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☆ Evergrande: China accuses troubled property developer of committing financial fraud in $78 billon case
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese regulators have accused Evergrande and its founder of inflating revenues by $78 billion, putting the insolvent property developer at the heart of the country’s biggest ever financial fraud case. Xu Jiayin, founder and chairman of the Evergrande Group, was fined 47 million yuan ($6.5 million) for the overstatement and other alleged violations. The regulator said Hengda had fabricated 214 billion yuan ($30 billion) in sales for 2019, which accounted for half of that year’s revenue. Another 350 billion yuan ($48.6 billion) in sales for 2020, accounting for 78% of revenue, were also falsified. “Xu Jiayin had made decisions, organized, and implemented the financial fraud … Xia Haijun had organized, arranged and prepared the falsified financial reports… their means were really bad and the circumstances were grave,” the regulator said.

Persons: Evergrande, Xu Jiayin, ”, Hengda, Xu, Xia Haijun, “ Xu Jiayin Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China Securities Regulatory Commission, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Evergrande Locations: China, Hong Kong

☆ Teacher Li: A Chinese dissident in Europe is enraging Beijing. Now police are coming for his social media followers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Nectar Gan | Yong Xiong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

And now, Chinese authorities appear to be going after his followers in China. Li Ying spends most of his days in front of the computer running his X account. Li’s warnings sent shock waves through the small but influential Chinese X sphere. On X, Li Ying’s account provided a window into the outpouring of grief and disaffection. “The Chinese authorities are fearful of young people like Teacher Li, seeing him as a threat to its rule,” Wang said.

Persons: Lee, Xi Jinping, –, Li, ”, ” Lee, Li Ying, Li reposts, Elon Musk, Covid lockdowns, ” Li, “, Yaqiu Wang, ‘, ’ ”, Li Keqiang, Shen Xiang, ramped, Li Keqiang’s, Xi, it’s, it’ll, ” Wang, Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Twitter, US, Facebook, Elon, Ministry of Public Security, CNN, YouTube, Future Publishing, Getty, Freedom Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Italy, Washington, Anhui province, “

☆ TikTok: Is it really Chinese?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Is TikTok Chinese? In March 2023, CEO Chew was repeatedly pressed by US lawmakers on whether TikTok was Chinese. According to TikTok’s own website, its subsidiaries around the world are all structured under Bytedance Ltd.Is ByteDance Chinese? At last year’s congressional hearing, Chew didn’t directly answer any questions about whether ByteDance is a Chinese company either. That means the Chinese government now owns 1% of Beijing Douyin Information Service, which is the domestic Chinese unit of Bytedance.

Persons: TikTok, Shou Chew, Trump, Chew, Jose Luis Magana, Musical.ly, TikTok’s, ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, Liang Rubo, Zhang, Liang, Jinri, Chew didn’t, Shannon Stapleton, Zhang Fuping, Xi Jinping, Wu Shugang, Shu Yuting Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, TikTok LLC, TikTok Ltd, ByteDance Ltd, Bytedance Ltd, Tianjin’s Nankai University, ByteDance, Carlyle Group, General Atlantic, Susquehanna International Group, Reuters, Communist, Cyberspace Administration, Beijing Douyin Information Service, Chinese Communist Party, National Intelligence Law, Commerce Ministry Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, California, Los Angles, Singapore, Delaware, Culver City , California, Cayman Islands, Shanghai, Chinese, TikTok

☆ China economy: All-important property market shows no sign of rebound in new year
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New property sales reached a total of 1.06 trillion yuan ($147 billion) in the first two months of this year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday. The drop also marks a much faster pace of decline from the year-ago period, when new property sales dipped just 0.1%. Property investment fell 9% in the January-to-February period, which was faster than the 5.7% decrease registered during the same period last year. “The correction in property construction is still in its early stages,” Capital Economics analysts said in a research note on Monday. The growth in factory output might be driven by strong exports demand.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, “, ”, Louise Loo, ” Loo, Zhiwei Zhang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Bureau of Statistics, Capital, Catering, “, Oxford Economics Locations: China, Hong Kong

☆ Six more years of Putin will worry many countries. But not China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

