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☆ School in Guangdong, China under fire for telling girls not to 'behave flirtatiously' to avoid sexual harassment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Berry Wang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A controversial lesson on sexual harassment at a middle school in southern China has stirred online debate about victim-blaming, with many criticizing both the school and what they say is an inadequate response from officials. The school, located in Zhaoqing city in Guangdong province, had held a “mental health education” class – the equivalent of a sex education class in China – last year, according to Chinese state media People’s Daily. “The teacher of that class is problematic,” read one top comment on the Chinese social platform Weibo, with 19,000 likes. The outrage prompted local education authorities to release a statement last week, confirming that the photos online showed a lecture held at the school last April. “The punishment is too mild.”The school has not yet posted any public statements on its website or social media.

Persons: “, ”, – Organizations: CNN, Weibo Locations: China, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China –, Zhejiang

☆ Country Garden stock reaches record low, Chinese property giant flags loss of up to $7.6 billion as it nears default
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Country Garden warned investors in a Hong Kong stock exchange filing Thursday that it would likely record a loss of 45 billion to 55 billion Chinese yuan (about $6.2 billion to $7.6 billion) for the six months through June. The disclosure lays bare the financial woes currently facing Country Garden, a massive builder of hundreds of thousands of homes annually across China. Country Garden did not immediately respond to a request for comment. As of early afternoon in Hong Kong Friday, its stock had reached a record low of 95 Hong Kong cents, below its previous low of 98 Hong Kong cents reached in October 2008. Cash crunchEarlier this week, Country Garden stoked concerns by missing two bond payments, according to analysts.

Persons: ” Morningstar, Jeff Zhang, Kaven Tsang, ”, Zhang, Morningstar, Yang Huiyan, Yang, won’t, Moody’s, Fang xing, ICHPL, Alfredo Montufar, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Garden, CNN, Hong, China’s, “, Hong Kong, Bloomberg Locations: Hong Kong, China, Foshan, Guangdong province, Real

☆ Country Garden misses bond payments as China property fears flare
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Clare Jim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The company logo of Chinese developer Country Garden is displayed at a news conference in Hong Kong, China March 20, 2018. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File PhotoHONG KONG, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Country Garden (2007.HK) said on Tuesday it has not paid two dollar bond coupons due on Aug. 6, confirming market fears that the biggest privately owned developer in China is slipping into repayment troubles. The bonds in question are notes due on Feb 2026 and Aug 2030 , both with 30-day grace periods, investors said, citing prospectuses. Its Jan 2024 dollar bonds were traded at 18.331 cents on the dollar, according to Duration Finance, down from 25 cents on Monday. Last week, Country Garden aborted a $300 million share placement at the last minute saying it had not reached a 'final agreement' for the deal to go ahead.

Persons: Bobby Yip, HONG KONG, Clare Jim, Jason Xue, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Kim Coghill, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, HK, China Evergrande, Reuters, Finance, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, China, HONG, Guangdong province, Shenzhen, Shanghai

☆ Evergrande services arm shares halve as trading resumes after 16 months
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Clare Jim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A traffic light is seen near the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 26, 2021. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoHONG KONG, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Shares of Evergrande Property Services Group (6666.HK) shed 50% of their value on Thursday when trading resumed after 16 months, following the release of its financial results and the end of an investigation into misused funds involving its parent. Shares of Evergrande Services had been suspended since March 21, 2022. Its sister company, China Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group (0708.HK), resumed trading last week after a 16-month halt, sinking as much as 69% on the first day of trade. Evergrande Services in June posted its long-overdue financial results, reporting a 46.4% plunge in its fiscal 2022 profit when compared with fiscal 2020.

