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☆ China ministry seeks more fever clinics to combat respiratory illness surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Parents take their children to see a doctor at the pediatric emergency department of a hospital in Shanghai, China, November 14, 2023. Recently, Shanghai seasonal change, A influenza and mycoplasma pneumonia high incidence. China's health ministry on Sunday urged local authorities to increase the number of fever clinics as the country grapples with a surge in respiratory illnesses in its first full winter since easing COVID-19 restrictions. National Health Commission spokesperson Mi Feng said on Sunday the surge in acute respiratory illnesses was linked to the simultaneous circulation of several kinds of pathogens, most prominently influenza. Cases among children are appearing especially high in northern areas like Beijing and Liaoning province, where hospitals are warning of long waits.

Persons: Mi Feng, Mi Organizations: Sunday, World Health Organization, China, Program, WHO, Health, State Council, State Locations: Shanghai, China, Wuhan, Beijing, Liaoning province

☆ China Grapples With Respiratory Illness Spike; WHO Says No Unusual Pathogen Found
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Andrew Silver and Nicoco ChanSHANGHAI (Reuters) - China called for vigilance on Friday as a surge of respiratory illness hit schools and hospitals and the World Health Organization, which has asked the government for disease data, said no unusual or novel pathogens had been detected. "At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it may be a new variant of COVID," he said. "I hope that people will not be biased because of the pandemic ... but look at this from a scientific perspective." "It's not that bad, there are more children falling sick now but it's mainly an issue of protection," she said. (Reporting by Andrew Silver and Nicoco Chan in Shanghai and the Beijing Newsroom; writing by Brenda Goh; editing by Robert Birsel)

Persons: Andrew Silver, Nicoco Chan, Bruce Thompson, Emily Wu, Feng Zixun, Brenda Goh, Robert Birsel Organizations: World Health Organization, State Council, State, WHO, Program, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Beijing Locations: Nicoco Chan SHANGHAI, China, Beijing, Liaoning, Wuhan, Shanghai

SHANGHAI, Nov 24 (Reuters) - China called for vigilance on Friday as a surge of respiratory illness hit schools and hospitals and the World Health Organization, which has asked the government for disease data, said no unusual or novel pathogens had been detected. The State Council said influenza would peak this winter and spring and mycoplasma pneumoniae infection would continue to be high in some areas in future. "At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that it may be a new variant of COVID," he said. "I hope that people will not be biased because of the pandemic ... but look at this from a scientific perspective." "It's not that bad, there are more children falling sick now but it's mainly an issue of protection," she said.

Persons: Bruce Thompson, Emily Wu, Feng Zixun, Andrew Silver, Nicoco Chan, Brenda Goh, Robert Birsel Organizations: World Health Organization, State Council, State, WHO, Program, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Beijing, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Beijing, Liaoning, Wuhan, Shanghai

☆ What do we know about China's new financial watchdog?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BEIJING, Nov 21 (Reuters) - China's Central Financial Commission (CFC), a new regulator with Premier Li Qiang as its head, held a meeting on Monday and urged stronger supervision of risks in the financial sector as Beijing accelerates efforts to become a "major financial power". The CFC was set up for the top-level design, development and supervision of the financial sector, strengthening "unified leadership on financial work", according to a restructuring plan published by state media in March this year. The CFC has recruited many officials from the central bank and the finance ministry, financial news outlet Caixin reported earlier this month. The appointments indicate that both officials, who are close confidants of President Xi Jinping, will play important roles in shaping China's financial policies. He was also appointed as party chief of a separate Central Financial Work Commission (CFWC), which has been set up to strengthen the ideological and political role of the party in China's overall financial system.