A stable relationship with Moscow, too, allows Beijing to focus on other areas of concern such as Taiwan and the South China Sea. “Xi sees Putin as a genuine strategic partner,” said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London, ahead of the Russian election results, adding that anything less than a landslide win for Putin would be “a disappointment” for Beijing. The Russian leader has weathered an apparent miscalculation that what his government still calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine would be a swift success. Jose Colon/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesWatchful BeijingBut that doesn’t mean countries tied to Moscow aren’t also watching the conflict in Ukraine carefully. That may be especially true for China, Russia’s most powerful strategic partner.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Vladimir Putin’s, Xi Jinping, Xi, Putin, Jens Stoltenberg, ”, Steve Tsang, Mao Zedong, won’t, Putin’s, Kim Jong Un, Kim, Kim Jong, Sergei Shoigu, Yevgeny Prigozhin, he’s, Alexey Navalny, –, BRICS, Jose Colon, Moscow aren’t, “, Eurasia Li Hui, Wang Yiwei, Putin –, Li Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Ukraine grinds, Kremlin, NATO, Washington, SOAS China Institute, University of London, Putin, Russia's, KCNA, Reuters, United Arab Emirates, Russian, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Moscow, Renmin University, Beijing, CNN Locations: China, Hong Kong, Russia, Taiwan, Beijing, Moscow, South China, North Korea, Russia’s Far, Washington, Pyongyang, South Korea, Iran, India, Ukraine, Vladivostok, Russian, United States, Brazil, South Africa, UAE, Ethiopia, Egypt, Russia’s Kazan, Crimea, Sochi, West, Israel, Gaza, Ukrainian, Eurasia, Europe, Beijing –

☆ Asia markets set to fall after hot U.S. inflation report; first estimates from Japan's wage negotiations expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A man walks past the People's Bank of China (PBOC) building on July 20, 2023 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jiang Qiming/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets were set to fall after producer prices in the U.S. grew faster than expected in February, coming in at 0.6% last month. Excluding food and energy prices, core PPI climbed 0.3% in February. Economists polled by Dow Jones had expected a 0.3% gain for headline PPI and a 0.2% increase for the core reading. Investors in Asia will be watching out for any news from Japan's spring wage negotiations, with first estimates expected to come out later in the day.

Persons: Jiang Qiming, Dow Jones Organizations: People's Bank of China, China News Service, Getty Images China, Service, Getty, PPI, Nikkei, People's Bank of Locations: Beijing, China, Asia, Pacific, U.S, Chicago, Osaka, People's Bank of China, Australia

☆ China's richest man is under fire over conspiracy theories that say he's secretly promoting Japan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China's richest man is being targeted by nationalists who say he's not patriotic enough. AdvertisementZhong Shanshan, the richest man in China, has been beset this month by accusations from an online nationalist crowd that he isn't loyal enough to his country. Some think Nongfu Spring loves JapanThe hostility escalated this week into claims that Nongfu Spring was intentionally planting elements of Japanese culture into its product marketing. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images and Jinhee Lee/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesAnother complaint accused Nongfu Spring of using a red bottle cap that resembles the Japanese flag. China's nationalist groups have been notorious for turning on typically celebrated figures and businessmen.

Persons: Zhong Shanshan, Zong Qinghou, —, Zhong, he's, Zong, Zhong Shuzi, Jinhee Lee, NurPhoto, Mr Zong, Hu Xijin, shouldn't, Hu, Li Guoqing, Li, Zong Fuli, Mo Yan Organizations: Service, Nongfu, Hong, Hangzhou Wahaha, Hangzhou Wahaha Group, Getty Images, Weibo, Mount, Publishing, Getty, Global Times, The Global Times, Rongsheng Petrochemical, China Newsweek, China News Service, Business Locations: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, American, Tokyo, Mount Fuji

☆ If the US bans TikTok, China will be getting a taste of its own medicine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But American apps have long been barred in China. “The TikTok bill appears likely to become law and China’s displeasure seems ironic, if not hypocritical, given its stance toward American social apps,” said Brock Silvers, managing director at Kaiyuan Capital. The Chinese government has said it strongly opposes a forced sale of TikTok, and it has the legal ability to do so. A man walks past the headquarters of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, in Beijing. “While China has completely banned [these] American apps, TikTok enjoys all the benefits of America’s free and open legal and political systems,” he said.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — TikTok, ByteDance doesn’t, Wang Wenbin, ”, Brock Silvers, Wang, Joe Biden, TikTok, CNN Beijing’s, Trump, Greg Baker, “, Winston Ma, Silvers, Alex Capri, Craig Singleton, “ We’ve, ” Capri Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, US, Foreign Ministry, Google, Kaiyuan, Chinese Commerce Ministry, ByteDance, Trump, CNN, Commerce Ministry, Getty, New York University School of Law, Foundation, National University of Singapore Business School, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Weibo, Twitter, Facebook Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, TikTok, ByteDance, AFP, Washington, Washington , DC

