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An aerial view shows the 39 buildings developed by China Evergrande Group that authorities have issued demolition order, on the man-made Ocean Flower Island in Danzhou, Hainan province, China January 6, 2022. "The (investigation into Hui) clearly shows that Chinese policymakers prioritise political considerations to economic ones in dealing with Evergrande," he said. Evergrande and China's housing authority did not immediately respond to requests for comment during the week long National Day holiday. Gavekal in its report said that at the very least, an orderly restructuring of Evergrande seemed increasingly hard to achieve. A liquidation petition filed against Evergrande is scheduled for hearing in a Hong Kong court on Oct 30.

Persons: Aly, Hui Ka Yan, Hui, Xin Sun, Evergrande, Christopher Beddor, Sandra Chow, bondholder, Antonio Fatas, Xie Yu, Clare Jim, Kane Wu, Sumeet Chatterjee, Lincoln Organizations: China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, China Evergrande, HK, lurched, East Asian, King's College London, SOE, Evergrande, Thomson Locations: Danzhou, Hainan province, China, HONG KONG, Beijing, homebuyers, Asia, Pacific, Gavekal, Hong Kong, Evergrande

☆ China moves to strengthen innovation in smart driving
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Oct 2 (Reuters) - China will back firms in the smart vehicle supply chain to form groups dedicated to spreading innovation, state media said on Monday, as it races to hammer out standards for assisted and autonomous driving functions by 2025. China will support firms in forming "innovation consortia", that enable them to learn from each other's strengths in order to achieve technological breakthroughs, the official Xinhua news agency said. Citing Xin Guobin, vice minister of industry and information technology, the agency added that China aims to speed its formulation and revision of key standards. Vehicles in this category can handle driving functions, but the driver must always be prepared to take over when road conditions change. China aims to master the core technologies of advanced autonomous driving and eventually put driverless vehicles on its roads in the effort to become the leading industry player worldwide.

Persons: Xin Guobin, Ryan Woo, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Xinhua, Vehicles, HK, Baidu, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chongqing, Beijing, United States

☆ One in 5 Chinese young adults looking for work is unemployed. The lack of work slows down the whole economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Sebastian Cahill | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Over one in 5 Chinese young adults looking for work can't find it, according to China's National Bureau of Statistics. According to UNICEF, youth unemployment can lead to social and economic unrest. For their July data released last week, Chinese government officials entirely omitted the data on youth unemployment. According to research from United Nations Children's Fund, youth unemployment impacts present and future economic growth and stability. The report also warns that youth unemployment can have "significant and serious social repercussions" and social unrest.

Persons: Sun Xin, Sun, haven't, Xi Jinping, it's, Liu Xingyu, Liu Organizations: National Bureau of Statistics, UNICEF, Service, China's National Bureau of Statistics, King's College London, NBC News, CNBC, The New York Times, Times, United Nations Children's Fund, Street Journal Locations: Wall, Silicon, China, COVID

☆ China Evergrande NEV shares jump on $3.2 bln plan to lower debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A view of the electric vehicle (EV) factory of China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group in Tianjin, China October 20, 2021. REUTERS/Yilei SunBEIJING/HONG KONG, Aug 15 (Reuters) - China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group (NEV) (0708.HK) shares jumped nearly 50% on Tuesday after the electric vehicle unit of cash-strapped property firm China Evergrande Group (3333.HK) announced a $3.2 billion plan to repay debt and stay afloat. The overall package also includes a debt-for-equity swap of HK$20.89 billion ($2.67 billion) involving China Evergrande, its founder Hui Ka Yan, and his unit Xin Xin (BVI) Ltd, among others converting loans to shares, NEV said. After the deal is completed, China Evergrande's stake in the unit will be diluted to 46.86%. Shares in NEV jumped as much as 47% before paring down its gain to 16%.