Persons: Li Qiang, Premier Li, Li, Lifeng, Xi Jinping, Wang Jiang, Xia Xiande, Xi, Ziyi Tang, Kevin Yao, Ryan Woo, Sumeet Chatterjee Organizations: Financial Commission, Communist Party, CFC, WHO, THE, Financial Work, China Everbright Group, Analysts, Reuters, National Financial Regulatory Administration, State Council, People's Bank of China, prudential, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing, China, Lincoln

☆ Exclusive: China orders local governments to cut exposure to public-private projects as debt risks rise, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The guidelines were mentioned in a cabinet document that was circulated among local governments, policy banks and state lenders last month, said the two sources with knowledge of the matter. The move comes after numerous local governments' PPP expenditure hit the upper limit of the threshold in recent years. But the PPP boom has alarmed authorities who say some local governments have used public-private partnerships, government investment funds and government procurement services as "disguised channels" for raising debt. The State Council and the NAO did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comments. A portion of the $12.6 trillion local government debt is linked to the PPP projects, as municipalities used these infrastructure-building initiatives as a conduit to raise capital.

Persons: Thomas Peter, NAO, Kevin Yao, Ziyi Tang, Sumeet Chatterjee Organizations: Central Business District, National People's Congress, REUTERS, Rights, International Monetary Fund, National Audit, State, State Council, Bank of, Reuters, National Development, Reform Commission, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Bank of China

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng attends a joint press conference following the 10th China-EU High-Level Economic and Trade Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China September 25, 2023. He, 68, replaced internationally respected Liu He as one of China's four vice premiers during its annual parliament session in March. The full scope of his portfolio had been largely unclear until Sunday when state media referred to him as the director of a powerful Communist Party economic body. "He Lifeng mainly implements policies from the top leader," said a policy adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity, referring to Xi. "Now under the leadership of the Party ... there will be closer cooperation among the top economic planner, central bank and the finance ministry."

Persons: Lifeng, Florence, Xi Jinping's, Liu, Xi, Liu He, Li Keqiang, Peng Liyuan, Kevin Yao, Laurie Chen, Joe Cash, Ellen Zhang, Marius Zaharia Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Communist Party, Central Financial Commission, Harvard, Investors, State Council, Party, Xiamen University, National Development, Reform Commission, Thomson Locations: China, EU, Diaoyutai, Beijing, Rights BEIJING, China's, Washington, Europe, Quanzhou, Fujian, Xiamen, Tianjin, Lincoln

☆ China's former premier Li Keqiang has died, state media reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China's Premier Li Keqiang waves as leaving the annual news conference following the closing session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 16, 2016 in Beijing, China. China's former premier Li Keqiang died just past midnight after suffering a heart attack while in Shanghai, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported Friday. That sometimes put Li at odds with Hu's successor, Chinese President Xi Jinping. Li also inspired the unofficial "Li Keqiang Index," which uses electricity consumption, rail cargo and bank lending as a proxy on the economy. While premier, Li pushed for promoting trade cooperation between China and other countries, as well as removing restrictions on the flow of people and goods within China.

Persons: Li, Li Keqiang, Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping, Xi, Li Qiang Organizations: National People's, of, State, Communist Party Locations: Beijing, China, Shanghai

☆ Exclusive: China's cabinet curbs debt growth in 12 "high risk" regions - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The sources were citing a cabinet document dated late September that was delivered to local governments and state lenders this month. The move by China's cabinet, or the State Council, to contain local government debt has not been previously reported. HIGH-RISK REGIONSThe 12 regions were previously identified as areas with "high risks" of defaulting on debt obligations. The massive piles of debt highlights local governments' financial stress, fuelling concerns of a systemic financial crisis. The bond issuance is widely believed to be part of Beijing's measures to defuse debt risks of LGFVs.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, Don Durfee, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, Tyrone, Rights, State Council, Council, LGFVs, Communist Party, Reuters, Beijing, Thomson Locations: Central, Hong Kong, China, Rights BEIJING, Liaoning, Jilin, North Korea, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tianjin, Chongqing

☆ China signals more support for struggling local governments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China on Tuesday took steps toward easing financing conditions for local governments, which have been at the crux of recent economic difficulties. The central government said it formalized a process allowing local governments to borrow funds for the year ahead — starting in the preceding fourth quarter, according to an announcement published by state media. The measure was adopted at a meeting of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, according to state media. The move helps stabilize fiscal policy, said Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the Economics Policy Commission at the China Association of Policy Science. On Tuesday, Chinese authorities also announced the issuance of 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) in government bonds for natural disaster relief, according to state media.