☆ Nongfu Spring: Bottled water empire of China’s richest man Zhong Shanshan is facing a boycott by nationalists
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Zhong and his drinks firm Nongfu Spring, the country’s biggest maker of bottled water, are the latest targets of an army of internet zealots. WeiboThe nationalists have also highlighted the fact that prominent US investment funds, including Vanguard and BlackRock, are major shareholders of Nongfu Spring. “Taking advantage of Mr Zong’s death, a lot of slander against me and Nongfu Spring appeared on the internet. “Whether Wahaha or Nongfu Spring, we always insist on the same thing — producing good products for the people,” he said. Nongfu Spring is just the latest major target of China’s nationalists.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Zhong Shanshan, Zhong, Zong Qinghou, Zong, Zhong’s, —, “ Zhong Shuzi, ”, “, He’s, Mr Zong’s, ” Zhong, influencers, netizens, “ Zong, Wei Jiang, Mo Yan, Mao Zedong, Stringer, Li Ning Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Wahaha, Danone, Weibo, ”, Vanguard, BlackRock, Nongfu, American, Wahaha’s, CNN, Zhejiang Daily, Communist Party, Auto, Zhejiang University of Finance, Economics, People’s Liberation Army, AFP, Getty, Nike, Adidas, United, Toyota, Honda Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, American, Weibo, Nongfu, Zhejiang, Hami, China's, Xinjiang, AFP, United States, Japan

☆ Vanke: China scrambles to prevent another big property developer going bust
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Vanke’s stock soared in Hong Kong and Shenzhen following the reports of potential new financing. On Monday, Moody’s cut Vanke’s rating to Ba1, which is often referred to as a junk rating. Residential buildings being built by Vanke in Nanjing STR/AFP/Getty ImagesFounded in 1984 in Shenzhen, Vanke is a flagship company in China’s property sector. It was the first listed property company in mainland China, boasting a high-profile IPO in 1991 on the still-nascent Shenzhen Stock Exchange. In 2023, property sales dropped 6.5% from 2022.

Persons: Moody’s, China Vanke, Vanke, Kaven Tsang, Fitch, Wang Shi, Donald Trump, Refinitiv Eikon, Vanke’s, it’s, —, Ni, ”, ” Nomura Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Economic Observer, CNN, Getty, Time, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Shenzhen Metro, National People’s Congress Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Evergrande, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Vanke

☆ Wall Street shrugs off the inflation report — plus, updates from a key health-care stock
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

GE Healthcare updates: GE Healthcare CFO Jay Saccaro spoke at Oppenheimer's annual Healthcare MedTech & Services conference. Saccaro expects GE Healthcare to commence stock buybacks at some point, but that's still down the road. GE Healthcare shares fell about 1% Tuesday, but the move doesn't seem tied to the presentation. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Jay Saccaro, Saccaro, that's, Jim Cramer's, Jim, Yi Haifei Organizations: CNBC, Oracle, Nvidia, Nasdaq, GE Healthcare, GE, Services, U.S, Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust, Jim Cramer's Charitable, Fair for Trade, China National Convention Center, China News Service, Getty Locations: China, Williams, Sonoma, Beijing

☆ China’s consumer inflation rate rises for first time in six months. But the holiday boost is likely to fade
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s consumer inflation turned positive for the first time in six months, largely supported by the Lunar New Year holiday, when a spending boom pushed up prices. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.7% in February from a year earlier, government data showed on Saturday, versus a rise of 0.3% forecast in a Reuters poll. This was the first increase in the inflation rate since August 2023. Last Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang said the government had set this year’s growth target at around 5% and inflation target at 3%. But the key to growth and rising prices will be how Beijing implements its policy to stimulate demand and boost confidence, analysts said.