Persons: Aly, HONG KONG, Clare Jim, Himani Sarkar, Jamie Freed Organizations: China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, Evergrande Property Services, HK, China Evergrande, Evergrande Services, Energy Vehicle Group, Evergrande, Thomson Locations: China, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, HONG

☆ Asia markets poised to rise ahead of business activity surveys out of China
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SHENZHEN, CHINA - AUGUST 26: An aerial view of the Shenzhen skyline on August 26, 2020 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. (Photo by He Shaoping/VCG via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets are set to largely rise ahead of business activity data and inflation reports from countries around the region this week. For Monday, China will see the official release of its purchasing managers index in July for both the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sector. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 20,160, pointing to a stronger open compared to compared to the HSI's close of 19,916.56. However, in Australia, futures for the S&P/ASX 200 point to a lower open, at 7,376 compared to the last close of 7,403.6.

Persons: HSI Organizations: Getty Images, Reuters, PMI, Nikkei, Reserve Bank Locations: SHENZHEN, CHINA, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China, Asia, Pacific, China, Chicago, Osaka, Australia

☆ Asia markets rise as China's factory activity contracts for fourth straight month
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

(Photo by He Shaoping/VCG via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets rose on Monday as China's factory activity for July remained in contraction territory for the fourth straight month. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index came in at 49.3, higher than June's figure of 49.0, according to the national bureau of statistics. The PMI for non-manufacturing activity came in at 51.5, a slower rate of expansion compared to the 53.2 in June. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index surged over 1.71%, while the Hang Seng Tech index saw a larger climb of 4.84%. The country's industrial output for June came in lower than expected, registering a 2% growth month on month compared to the 2.4% expected by economists.

Persons: Hong, HSI, Australia's Organizations: Getty Images, PMI, Hang Seng, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Nikkei, Reserve Bank, Reuters Locations: SHENZHEN, CHINA, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China, Asia, Pacific

☆ China was once a women’s soccer superpower. This year’s World Cup is a first step in reclaiming that status
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Simone Mccarthy Andrew Mcnicol Candice Zhu Cnn | Simone Mccarthy | Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The rapid development of women’s soccer programs across Europe and the Americas has fielded a new generation of powerful teams-to-beat. I hope through these matches, we can form a clearer picture of the current position of Chinese women’s soccer,” she told state media earlier this month. China scores against New Zealand during a group match at the 1991 Women's World Cup in Guangzhou. That’s even as more than thirty years ago, when China hosted the first ever-women’s World Cup in its southeastern Guangdong province. But as norms change, seeing China’s women’s team competing on the world stage at events like the World Cup would also “inspire girls” to play, Peng added.

Persons: Shui, ”, Xiao Yuyi, Rajanish, Xi, –, China's Zhang Ouying, Carla Overbeck, Vincent Laforet, Wang Shuang, Germain, Zhang Linyan, Chan Yuen Ting, Chen guo, Chan, Denmark’s Amalie Vangsgaard, Zhang, they’d, China's, Gary Day, William Bi, “, it’s, Qi Peng, China’s, Peng Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, AFC Asian, womens, FIFA, Americas, Roses, Denmark, Haiti, AFC, Asian, America, Rose Bowl, Veterans, Paris Saint, Swiss, Grasshopper Club, League, Jiangsu, CNN, New Zealand, Sports, AP Soccer, Xi, Sport Management, Manchester Metropolitan University, “ Locations: Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Europe, China, England, South Korea, Mumbai, India, Pasadena , California, France, “, Guangzhou, Guangdong, Beijing

☆ Fact Check-Photo shows China’s Nansha bridge, not Nigeria
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A photo of a bridge in Guangdong, China is circulating on social media with a false caption that it shows a new bridge in Nigeria called Anioma. One post sharing the image here wrote: “The Anioma bridge in Delta State opened June 2023. Cost: $700m, raised from securitization of 10% gas pipeline revenues to a 75 year bond.”The photo, however, shows the Nansha bridge in China’s Guangdong Province. Articles about the bridge, opened in 2019 and previously called The Second Humen Bridge, can be seen here, here and here . The photo shows the Nansha Bridge in Guangdong, China, not a bridge in Nigeria.