Persons: —, Xu Hongcai, Zhiwei Zhang Organizations: Workers, Future Publishing, Getty, State Council, National, China Association of Policy, CNBC, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Xinhua Locations: Suzhou, China's Jiangsu, BEIJING, China

The individuals' accounts varied but were consistent in describing heightened scrutiny of overseas travel even after China reopened borders in January. Reuters is reporting these measures and the scope of some post-COVID travel curbs for the first time. NEW LIMITSRestrictions on personal foreign travel have long applied to senior government officials and state executives with access to confidential information. MAPPING CONNECTIONSChinese authorities are also scrutinising personal foreign ties, according to a document seen by Reuters, one of the 10 people who discussed travel curbs and three other state-enterprise workers with knowledge of the matter. Thomas said the travel curbs in particular would have implications for China's interactions with the world.

Persons: Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Xi, Neil Thomas, Thomas, Wang Zhi'an, Engen Tham, Julie Zhu, Kane Wu, Xie Yu, Martin Quin Pollard, David Crawshaw, Vidya Ranganathan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Asia Society, Center for, State, Information Office, Communist Party, China Construction Bank, China Development Bank, National Council for Social Security Fund, Municipal Eco, Communist, Communist Youth League, Ministry of State Security, U.S . Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Beijing, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Rights SHANGHAI, HONG KONG, Center for China, Washington, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Japan, Italy

☆ China plans to ease one of the biggest hurdles for foreign business
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese authorities are signaling a softer stance on once-stringent data rules, among recent moves to ease regulation for business, especially foreign ones. But foreign businesses have found it difficult to comply — if not operate — due to vague wording on terms such as "important data." The country's top executive body, the State Council, in August revealed a 24-point plan for supporting foreign business operations in the country. The text included a call to reduce the frequency of random inspections for companies with low credit risk, and promoting data flows with "green channels" for certain foreign businesses. When U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visited China in August, she called for more action to improve predictability for U.S. businesses in China.

Persons: Reva Goujon, Goujon, Gabriel Wildau, Gina Raimondo, Martin Chorzempa, Samm Sacks, Yale Law School Paul, Chorzempa, Sacks, Beijing's Organizations: China News Service, Getty, Cyberspace Administration of China, Government, European Union Chamber of Commerce, CNBC, EU, State, China Corporate, CAC, State Council, Commerce, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Yale Law School, Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center and New, Baidu Locations: Chongqing, BEIJING, China, Beijing, Covid, U.S, Yale Law School Paul Tsai China Center and New America

☆ French court should reject lawsuit on police racial profiling, adviser says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Layli Foroudi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Sept 29 (Reuters) - An adviser to France's top administrative court urged it on Friday to reject a class action lawsuit against the state alleging police inaction on racial profiling, saying the government could not be held at fault over a lack of reform. Six human rights groups petitioning the Conseil d'Etat (State Council) argued the police discriminate against young Arab and Black men during routine patrols. The State Council, of which the public rapporteur is a member, is not bound by such opinions but follows the adviser's lead in most cases. A lawyer for the rights groups, which include Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, urged the council not to follow the recommendation. The rights groups' case is supported by statements from 40 victims as well as police.

Persons: Esther de Moustier, doesn't, Antoine Lyon, Slim Ben Achour, Layli, Rami Ayyub Organizations: State Council, Amnesty, Human Rights Watch, Thomson Locations: Caen, North

Li’s disappearance follows a series of unexplained personnel shakeups that have roiled the upper ranks of China’s ruling Communist Party this summer, including the ousting in July of former Foreign Minister Qin Gang. The Financial Times reported that the US government believes the defense minister has been placed under investigation, citing American officials. Li, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018 over China’s purchase of Russian weapons, is still listed as China’s defense minister, one of its five state councilors, and a member of the party’s powerful Central Military Commission (CMC). Beijing has never issued an explanation for Qin’s removal nor said that the former minister was under investigation. China’s State Council Information Office has not replied to queries from CNN on the matter.