Persons: “, ”, Zhiwei Zhang, ” Nomura, Price, Li Qiang, Gongsheng, Zheng Shanjie Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Index, “, People’s Bank of China, Getty, National, ” Citi Locations: China, Hong Kong, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, Beijing

☆ Tighter control and high-tech push: Key takeaways from China’s biggest annual political event
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The event, held largely without Covid restrictions for the first time in years, is a rare chance for the world to glimpse into an increasingly opaque political system under Xi. Here are the major takeaways from the gathering:Tightening controlThe closing day of the National People’s Congress legislature on Monday was missing a key event – a press conference conducted by the Chinese premier. High-tech pushAn overarching theme of the gathering was a push to focus China’s economic model on technology innovation and transform the country into a high-tech powerhouse. That included a boost to China’s annual budget for science and technology by 10% to an unprecedented 370.8 billion yuan ($51.6 billion). Two high-ranking posts in China’s cabinet previously occupied by Li and Qin remain open.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Mao Zedong’s, Xi, Li, ”, Washington, Wang Yi, who’d, Qin Gang, Li Shangfu, Qin Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, of, National People’s, State Council, Observers, Chinese Communist Party, ”, National People’s Congress, Foreign Locations: China, Beijing, Hong Kong, United States

☆ He was once hailed as the pride of China. Now nationalists are coming for this Nobel laureate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Now, some of China’s most zealous online nationalists have a new target in their crosshairs: the country’s first officially recognized Nobel laureate. Mo Yan receives the 2012 Nobel Literature Prize from King Carl Gustaf of Sweden during an award ceremony on December 10, 2012 in Stockholm. He accused Wu of creating a publicity stunt by “maliciously framing” the Nobel laureate and taking his words out of context. In 2011, he was named the vice chairman of the state-run Chinese Writers Association – an appointment that could not have been made without the blessing of the party. In 2022, Sima Nan, a nationalist pundit known for his inflammatory criticism of the United States, famously accused Mo’s Nobel win of being a Western effort to smear China.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — They’ve, Mo Yan, Xi Jinping, Xi, Wu Wanzheng, Mao Xinghuo, Wu, Guan Moye, –, Mo, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Jonathan Nackstrand, ” Zhang Yongsheng, Hu Xijin, Hu, ”, Murong Xuecun, “ Xi, Mao, Writers Association –, Liu Xiaobo, Liu, caricaturize, “, doesn’t, Sima Nan, Mo’s Nobel, ” Murong Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, Communist, Getty, Red Guards, Tongji University, Global Times, Writers Association, Chinese Writers Association Locations: China, Hong Kong, Mo, Weibo, Stockholm, AFP, Shanghai, Beijing, Shandong, United States

☆ Analysis: China worried about return of Trump, but also sees opportunities if he wins 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Then-US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan at Beijing's Forbidden City in 2017. “If this decoupling is carried out by Trump 2.0 in a very forceful way, the impact on China is going to be very severe. But experts say China’s business and official sectors are likely already considering contingency plans. Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin leave a reception following talks at the Kremlin in March 2023. “Whoever wins – the structure of (US) confrontation, competition, pressure to China are still there,” he said.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi, Donald Trump, didn’t, –, Biden, Wang Yi, Trump, He’s, Trump’s, Brian Wong, ” Wong, Lintao Zhang, Obama, Melania, “, Xi Jinping, Peng Liyuan, Xie Huanchi, he’s, ”, Bala Ramasamy, Shen Dingli, Premier Li Qiang, Ronald Reagan, “ Biden, Shen, ” Trump, skeptically, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Pavel Byrkin, Wong, it’s, Wang Yiwei Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Communist Party, Biden, Senior, Trump’s “, University of Hong Kong’s, Contemporary, House, oceanside, Trump, of, Forbidden, Huawei, Oxford Economics, China Europe International Business School, Premier, American, South Korea Navy, Asia –, Russia’s, NATO, Europe, Kremlin, Getty, South Korea –, White House, Renmin University Locations: China, Beijing, State, US, Russia, Communist, Contemporary China, Taiwan, Lago, City, Xinhua, Shanghai, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Europe, China's Qingdao Port, –, Asia, Seoul, Tokyo, Ukraine, United States, AFP, Japan, South Korea, America, Washington, Hong Kong, South China

☆ China growth target: Beijing wants to upgrade the economy. Why are investors so skeptical?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese leaders have pledged to achieve an ambitious growth rate this year, while reshaping its economic model to focus on technology innovation. On Tuesday, Premier Li Qiang announced that economic growth target of around 5% for 2024, which he said “will not be easy” to hit, given that a Covid-battered 2022 had provided a lower base of growth for last year. “The level of support is likely too little to rocket the economy to its 5% growth target this year,” said Sarah Tan, an economist at Moody’s, referring to the measures announced by Li Tuesday. “China is walking a tightrope on the fiscal front between infrastructure stimulus and LGFV [local government financing vehicle] deleveraging,” said Goldman Sachs analysts on Wednesday. In order to achieve the ambitious 5% growth target, more specific stimulus is needed, such as increasing manufacturing investments, Liu said.

