaired by Premier Li Qiang, that was largely focused on implementing decisions from the Communist Party’s … Read more
China’s foreign ministry has described a report that Defence Minister Dong Jun is under investigation as “groundless”. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday morning, citing current and former US officials, that Dong was the third consecutive serving or former Chinese defence minister to be investigated for alleged corruption. On Wednesday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning … Read more
China is preparing to set up its first centrally run enterprise dedicated to resource reuse and recycling, with President Xi Jinping calling for redoubled efforts to promote the green economy. A founding ceremony for the China Resources Recycling Group was held in the northeastern city of Tianjin on Friday, according to state news agency Xinhua. … Read more
China’s commercial aircraft have received interest from Laos, after Premier Li Qiang rolled his sleeves up to promote the symbol of advanced Chinese manufacturing and technology during his Southeast Asia tour. In a joint communique with China’s Southeast Asian neighbour on Saturday, the countries agreed to strengthen cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative and … Read more
Australian businesses welcomed the removal of China’s trade impediments on its live lobsters, which are set to be dropped after more than three years following a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday. The unofficial import ban will be lifted by the end of the year, and a timeline … Read more
In Zhongwei, a city in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region, fighting poverty seems to be a never-ending battle. While the country as a whole has made tremendous gains in living standards, in July, the city’s Shapotou district announced that 28 more individuals had been added to a poverty relapse watch list. The officials who … Read more
Premier Li Qiang called on China to explore and introduce incremental policies that are “tangible, effective and accessible to both the public and businesses”, as increasing external headwinds and prolonged weak domestic demand are creating challenges to the annual economic growth target. Analysts said Beijing was likely to opt for an expanding fiscal policy for … Read more
Yet there are also similarities between the past and present. Some observers, such as historian Niall Ferguson, have argued that the present era is one of Cold War II. The much-heralded post-Cold War ethos of win-win globalisation and free trade appears to have given way to a rude awakening that intense strategic rivalries between great … Read more
The hi-tech manufacturing hub of Suzhou in eastern China has called on civil servants to “get used to living a tight life”, rolling out spending cuts in response to Beijing’s nationwide austerity call to cope with a sluggish economy. The cutbacks include not replacing official cars until they are 10 years old or have done … Read more