Persons: Li Shangfu’s, Wu Qian, “, China’s, Qin, Li, Wu, Xi Jinping, they’ve, Li Shangfu, Antony Blinken Organizations: Beijing CNN, Defense Ministry, Communist Party, Foreign, Qin Gang, People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force, CNN, Reuters, Communist, Street Journal, The Financial Times, Central Military Commission, Development Department, State, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times Locations: China, Beijing, Washington, United States

☆ China central-bank adviser proposes structural reforms to revive economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Paramilitary police officers stand guard in front of the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the central bank (PBOC), in Beijing, China September 30, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Sept 24 (Reuters) - China has limited room for further monetary policy easing, and it should pursue structural reforms such as encouraging entrepreneurs rather than counting on macroeconomic policies to revive growth, a central bank adviser said on Sunday. "More importantly, we will again miss the opportunity for structural reforms." Liu proposed on Sunday a new round of structural reforms that could aid the economy immediately, while also injecting long-term growth momentum. Liu said on Sunday that China should give clearer recognition to private businesses' status, both ideologically and politically.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Liu Shijin, Liu, Jamie Freed Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, People's Bank of China's, U.S, Bund Summit, Development Research Center, State Council, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Shanghai

Newly installed Foreign Minister Qin Gang vanished with scant explanation in July, the same month as an abrupt shake-up of the military's elite Rocket Force, which oversees China's nuclear arsenal. China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. PROXIMITY ISN'T PATRONAGERegarding Defence Minister Li's disappearance and investigation, a ministry spokeswoman told reporters on Friday she was not aware of the situation. With corruption long permeating China's military and state institutions, some analysts and diplomats believe Xi's anti-graft crackdowns mark political purges across the Communist Party. If Li's fate "reflects Xi's increasingly inward focus, it is not good for those of us who want greater openness and lines of communications with China's military," said one Asian diplomat.

Persons: Xi Jinping, GIANLUIGI, Xi Jinping's, Li Shangfu, Qin Gang, Drew Thompson, Thompson, Li's, Li, Helena Legarda, Alexander Neill, Zhang Youxia, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Ja Ian Chong, Chong, Greg Torode, Martin Quin Pollard, William Mallard Organizations: Rights, Reuters, Foreign, Rocket Force, Pentagon, National University of Singapore, State Council and Defence Ministry, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Communist Party, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Hawaii's, Military Commission, Washington, U.S . Defence, Pacific ., East, South China Seas, Thomson Locations: Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights BEIJING, India, China, Russia, Belarus, Beijing, Jakarta, Berlin, Singapore, Washington, Asia, Pacific, Taiwan, South, East China, South China, Hong Kong

☆ Chinese defence minister under investigation for corrupt procurement
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The investigation into Li relates to procurement of military equipment, according to a regional security official and three people in direct contact with the Chinese military. Eight senior officials from the Chinese military's procurement unit, which Li led from 2017 to 2022, are also under investigation, according to two of the people in direct contact with the military. Reuters' detailed examination of the allegations against Li and the timing of the probe is based on interviews with sources who interact regularly with senior Chinese political and defence leaders, and regional officials with close knowledge of Chinese politics. The Financial Times reported on Friday, citing U.S. officials, that the U.S. government believes Li has been placed under investigation. Chinese officials initially said Qin's absence was also due to health reasons.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, U.S . State Department didn't, Japan Rahm Emanuel, Qin Gang, Qin, Xi Jinping, Lloyd Austin, Katerina Ang, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Reuters, Foreign Ministry, State Council, Defence Ministry, Financial Times, U.S, U.S . State Department, Beijing, Qin, Liberation, Rocket Force, Support Force, U.S . Defence, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Japan, U.S, Tokyo, Russia, Belarus, Vietnam, Hanoi, China, United States, Singapore

☆ U.S. Diplomat Questions Whether Chinese Defence Minister Under 'House Arrest'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Rahm Emanuel wrote: "1st: Defense Minister Li Shangfu hasn't been seen or heard from in 3 weeks. Now: He’s absent from his scheduled meeting with the Singaporean Chief of Navy because he was placed on house arrest???" China's foreign and defence ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters exclusively reported on Thursday that Li had abruptly pulled out of a meeting with Vietnamese defence leaders last week. These moves have raised questions from analysts and diplomats about a lack of transparency and unpredictable decision-making in China's leadership.