Persons: Read Organizations: Delta State, Reuters Locations: Guangdong, China, Nigeria, Delta, securitization, China’s Guangdong Province, ”

At least one person drowned in the province of Rizal in the wake of the typhoon, the national disaster agency said. But authorities issued land warnings for several counties and cities in southern Taiwan including the major port city of Kaohsiung. Railway services between eastern and southern Taiwan will be suspended from Wednesday evening. More than 300 people have been evacuated in southern and eastern Taiwan as a precaution as Doksuri was expected to bring up to 1 metre (3.3 feet) of rainfall there. A Level II emergency response implies an oncoming typhoon could severely affect the country, according to the state council's national emergency plan for flood control and drought relief.

Persons: Doksuri, Talim, Karen Lema, Bernard Orr, Yimou Lee, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Weather Bureau, Railway, Meteorological Centre, South China Sea, Meteorological Administration, Guangzhou Daily, Central Meteorological Administration, Thomson Locations: MANILA, BEIJING, TAIPEI, Philippines, Taiwan, China, Cagayan province, Rizal, Philippine, Kaohsiung, South, Fujian, Guangdong, Manila, Beijing, Tapei, Shanghai

☆ Typhoon Doksuri: Egay makes landfall in Philippines as country braces for impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A powerful typhoon made landfall in the northern Philippines early Wednesday, bringing the potentially deadly threat of tidal surges, flash floods and landslides to parts of the country’s main island, authorities said. Typhoon Doksuri, known as Egay in the Philippines, made landfall at 3:10 a.m. local time (3:10 p.m. Pagasa warned that violent and life-threatening conditions are expected in some areas of Luzon, the Philippines’ largest and most populous island, as torrential rains rains swept the country. Communities in the typhoon’s path are braced for the impact of expected winds of up to 200 kph (124 mph). Strong winds knock down a tree in the northern Cagayan provice in the Philippines on July 25, 2023.

Persons: Doksuri, Pasgasa, “, Cagayan Manuel Mamba Organizations: CNN, Pagasa, Typhoon, Authorities, Tuesday, CNN Philippines Taiwan, Weather Bureau, National Meteorological Center Locations: Philippines, Philippine, Luzon, Cagayan province, Cagayan, Cagayan provice, CNN Philippines, Taiwan, China, Fujian, Guangdong

☆ China announces steps to boost sales of cars, electronics
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-People enter the SEG E-Market at Huaqiangbei electronics market in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China June 8, 2023. REUTERS/David Kirton/File PhotoBEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese authorities announced a raft of measures on Friday to help boost sales of automobiles and electronics, and warned local governments from rolling out policies that would fuel vicious competition, as they seek to shore up a slowing economy. As China’s post-pandemic economic recovery slows, policymakers have identified the country’s automobile sector as a key lever which they want to use to shore up growth. In June, they unexpectedly extended a purchase tax break on new energy vehicles (NEVs) until 2027. A separate statement on supporting sales of electronics products said authorities would encourage scientific research institutes and market entities to actively apply domestic artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve intelligence levels of electronic products.

Persons: David Kirton, Tesla Organizations: SEG, REUTERS, National Development, Reform Locations: Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, BEIJING, Regions

☆ China's steps to boost sales of cars, electronics disappoint market
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO-People enter the SEG E-Market at Huaqiangbei electronics market in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China June 8, 2023. REUTERS/David Kirton/File PhotoBEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese authorities announced measures on Friday intended to help boost sales of automobiles and electronics with the goal of shoring up a sluggish economy, but the steps failed to impress investors who have been clamouring for stronger stimulus. The Friday statement aimed at encouraging automobile consumption echoed this. “These supports will unlikely significantly boost consumption when people are still generally reluctant to spend as they lack confidence in the economic recovery,” UBS said in a note on Friday. Investors have said they are disappointed by China’s weak second quarter growth and want to see stronger stimulus, with some pinning their hopes on the Politburo meeting later this month.