Persons: Li Qiang, “, ”, Sarah Tan, Li Tuesday, Goldman Sachs, Li, ” Nomura, Xi Jinping, Peiqian Liu, Liu, Pan Gongsheng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, AFP, Getty, Goldman, Fidelity International, People’s Bank of China, Jefferies Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, ‘, Asia, —

☆ China doubles down on manufacturing, leaving real estate behind
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

China News Service | China News Service | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China revealed this week it aims to spend more than a billion dollars to bolster manufacturing and domestic tech in a bid to remain globally competitive, while divulging little new support for the struggling real estate market. Industrial support clearly ranked first on Beijing's priority list for the year ahead, according to three major plans released this week as part of China's annual parliamentary meetings. Chinese authorities in 2020 intensified a crackdown on real estate developers' high reliance on debt for growth. Within that second priority, the finance ministry said it would allocate 31.3 billion yuan for improving vocational education. The government work report presented by Premier Li Qiang gave real estate a similar level of prominence.

Persons: Frederic Neumann, Li Qiang Organizations: Seres, China News Service, Getty, Ministry of Finance, HSBC, UBS, National Development, Reform Commission Locations: Chongqing, China, BEIJING, Asia, Beijing, U.S

☆ Dollar a spectator to China news, yen ponders rate risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

There was more action in bitcoin , which gained 1.2% to $68,341 after surging more than 7% on Monday. The Japanese yen held steady after data showed Tokyo core inflation sped up to 2.5% in February, from 1.8% the previous month. "Accordingly, we're sticking to our forecast that the Bank of Japan will hike interest rates into positive territory next month." The dollar was a fraction lower at 150.44 yen , having again shied away from resistance around 150.85, which has capped the currency for more than three months now. The European Central Bank, or ECB, holds a meeting on Thursday and markets are convinced it will keep rates at 4.0%.

Persons: Marcel Thieliant, Jerome Powell, Sterling, Jeremy Hunt Organizations: People's Congress, Bank of Japan's, Capital Economics, Bank of, Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, ECB, Westpac, . Finance Locations: China, Tokyo, Japan, bitcoin, United States, Beijing, Asia, Bank of Japan

☆ China ‘two sessions’: Beijing sets ambitious economic growth target of ‘around 5%’ for 2024, vows to ‘transform’ economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Editor’s Note: Sign up for CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter which explores what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Beijing CNN —China has set an ambitious economic growth target of “around 5%“ for 2024, as its leaders vowed to “transform the growth model” in the face of growing challenges. The growth rate for the budget is the same as last year’s. The gross domestic product (GDP) target and military spending are among the most closely watched figures during the opening day proceedings. The GDP target in particular is being closely monitored this year as China faces a raft of economic problems.

Persons: Premier Li Qiang, ” Li, ”, “ Organizations: Beijing CNN, Premier, National People’s Congress Locations: China, Beijing

☆ ‘Two sessions’: China’s key political gathering gets underway as leaders try to repair broken economic confidence
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Xi is under the spotlight as economic pain has sparked growing frustration within China. Xi has also overseen a political shakeup in his own ranks, further marring the start of the new term. Those challenges may not pose a threat to Xi, who is China’s most powerful and authoritative leader in decades. But the two sessions provide an important platform for China’s notoriously opaque government to broadcast its strategy for economic, social and foreign policies and announce key indicators including China’s economic growth target, its budget deficit limit and military spending for the coming year. Analysts widely expect Li to reveal a relatively ambitious growth target of “around 5%,” showing that policymakers are still focused on economic growth, even as challenges pile up.

Persons: —, Xi Jinping, Xi, ”, Chen Gang, Li Qiang, It’s, Xuezhi Guo, Guo, Wang Yi, Qin Gang, Li Shangfu, Li, Qin, Pedro Pardo, Neil Thomas, Premier Li, Asia Society’s Thomas, “ Organizations: Beijing CNN —, Communist, National University of Singapore’s East Asian Institute, Getty, of, National People’s, Guilford College, Observers, Washington, Asia Society, Center for Locations: China, Beijing, Chongqing, AFP, Taiwan, China's, Henan, Center for China, Asia

☆ Mount Everest is now a trash-filled, overcrowded tourist spot, says the last living member of Edmund Hillary's team
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A 35-member team helped Edmund Hillary and his sherpa reach the top of Mount Everest in 1953. Kanchha told AP that Mount Everest is now "very dirty" and being disrespected by climbers. At 29,032 feet, Mount Everest is considered the highest point on Earth and attracts a plethora of tourists. Mount Everest remains one of the most popular tourist spots in the world, but it doesn't come without risks. More than 310 people have died climbing Mount Everest since explorations first launched in the 1900s.