Persons: Yukiko Toyoda, Tian, Rahm Emanuel, Li Shangfu hasn't, William Shakespeare's, Li, Singapore Rahm, Sean Wat, Dong Jun, Qin Gang, Lun Tian, Martin Pollard, Xinghui, John Geddie, Neil Fullick Organizations: Twitter, Defense, Navy, Reuters, Financial Times, Singapore, PLA Navy, Liberation, Rocket Force Locations: Tian TOKYO, BEIJING, U.S, Japan, Vietnam, Denmark, Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, China, Xinghui Kok

Hong Kong CNN —China on Tuesday unveiled a plan to deepen integration between the coastal province of Fujian and self-governing Taiwan, touting the benefits of closer cross-strait cooperation while sending warships around the island in a show of military might. The document, hailed as a “blueprint” of Taiwan’s future development by Chinese experts cited in state media, comes at a delicate moment in cross-strait relations as Taiwan gears up for its presidential election in January. Ahead of Beijing’s release of its integration plan, a Chinese aircraft carrier and around two dozen Chinese warships were spotted gathering in waters near Taiwan this week, according to Taiwanese authorities. Fujian, a province of 40 million people on the western side of the Taiwan Strait, is the closest to Taiwan both geographically and culturally. In Tuesday’s directive, Beijing pledges to further speed up integration between the city of Xiamen and Kinmen – which are only a few miles apart.

Persons: Wang Ting, ” Wang, “, China’s, Kinmen, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party’s Central, State, Communist Party, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council, CNN, Times Locations: Hong Kong, China, Fujian, Taiwan, Beijing, Kinmen, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Matsu, Taipei

☆ North Korea marks 75th founding anniversary
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[14/22]Read moreShare this photoA Chinese delegation led by Liu Kuk-jung, vice-premier of the State Council and member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, who is visiting North Korea to participate in the celebration of its 75th founding anniversary, place flower baskets in front of the statues of North Korea's founder Kim Il Sung and former leader Kim Jong Il, at Mansudae hill,...

Persons: Liu Kuk, North, Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il Organizations: State Council, Political, Central Committee of, Communist Party of China Locations: North Korea

CNN —Public schools in France have been turning away students for breaking a new national ban on the abaya, a long, robe-like garment often worn by Muslim women, as a rights group filed an appeal against the prohibition. A total of 67 girls returned home rather than remove their abayas, Education Minister Gabriel Attal told CNN affiliate BFMTV on Tuesday. The ban has its legal foundation in a law passed in 2004 banning the wearing of “conspicuous” religious symbols in schools. “They say that the abaya is a religious dress, but it’s not at all, it’s not a religious dress, it’s a traditional dress, it’s a dress that all girls wear, both veiled and non-veiled, and so it’s a bit of a problem,” she said. French President Emmanuel Macron has defended the ban, saying it is not “stigmatizing” anyone but “people who push the abaya” are.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, Attal, Musulmans, Vincent Brengarth, ”, Stephane Mahe, Brengarth, Nabil Boudi, it’s, Luke, Julie, Denis, Emmanuel Macron, Hugo Travers, Macron Organizations: CNN — Public, CNN, BFMTV, State Council, Reuters, ADM, Agence, France Presse Locations: France, France’s, Nantes, Villette, Lyon, Paris, Seine

It is likely to be the biggest of three funds launched by the China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, also known as the Big Fund. Its target of 300 billion yuan ($41 billion) outdoes similar funds in 2014 and 2019, which according to government reports, raised 138.7 billion yuan and 200 billion yuan respectively. China's finance ministry is planning to contribute 60 billion yuan, said one person. Backers of the Big Fund's previous two funds include the finance ministry and deep-pocketed state-owned entities such as China Development Bank Capital, China National Tobacco Corporation and China Telecom. INVESTMENT MANAGERSThe Big Fund is considering hiring at least two institutions to invest the new fund's capital, said the three people.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Florence Lo, China's, Julie Zhu, Kevin Huang, Yelin Mo, Roxanne Liu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: U.S, China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, Big Fund, Washington, Information Office, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, REUTERS, China Development Bank Capital, China National Tobacco Corporation, China Telecom, Big, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, HK, Hua Hong Semiconductor, Memory Technologies, IC, China Aerospace Investment, China Aerospace Science, Technology Corporation, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, BEIJING, China, Beijing, U.S, Japan, Netherlands

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG, Sept 1 (Reuters) - China is set to take further action including relaxing home-purchase restrictions as it scrambles to tackle a deepening crisis in its massive debt-riddled property sector, four people familiar with the matter said. They plan to act as existing policies failed to sustain a sector rebound earlier this year, the people added. The property sector accounts for roughly a quarter of the world's second-largest economy. However, it is in the throes of an unprecedented debt crisis that market participants fear could spread throughout the financial sector at home and beyond. They also reduced the downpayment ratio to no lower than 20% for first-home buyers and no lower than 30% for second-home purchases.