Persons: David Kirton, Tesla, ”, China’s Organizations: SEG, REUTERS, National Development, Reform, ” UBS Locations: Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, BEIJING

☆ Chinese property developer Evergrande posts $81 billion loss over the past two years
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Evergrande Group headquarters building in Shenzhen is pictured on January 11, 2022 in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China. China Evergrande Group posted a combined loss of $81 billion in its long overdue earnings report late on Monday. Evergrande's net losses for 2021 and 2022 were 476 billion yuan ($66.36 billion) and 105.9 billion yuan ($14.76 billion), respectively, as a result of writedowns of properties, return of lands, losses on financial assets and financing costs, the company said. In its last normal year of operation, 2020, Evergrande posted a net profit of 8.1 billion yuan. Evergrande's colossal debt pile in recent years has become the source of serious concern about China's property sector, a bedrock of the Chinese economy, with defaults and abandoned property projects seen across the country.

Persons: Evergrande Organizations: Group, China Evergrande Locations: Shenzhen, Guangdong Province of China, China

☆ Typhoon Talim forecast to hit southern China late Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Liz Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China Meteorological Administration issued an orange alert, saying the typhoon was expected to increase in intensity to become a severe typhoon by the time it makes landfall at night along the southern coast from Guangdong to Hainan. China has a four-tier colour-coded weather warning system under which orange is the second highest alert. Talim is set to be the fourth typhoon this year but the first to make landfall in China, according to weather predictions. The national forecaster urged authorities in Guangdong and Hainan to be on standby to respond to the typhoon. Chinese national weather forecaster said rainfall in several cities in the southeastern Fujian and eastern Jiangsu provinces reached 200-300mm (7.87-11.81 inches) within three hours early Monday morning.

Persons: Talim, Liz Lee, Jessie Pang, Lincoln, Himani Organizations: China Meteorological Administration, Authorities, Sunday, Zhuhai Jinwan Airport, Meilan, Qionghai Boao, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Guangdong, Hainan, Zhanjiang City, Hong Kong, Guangxi, Xinhua, Zhuhai, Hainan's, Haikou, Qionghai, Fujian, Jiangsu

☆ China executes kindergarten teacher for poisoning preschoolers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BEIJING, July 14 (Reuters) - A former kindergarten teacher was executed in central China this week after killing one child and injuring 24 others by poisoning their porridge with sodium nitrite four years ago, state media reported on Friday. In March 2019, Wang purchased some sodium nitrite after being involved in a dispute with a fellow teacher. The next morning at the kindergarten she added some of the chemical compound into the children's "eight treasures porridge", the court ruled, according to state media. "Eight treasures porridge" is a sweet-flavoured rice-based porridge which is very popular in China. China executes thousands of people each year, by far and away more than any other country, according to estimates by human rights NGO Amnesty International.

Persons: Wang Yun, Wang, Martin Quin Pollard, Lincoln Organizations: Amnesty International, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Henan province, China's Guangdong

☆ China kindergarten attack kills six, sparks safety worries
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In August last year, three people were killed and six wounded in a stabbing at a kindergarten in the southern province of Jiangxi. In 2021, a man killed two children and wounded 16 at a kindergarten in the southwestern region of Guangxi. Attacks on children have also thrown a spotlight on mental health, which often goes under the radar due to cultural stigma attached to mental illnesses. Last month, a series of violent attacks in Hong Kong also raised the issue of mental health. Mental health experts point to the COVID-19 pandemic as a major factor behind an increase in mental health problems.