Persons: Hui Ka Yan, Xin Xin, NEV, Roxanne Liu, Clare Jim, Miyoung Kim, Jamie Freed Organizations: Energy Vehicle Group, REUTERS, Sun, HK, China Evergrande, Thomson Locations: China, Tianjin, Sun BEIJING, HONG KONG, Dubai, NEV, Hong Kong, Beijing

☆ Chinese coach fined, banned for eight months for slapping referee
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, Aug 2 (Reuters) - A Chinese soccer coach who slapped a referee on the side of his head during a second tier match last month has been handed an eight-month match ban and fined 150,000 yuan ($20,905), the Chinese football association (CFA) said on Wednesday. For this he is "prohibited from entering the sports stadium for matches for a period of eight months" and fined 150,000 RMB, it added. "The Chinese Football Association will strictly and resolutely handle all kinds of violations of rules and discipline in accordance with the provisions of the Disciplinary Code of the Chinese Football Association, in order to purify the atmosphere of the game. "We hope that all parties involved will work together to maintain order on the field and preserve the hard-earned development environment of football." ($1 = 7.1754 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Martin Quin Pollard Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Duan Xin, Martin Quin Pollard, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Liaoning, Chinese Football Association, CFA, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Chinese, Nanjing

☆ Coco Lee fans bid farewell to pop diva at her funeral in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

HONG KONG, July 31 (Reuters) - Fans, friends and family of the late Hong Kong-born, American singer and song-writer Coco Lee gathered for her funeral in Hong Kong on Monday, paying respects to the star who died at the age of 48 after a career spanning three decades. Lee was born in Hong Kong in 1975 and was the youngest of three children of a Hong Kong mother and Malaysian father. While she moved to San Francisco in her childhood, she was offered a recording contract in Hong Kong with Capital Artists after high school, prompting her to move back to her home city. In 1996, Lee signed with Sony Music Entertainment and her debut album, "Coco Lee", became the best-selling album of that year in Asia. In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who is the former CEO of the Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung.

Persons: Coco Lee, Lee, Angie Zhang, CoCo Lee, Coco, Carol, Nancy, Mulan, Oscar, Jackie Chan, Lee Xin's, Bruce Rockowitz, Fung, James Pomfret, Himani Sarkar, Christina Fincher Organizations: Queen Mary Hospital, Capital Artists, Sony Music Entertainment, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, American, Shanghai, Malaysian, China, Taiwan, San Francisco, Asia, Canadian

☆ Asia shares rally after China pledges economic support steps
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) was 1.2% higher and on course to snap a six-day losing streak. China's property market remains a cause for concern among investors, with stocks and bonds in China's real estate industry sliding to around eight-month lows on Monday amid fears of a cash crunch at two of the country's biggest developers. China will adjust and optimise property policies in a timely manner, in response to "significant changes" in the supply and demand relationship in the property market, state news agency Xinhua said late on Monday. "We believe policymakers may remain cautious about financial risks, though they may provide further policy support to help stabilize the sector." The slowdown may be viewed positively at the Fed, which is keen to see activity cool to lower inflation.

Persons: HSI, Erin Xin, Brent, Ankur Banerjee, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Federal Reserve, Japan's Nikkei, Hong, Saxo Markets, Xinhua, Greater China, HSBC, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Hong Kong, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Shanghai, China, Greater, United States

[1/2] Singer Coco Lee poses on the red carpet at the 53rd Golden Horse Awards in Taipei, Taiwan November 26, 2016. loadingLee died in Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, where she had been living. She was born in Hong Kong in 1975 and was the youngest of three children of a Hong Kong Cantonese mother and Malaysian father. In 1996, Lee signed with Sony Music Entertainment and her debut album, "Coco Lee," became the best-selling album of that year in Asia. In 2011, Lee married Bruce Rockowitz, a Canadian businessman who is the former CEO of the Hong Kong supply chain company Li & Fung.

Persons: Singer Coco Lee, Tyrone Siu, Coco Lee, Lee’s, Carol, Nancy Lee, Lee, Coco, Mulan, Oscar, Lee's, Lee Xin’s, Stanley Kwan, Bruce Rockowitz, Fung, Danielle Broadway, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Facebook, Queen Mary Hospital, Capital Artists, University of California, Sony Music Entertainment, Thomson Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Hong Kong, American, Malaysian, United States, San Francisco, Irvine, Asia, Canadian

☆ Meituan's insider AI deal does not compute
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Meituan describes Light Year as a leading AI innovator in China. Its backers include Meituan CEO Wang Xin and Sequoia Capital China's HongShan fund, which is controlled by a Meituan non-executive director. Meituan is paying out roughly $234 million in cash and covering some $50 million-worth of Light Year's convertible bonds. Interestingly, Meituan's total outlay is roughly equal to the target's net cash position. For investors, understanding this AI deal is no small challenge.