Persons: Edmund Hillary, Kanchha, —, Kanchha Sherpa, Niranjan Shrestha, Tenzing, ROBIC UPADHAYAY, there's, Mount Everest, Sherpas, FVAZrnDSwI, Nirmal Purja, X Organizations: Mount, Kanchha, AP, Service, Associated Press, China News Service, Twitter, New York Times, Times Locations: Everest, Mount Everest, New Zealand, Mount

☆ China PMI: Factories send mixed signals about the economy, pressing Beijing to do more
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But the Caixin manufacturing PMI — which focuses on smaller, private companies — rose to 50.9 in February, up from 50.8 in January, according to S&P Global, which compiled the survey. The divergence in the output and new order sub-indexes is likely related to differences in geographic and sector coverage, as the Caixin PMI covers more southern regions, they said. “Overall, the manufacturing sector continued to improve in February,” said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group, in a statement that accompanied the Caixin PMI data. “Looking ahead, the focus should be on the effectiveness of the measures [announced previously by Beijing to boost growth],” Wang said. “Fiscal policy will lead the way,” HSBC analysts said Friday.

Persons: ” Goldman Sachs, ”, Wang Zhe, ” Wang, Xi Jinping, Lintao Zhang, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, National Bureau of Statistics, P, National People’s Congress, PMI, Caixin Insight, “, of People, Communist Party’s Politburo, NPC, Xinhua, HSBC Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Southern China, Guangdong, Zheijang, ” China

☆ Hong Kong scraps decade-old property restrictions to boost flagging economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

These taxes had been introduced as early as 2010 to cool the city’s once red-hot property market, a pillar of the economy. Real estate and related industries play a key role in Hong Kong’s economy, accounting for as much as a fifth of the city’s gross domestic product (GDP). Hong Kong’s economy has struggled to regain momentum since it reopened after more than two years of self-imposed Covid isolation. Hong Kong’s stock market, where many of China’s largest and most important companies are listed, has become less popular with international investors. Late last year, the city’s stock exchange was overtaken by the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) as the world’s seven largest bourse.

Persons: Paul Chan, “, ” Chan, Chan Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong, National Stock Exchange of India, bourse Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong’s, Victoria Harbour, Hong, Beijing, Washington, Asia

☆ Country Garden: Troubled Chinese property developer faces liquidation petition
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Juliana Liu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Chinese property developer Country Garden, which defaulted on its debt last year, says it has received a liquidation petition from a creditor after not repaying a loan. The winding-up petition was filed by Ever Credit Limited, which had lent Country Garden a term loan facility worth 1.6 billion Hong Kong dollars ($204.5 million), the developer said in a Wednesday stock exchange filing. The news, which sent shares in the developer falling by more than 12%, comes just a month after rival property firm Evergrande was ordered to liquidate by a Hong Kong court in a landmark ruling. As for Country Garden, it said in the filing it would “vigorously” oppose the liquidation petition, which was filed at Hong Kong’s High Court on Tuesday. Formerly China’s largest homebuilder, Country Garden missed the payment on a $500 million bond as it battled a liquidity crisis.

Persons: Evergrande, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Ever Credit, Hong Kong, Hong, Garden Locations: China, Hong Kong, Evergrande

☆ US allows China to boost passenger flights to 50 per week as summer travel season nears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

By February of that year, most American airlines had suspended flights to China due to fears about the coronavirus. In the next month, the CAAC slashed international flights to China, citing the need to curb imported Covid-19 cases. Despite the two sides amending their rules after negotiations, the number of flights between the United States and China still fell significantly during the pandemic. We look forward to once again welcoming Chinese group travel to the United States,” she said in a statement issued at the time. In June, Reuters reported that newly approved flights by Chinese airlines were indeed avoiding Russian airspace on their way to the United States.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, David McNew, Trump, Gina Raimondo, ”, Biden Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, US Department of Transportation, ” Citi, Civil Aviation Administration of China, Air China, LAX Tom, US, Reuters Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong CNN — Washington, United States, Los Angeles , California, Beijing, Washington, Russia, Ukraine

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