Persons: Wu, Bernard Orr, Judy Hua, Qiaoyi Li, Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Robert Birsel Organizations: Media, Weibo, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China's Guangdong, Lianjiang county, Lianjiang, China, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Jiangsu, Hong Kong

☆ Guangdong, China: Six dead after knife attack outside kindergarten in Lianjiang
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Six people have been killed and one injured in an early morning knife attack outside a kindergarten in southern China, according to Lianjiang city police and Chinese state-run media. Video footage from the scene, which circulated online and was then obtained and distributed by Reuters news service, show the assault took place outside a kindergarten. The video shows concerned residents passing by the site of the attack, where a sign outside reads “kindergarten,” and police tape being put up. CNN cannot independently verify details about the victims or the method of attack, and has reached out to local officials. China has faced a spate of mass stabbings in recent years, often targeting children; a 2020 knife attack at an elementary school injured 37 children in the southern Guangxi region, while a 2022 stabbing at a kindergarten killed three in eastern Jiangxi province.

Persons: Wu Organizations: CNN, Global Times, Police, Reuters Locations: China, Hengshan, Lianjiang, Guangdong, ”, Guangxi, Jiangxi

☆ Factbox: China's major germanium and gallium producers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

China produces around 60% of the world's germanium, or 180 metric tons in 2022, and over 90% of the world's gallium, about 606 tons last year, according to research firm Antaike. YUNNAN GERMANIUM, AN ESTABLISHED PRODUCERHeadquartered in southwest China's Yunnan province, Yunnan Lincang Xinyuan Germanium Industry Co. Ltd. (002428.SZ) extracts germanium from its own germanium mines and germanium-containing lignite coal mines. It has an annual capacity of 47.6 metric tons of germanium ingot, 60 tons of germanium tetrahydride - used to build 5G infrastructure - and 300,000 germanium wafers for solar cells. CHINALCO, A MAJOR GALLIUM PRODUCERState aluminium giant Chinalco has three gallium production plants, one each in central China's Henan and southwestern Guangxi and Guizhou provinces. It has annual production capacity of 200 metric tons of gallium metal and produced 146 metric tons in 2022.

Persons: Duan Xiangdong, Hope, Zhuzhou, Dominique Patton, David Evans Organizations: . Ltd, Aluminum Corporation of China, Zhuhai Fangyuan, Xing'an, Gallium, AXT Inc, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, YUNNAN, China's Yunnan, Yunnan, China's Henan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Shanghai, Zhuzhou, China's Hunan, Zhuhai, Guangdong, Shanxi, Nanjing, U.S, Beijing

☆ CNBC Daily Open: The Chinese dragon's still dozing
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Blinken unexpectedly meets XiU.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken ended his China visit by meeting with Xi Jinping, the country's president. Nonetheless, they signal to markets that Chinese officials are ready to step in and support economic growth. CNBC Pro combed through FactSet data and found six stocks that are on the verge of forming the golden cross.

Persons: Blinken, Antony Blinken, Xi Jinping, Blinken's, Joe Biden, Xi, Eddie Wu, Alibaba's, Daniel Zhang, Joe Tsai, Zhang Organizations: CNBC, Xi U.S, U.S, Markets, Juneteenth, China's, Bank of, Tmall, Alibaba's Cloud Intelligence Group, Analysts Locations: Dongguan, Guangdong Province of China, China, frayed U.S, America, Asia, Pacific, China's Shanghai, Bank of China

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

☆ Young people in China are giving up high-paying jobs to become baristas and waiters, and they're talking about it online
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( Reena Koh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

China's youth is giving up white-collar work for blue-collar work, and they're talking about it online. The hashtag "my first physical work experience" has over 30.4 million views as of June 12. "I realized this kind of physical work with a sense of participation actually provides nourishment for creation. Kong Yiji is a fictional character from a story written by Lu Xun, a leading figure in modern Chinese literature. That's because the young people posting on Xiaohongshu aren't locked out of the white-collar job market.