Persons: Aly, Morgan Stanley, Julie Zhu, Jane Xu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Regulators, Council, Information Office, Reuters, Housing, People's Bank of China, National Administration of Financial, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou

☆ China halves stamp duty on stock trades to boost flagging market
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An electronic board shows Shanghai and Shenzhen stock indexes, at the Lujiazui financial district, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Shanghai, China October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/SHANGHAI, Aug 27 (Reuters) - China halved the stamp duty on stock trading effective Monday in the latest attempt to boost the struggling market as a recovery sputters in the world's second-biggest economy. The finance ministry said in a brief statement on Sunday it was reducing the 0.1% duty on stock trades "in order to invigorate the capital market and boost investor confidence". Along with the finance ministry move, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) is rolling out measures to shore up market confidence in investing in listed companies. China's leaders vowed late last month to reinvigorate the stock market - the world's second largest - which has been reeling as the post-pandemic recovery flags and a debt crisis in the property market deepens.

Persons: Aly, Xie Chen, CSRC, China's, Judy Hua, Joe Cash, Li Gu, William Mallard Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Shanghai Jianwen Investment Management, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Regulators, Ministry of Finance, State Council, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, Shenzhen, China, Rights BEIJING, SHANGHAI, Beijing

The attacks are forcing Russian tourists to reconsider their plans. Popular destinationCrimea has always been popular with Russian tourists, many of whom remember vacationing there during Soviet times. After Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February last year, a number of countries closed their doors to Russian tourists. Crimea suddenly became one of the few sunny beach destinations Russian tourists could still visit without having to spend a lot of money. The attack was frightening enough to scare away many of the Russian tourists who had still been planning to come.

Persons: Oleksii Reznikov, Svitlana, “, ”, Olga Maltseva, hasn’t, Iryna Vereshchuk, Putin, ” Svitlana, Vladimir Konstantinov, ATOR, ” Reznikov, Reznikov, Volodymyr Zelensky, –, ” Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Kyiv’s, “, Getty, Crimean Ministry of Resorts, Tourism, Russian Union of Travel Industry, Ukraine’s, Moscow, European Union, Association of Russian, Kyiv, Security Service of Ukraine, State Council of, Russian, Fleet, Crimean Human Rights Group Locations: Crimea, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow, Russia, Russian, St . Petersburg, AFP, Yalta, Kerch, EU, Europe, Turkey, Sochi, Republic of Crimea, Crimean, Sevastopol, Kyiv

☆ Exclusive: China plans to cut stamp duty on stocks by up to 50% to revive confidence-sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The proposal to reduce the current 0.1% stamp duty on securities trading suggested a cut of either 20% or 50%, which would be the first such reduction since 2008, the two people said. China's securities regulator also met with representatives from top Western asset managers on Friday to reassure them about the country's economic prospects, Reuters reported citing sources. China's fiscal revenue totalled 20.37 trillion yuan ($3.02 trillion) last year, with 276 billion yuan or 1.35% contributed by stamp duty on securities transactions, official data showed. Earlier this month, Bloomberg first reported Chinese authorities were considering cutting the stamp duty on stock trades. "Cutting stamp duty doesn't solve the problems that hamper China's economic growth."

Persons: Aly, Xie Chen, Huang Yan, Huang, Sumeet Chatterjee, Lincoln, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Regulators, Ministry of Finance, State Council, Information Office, of Finance, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Shanghai Jianwen Investment Management Co, Bond, Reuters, Bloomberg, Shanghai QiuYang, Shanghai, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, BEIJING, Beijing, Hong Kong

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