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☆ China says visa-free travel policy has boosted tourism
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, Dec 5 (Reuters) - China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday its visa-free travel policy has produced a clear effect, making things easier for travellers. "Going forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to adjust visa policies to create more favourable conditions and further facilitate cross-border travel," spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a press briefing when asked for an update on tourism after China announced the policy, which covers several European countries and Malaysia. Travellers walk past an installation in the shape of five stars, at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, China April 24, 2023. Germany's ambassador to China had expressed hope that China would extend the measures to all European Union members. Reporting by Andrew Hayley; Writing by Liz Lee and Bernard Orr; Editing by Tom Hogue and Miral FahmyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wang Wenbin, Tingshu Wang, Wang, Andrew Hayley, Liz Lee, Bernard Orr, Tom Hogue Organizations: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, Beijing Daxing International, REUTERS, European Union, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Malaysia, Beijing, China, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain

Travellers walk with their suitcases at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, China April 24, 2023. A recent Pew Research Center survey in 24 countries revealed that views of China were broadly negative, with 67% of adults expressing unfavourable views. Visa-free travel to Germany for Chinese nationals would only be possible if all members of the European Schengen Agreement approved, she said. This month, China expanded its visa-free transit policy to 54 countries to include citizens of Norway. It resumed 15-day visa-free entry for citizens of Singapore and Brunei in July.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Patricia Flor, Catherine Colonna, Wang Yi, Joe Cash, Ethan Wang, Ryan Woo, Christopher Cushing, Kim Coghill, Miral Organizations: Beijing Daxing International, REUTERS, Rights, Pew Research Center, Visa, French, Chamber of Commerce, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Malaysia, Taiwan, Norway, Singapore, Brunei

☆ China's capital city is letting the public take fully driverless robotaxis — and has bigger rollout plans, startup Pony.ai says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China's capital city is taking swift steps to allow robotaxi businesses to grow. As of Tuesday, the suburban Beijing city district of Yizhuang is officially letting local robotaxi operators — primarily Baidu and startup Pony.ai — charge fares for fully autonomous taxis, with no human staff inside. "We have very high confidence ... maybe only in three years, our full driverless vehicles are going to be running over the whole Beijing city," he said in an interview with CNBC on Monday. Out of more than 200 robotaxis that Pony.ai operates in the region, only about ten are currently fully driverless, Zhang said. Beijing city did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.

Persons: Ning Zhang, Beijing's, Zhang, Yin Yong, Pony.ai, Baidu, Alphabet's Waymo, Pony.ai's Zhang, —, Leswing, Lora Kolodny Organizations: Visual China, Getty, BEIJING, Baidu, CNBC, Daxing International, robotaxis, General Motors, California Department of Motor Vehicles, Beijing Daxing, Google Locations: Beijing, Yizhuang, Pony.ai, Yizhuang district, Daxing, U.S, San Francisco, California, China, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai

Travellers walk past an installation in the shape of five stars, at Beijing Daxing International Airport in Beijing, China April 24, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/file photoBEIJING, Aug 10 (Reuters) - China has lifted pandemic-era restrictions on group tours for more countries, including key markets such as the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia in a potential boon for their tourism industries. Just how much outbound Chinese tourism will bounce back for the latest group of countries remains to be seen. Shares in firms in the latest group of countries with large exposure to Chinese travel demand jumped on the news. China has never publicly acknowledged limiting group tours to South Korea.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Fumio Kishida, Don Farrell, Steve Saxon, Casey, Sophie Yu, Joyce Lee, Jamie Freed, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Beijing Daxing International, REUTERS, Japanese, Trade, Tourism, Weibo, McKinsey & Co, South, Grand Korea, Reuters, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Germany, Britain, Canada, Thailand, Russia, Cuba, Argentina, Nepal, France, Portugal, Brazil, Xinjiang, South Korean, U.S, Shanghai, Seoul

☆ Chinese company earnings reveal lopsided economic recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Summer Zhen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Restaurants and tourism businesses recovered, with travel-related consumer services sector earnings surging 155%, data from China International Capital Corp (CICC) showed. Food-and-beverage sector earnings jumped 18% and automobiles were up a smaller 8%. Several analysts believe the first quarter will be the low point for 2023 and full-year earnings will reach double digits. Refinitiv data forecasts full-year earnings growth of 26% for companies listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The materials sector posted the worst results, with earnings in steel and building materials tumbling more than 60%, respectively.

REUTERS/Thomas Suen/File PhotoJOHANNESBURG, March 28 (Reuters) - China spent $240 billion bailing out 22 developing countries between 2008 and 2021, with the amount soaring in recent years as more have struggled to repay loans spent building "Belt & Road" infrastructure, according to a study published Tuesday. People's Bank of China (PBOC) swap lines accounted for $170 billion of the rescue financing, including in Suriname, Sri Lanka and Egypt. China's rescue lending is "opaque and uncoordinated," said Brad Parks, one of the report's authors, and director of AidData, a research lab at William & Mary College in the United States. China is negotiating debt restructurings with countries including Zambia, Ghana and Sri Lanka and has been criticised for holding up the processes. In response, it has called on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to also offer debt relief.

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