Persons: —, They've, they've, Kong Yiji, Lu Xun, aren't, Jia Miao Organizations: Service, CNBC, New York University Shanghai Locations: China, Xiaohongshu, Guangdong province, ByteDance, TikTok, Liaoning, Asia

☆ China's southern cities call for power saving as grid stress increases
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Industrial and oil refining cities in southern China are urging firms and citizens to curb electricity, while Hainan province called for less power usage at peak times, as grids become more stressed due to persistent searing hot weather. Southern China has been beleaguered by a combination of sizzling hot temperatures and heavy rainfalls in recent weeks, with power loads in several cities approaching historic highs due to soaring demand for air-conditioning. The oil refinery city, whose power load broke records three times as of Monday, asked industrial firms to actively reduce power consumption and strengthen power-saving technology transformation. It also suggested that state-owned firms, residents and commercial venues set cooling temperatures to no less than 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the statement. Jiangmen, another industrial city in Guangdong, is also proposing to cut unnecessary power usage amid the power consumption peak.

Locations: China, Hainan, Southern China, Maoming, Guangdong

A cargo ship carrying containers is seen near the Yantian port in Shenzhen, following the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, Guangdong province, China May 17, 2020. BEIJING — China's exports fell in May for the first time since February, customs data showed Wednesday. Exports fell 7.5% year-on-year to $283.5 billion, far worse than the 0.4% decline predicted by a Reuters poll. The disappointing export figures indicate that the longer-term trend is down, said Hao Hong, chief economist at Grow Investment Group. China won't be able depend on trade to boost its economy for "another six months, for sure," he said, noting a drag from lackluster U.S. demand, where inflation — and interest rates — remain high.

Persons: Hao Hong Organizations: Grow Investment Locations: Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, BEIJING

☆ 'Relentless' heatwaves scorch southern China, test power grids
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Workers of grid operator China Southern Power Grid inspect power cables connecting transmission towers in Dongguan, Guangdong province, China May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoBEIJING, June 2 (Reuters) - Having sweltered through May, southern and eastern China face more weeks of unrelenting heatwaves, putting power grids under strain as demand for air-conditioning soars in mega-cities like Shanghai. Like many parts of Asia, China has been besieged by extreme hot weather in recent weeks ahead of summer proper in the northern hemisphere. But how they are occurring - it's just been week on week on week of these records being shattered. Powerful convection weather has also wreaked havoc in central China in recent weeks, with protracted downpours and even hail devastating the country's ongoing wheat harvest.

Persons: Stringer, I'm, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Gao Rong, Ryan Woo, Qiaoyi Li, David Stanway, Michael Perry, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: China Southern Power Grid, REUTERS, University of New, National Climate Centre, Thomson Locations: Dongguan, Guangdong province, China, BEIJING, Shanghai, Asia, Provinces, University of New South Wales, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Henan, Beijing, Singapore

In the next three days, most of southern China is expected to suffer temperatures of more than 35 Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), with temperatures in some areas exceeding 40C, national forecasters said on Friday. Extreme hot weather beset China, like many part of Asia in recent weeks, even before summer arrived. But how they are occurring - it's just been week on week on week of these records being shattered," said Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climate scientist with the University of New South Wales. ELECTRICITY DEMANDDemand for electricity in southern manufacturing hubs, including Guangdong, has surged in recent days, with China Southern Power Grid, one of the country's two grid operators, seeing peak power load exceeding 200 million kilowatts - weeks earlier than normal and close to historical highs. Powerful convection weather has also wreaked havoc in central China in recent weeks, with protracted downpours and even hail devastating the country's ongoing wheat harvest.

Persons: David Kirton, we've, Zhao, Yang, haven't, heatstroke, I'm, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Mei, Gao Rong, Ryan Woo, Qiaoyi Li, David Stanway, Michael Perry, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: heatwave, REUTERS, Reuters, University of New, China Southern Power Grid, National Climate Centre, Thomson Locations: Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, BEIJING, Shanghai, Asia, University of New South Wales, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Henan, Beijing, Singapore

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