Persons: Wang Huiwen, Meituan, Wang Xin, Robyn Mak, ’, crouch, Eli Lilly, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Meituan, Sequoia Capital, Twitter, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, HK, China

China's top graft-busting watchdog earlier this year vowed to eliminate ideas of a Western-style "financial elite" and rectify the hedonism of excessive pursuit of "high-end taste". Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) (601398.SS) and China Construction Bank Corp (CCB) (601939.SS) plan to cut some allowances of employees at the banks' headquarters from this year, two sources familiar with the matter said. Domestic rival China International Capital Corp (CICC) (3908.HK) last month cut this year's bonuses for investment bankers by 30%-50% from a year earlier, Reuters has reported, citing sources with knowledge of the matter. Besides anti-corruption crackdown and "common prosperity" drive, financial firms are also reining in the flashy lifestyle of their staff to make sure they are not violating the Communist Party's ideology, said industry officials. China's securities regulator and the central bank cut the budget allocation for employee salaries in 2023, following reforms ordered as part of a broader drive to reduce income disparity, Reuters reported last month.

Persons: Xi Jinping's, CCB, Xin Sun, Sun, Xie Yu, Julie Zhu, Selena Li, Ziyi Tang, Binbin Huang, Rong Ma, Sumeet Chatterjee, Lincoln Organizations: Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank Corp, Securities, Reuters, China International Capital Corp, HK, Party, King's College London, Thomson Locations: China, HONG KONG, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai

Exports and factory output in the world's second-largest economy tumbled in May, as looming downturns force the United States and Europe to pare back orders for goods made in China. Some factories closed or are struggling to pay wages or severance for laid-off workers as a result, according to Chinese labour researchers. "We believe that the drop in manufacturing orders and that factory closures will continue," said Aidan Chau, researcher at Hong Kong-based rights group China Labour Bulletin (CLB). Labour unions were central to the Communist Party's proletariat beginnings but play only a marginal role in modern authoritarian China. However, some analysts say factory strikes could become a political headache for the Party.

Persons: pare, Aidan Chau, CLB, Dian, Xin Dian, Zhong Min, Xu Tianchen, Xu, Laurie Chen, Nicoco Chan, Marius Zaharia, Sam Holmes Organizations: China Labour Bulletin, Min, Goods Shenzhen Ltd . Co, Dian Cable Ltd . Co, Reuters, China's Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Human Resources, Shenzhen, China Federation of Trade Unions, Manufacturers, Workers, Security, Labour, Party, Economist Intelligence Unit, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, United States, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Guangdong province, Shenzhen, Communist, Beijing, Shanghai

☆ China will speed up construction of charging facilities for EVs, state media report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BEIJING, May 5 (Reuters) - China will speed up the construction of charging facilities for new energy vehicles such as electric cars, and improve policies for purchasing and using them, state media quoted the cabinet as saying on Friday. Improved charging infrastructure for new energy vehicles will help unleash the potential of rural consumption and support growth of rural tourism, adding new impetus to rural revitalisation, the cabinet was quoted as saying after a regular meeting. The cabinet, or State Council, has approved plans to speed up the development of advanced manufacturing clusters, state media reported. Developing such clusters will be vital for steering China's industries towards innovation, and will help enhance the resilience and safety level of the country's industrial supply chains, the cabinet said. Reporting by Beijing newsroom and Kevin Yao; Editing by Jan HarveyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's EV players are starting to compete on driver assist tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Huawei's co-developed Aito electric car brand is now selling an updated version of the M5 model that comes with new driver-assist tech. Around the Shanghai auto show that kicked off last week, electric car startups and Chinese tech companies alike made several announcements about their driver-assist tech. But McKinsey estimates assisted and fully autonomous driving systems in passenger cars could generate $300 billion to $400 billion in global revenue by 2035. Those maps, used by autonomous driving companies such as Alphabet 's Waymo, give a car a detailed picture of city streets. Xpeng, considered one of the most advanced technologically, saw deliveries plunge in the first quarter ahead of a more widespread rollout of its assisted driving tech.

☆ With Russia's role in the global energy system falling, a select few nations are set to benefit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Russia's role as a global energy player is set to diminish, and the U.S. and Qatar are among a slew of nations ready to fill its shoes, analysts told CNBC. "Russia's global LNG supply share will almost certainly decline this decade," Henning Gloystein, a director for energy, climate, and natural resources at political consultancy Eurasia Group told CNBC. He noted that its role in the liquefied natural gas space was retreating even before the country's invasion of Ukraine last year. Western sanctions, which resulted from the onslaught of its neighbor, further sapped most foreign investment out of Russia's LNG sector. He added that the total capacity for Russia's LNG facilities to produce natural gas will remain flat at 37 million tons over the next few years.

☆ JPMorgan, Citi raise full-year forecasts for China's economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Steven Han | Moment | Getty ImagesAnalysts at JPMorgan and Citi raised their full-year forecasts for China's economy after it delivered an impressive first-quarter gross domestic product growth of 4.5% on Tuesday. Citi economists noted that while services outperformed in the consumption-driven growth for the first quarter, they remain cautious on their forecasts. "The release of pent-up demand during Covid and holiday helped, but we remain cautious on its outlook without big stimulus in sight and the discounts intensifying," Citi economists wrote. With economy stabilization playing out, structural reform could be the next theme to watch," Citi economists wrote. "Risks facing our full-year GDP forecast of 5.7%Y is now skewed to the upside given a strong entry," Morgan Stanley economists led by Zhipeng Cai wrote.

☆ Young people in Greater China are blowing their paychecks every month — even if they don't have to
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

"Yue guang zu" ("moonlight clan") refers young singles in Greater China who go broke at the end of each month, or live paycheck to paycheck. Hsu belongs to a group of people in Taiwan, typically young and single workers, called the "yue guang zu" — the so-called "moonlight clan." Eric Hsu Civil engineerBut when a serious knee injury took him out of work for two weeks without pay, Hsu realized he was unable to support himself. "Young people would rather give up that dream and spend money on things they are guaranteed to get today." After his experience, he canceled his credit cards two years ago and committed to saving one third of his salary each month.

☆ US puts trade curbs on 5 Chinese firms over alleged role in Uyghur repression
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Tuesday imposed new trade restrictions on five Chinese companies for allegedly aiding in the repression of the Uyghur Muslim minority but China rejected the accusation as "lies" aimed at constraining it. According to Hikvision's 2021 half-year report, at least four of the companies facing new curbs belong to the Chinese surveillance camera maker including Luopu Haishi Dingxin Electronic Technology Co, Moyu Haishi Electronic Technology Co, Pishan Haishi Yong'an Electronic Technology Co and Urumqi Haishi Xin'an Electronic Technology Co.Yutian Haishi Meitian Electronic Technology Co Ltd was also added. "The idea that there exists so-called repression of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang has long been debunked," Mao said at a regular briefing on Wednesday. She also said that China would take all necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms. The United States has increasingly used the list to target Chinese firms.

☆ Off-the-radar destinations every China visitor should consider
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Maggie Hiufu Wong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

JingdezhenLarge chimneys, used for firing porcelain, dot the skyline of Jingdezhen city. gui yong nian/Adobe StockDubbed the porcelain capital of the world, Jingdezhen has been firing quality pieces of “white gold” for more than 1,700 years. For a crash course in the city’s porcelain history, visit the newly built and photogenic Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln Museum of China. LinhaiLinhai's historic city wall stretches more than 6,000 meters in length. Food aside, travelers should leave time to admire this historic city that dates back more than 2,000 years.

☆ Asia's 'best restaurants' list is out — and it's no surprise which country made the list 17 times
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Goh Chiew Tong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

William Drew, director of content for Asia's 50 Best Restaurants, said Japan's strong performance is "no surprise." The top 50 restaurants in AsiaThis year commemorates the 10th anniversary of the "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" list. Asia's top 50 restaurantsThe list of "Asia's 50 Best Restaurants" for 2023 are: 1. Ten restaurants that ranked among Asia's best 50 restaurants last year fell into the 51-100 ranking this year. Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2023Labyrinth also rose 29 spots to No.11, winning the "Highest Climber" award.

☆ US slaps trade curbs on 5 Chinese firms over alleged role in Uyghur repression
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Tuesday imposed new trade restrictions on five Chinese companies for allegedly aiding in Beijing's repression of the Uyghur Muslim minority group. According to Hikvision's 2021 half-year report, at least four of the companies facing new curbs belong to the Chinese surveillance camera maker including Luopu Haishi Dingxin Electronic Technology Co, Moyu Haishi Electronic Technology Co, Pishan Haishi Yong'an Electronic Technology Co and Urumqi Haishi Xin'an Electronic Technology Co.Yutian Haishi Meitian Electronic Technology Co Ltd was also added. Being added to the entity list means U.S. suppliers must get a special and difficult-to-obtain license before shipping goods to the targeted companies. Washington has increasingly used the entity list to target Chinese firms. Reporting by Alexandra Alper, David Shepardson, and Karen Freifeld; Editing by Franklin Paul and Stephen CoatesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Alibaba founder Jack Ma back in China after months abroad in sign Beijing may be warming to tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been seen in public in China after the first time in several months. The billionaire's reapprance may suggest Beijing is softening its stance toward the technology sector after an 18-month crackdown. Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been spotted in China after spending months abroad in a potential sign that Beijing is warming to technology giants again after a roughly 18-month crackdown on the sector. Ma has been traveling outside of China over the past few months and has been spotted in Spain, Japan and Thailand. "In so doing, the government intends to signal its warmth towards private sector and investors—if even Jack Ma is perceived as having been pardoned, everyone else should feel safe and welcome," Sun said.

☆ Meet China's latest AI news anchor, a young woman who runs virtual Q&A sessions to teach people propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Chinese state media outlet People's Daily has unveiled its digital news anchor, who'll be online 24/7. The anchor, a virtual young woman called Ren Xiaorong, introduced herself to Weibo, China's version of Twitter, in a video published on Sunday by state media People's Daily. Sporting a black jacket and shoulder-length hair tucked behind her ears, Ren claims to harness the professional skills of "thousands of news anchors." So far, however, the virtual anchor is no rival to ChatGPT. Ren now joins a small crowd of digital AI news anchors in China, the first of which debuted on state agency Xinhua in 2018.

☆ How best to invest in AI: What leading Wall Street firms and analysts are saying as the rally continues
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Marley Jay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Experts at BofA and UBS recently wrote about their approaches for investing in the theme. Tech analyst Dan Ives doubled his price target on AI pure play C3.AI, which has soared almost 150%. One of the market's splashiest artificial intelligence newcomers is here to stay, says Wedbush tech stock analyst Dan Ives. On Friday Ives boosted his price target on AI software company C3.AI from $13 per share all the way to $24. "The company continues to experience increased demand for its AI solutions that are designed to increase a range of applications across industries fueling tailwinds in the market," Ives wrote.

☆ An Elon Musk documentary is in the works from the director who examined Theranos, Enron, and Scientology
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

An Elon Musk documentary is currently being made by acclaimed director Alex Gibney. Gibney has examined Theranos, Enron, Scientology, and more in his previous documentaries. Gibney's other documentaries have tackled Scientology, Enron, Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, WikiLeaks, Steve Jobs, and more. Gibney's Jigsaw Productions is producing the film alongside production companies Closer Media, Anonymous Content, and Double Agent. "Now is the moment for a rigorous portrait of Elon Musk, who is undeniably one of the most influential figures of our time.

☆ One of China’s richest women takes over for her father at real estate developer Country Garden
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Yang Guoqiang, founder of Country Garden, attends a signing ceremony in November 2017 in Guangdong province. VCG/Getty ImagesThe elder Yang was a farmer and construction worker before he founded Country Garden in 1992. In little more than a decade, he grew the firm into one of the largest real estate developers in the country. Last year, Country Garden was China’s No 1 developer by sales, which reached $67 billion. An aerial view of a residential project developed by Country Garden in Zhenjiang city in eastern China's Jiangsu province in October 2021.

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