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BEIJING, Sept 13 (Reuters) - U.S. and European firms are shifting investment away from China to other developing markets, a report from Rhodium Group showed, with India receiving the vast majority of this redirected foreign capital, followed by Mexico, Vietnam and Malaysia. "Diversification is well underway," the research organisation said, but acknowledging: "it will take years for advanced economies to achieve the objectives behind their 'de-risking' policies," as China is so central to global supply chains. Low production costs and the prospect of a massive middle class drew the first foreign firms to China in the late 1980s, as the country abandoned its Maoist economic model. The shift comes as Chinese local authorities struggle to revive foreign investment after an economically bruising pandemic and property crisis depleted their coffers. But the authors cautioned that diversification is unlikely to result in a rapid decline in exposure to China because the markets foreign firms are investing in are heavily reliant on trade and investment with the Asian giant themselves.

Persons: Wednesday's, Joe Cash Organizations: Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, India, Mexico, Vietnam, Malaysia

[1/2] AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken June 23, 2023. Some have expressed concern that students might similarly rely on AI to produce work and effectively cheat - especially as AI content gets better with time. Passing off GenAI as original work could also raise copyright issues, prompting questions over whether AI should be banned in academia. It has provided that tool free to more than 10,000 education institutions globally, although it plans to charge a fee from January. So far, the AI detection tool has found that only 3% of students used AI for more than 80% of their submissions and that 78% did not use AI at all, Turnitin data shows.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, OpenAI, ChatGPT, Bard, Leif Kari, Rachel Forsyth, Sophie Constant, Stefania Giannini, Kirsten Rulf, Deepa Babington Organizations: REUTERS, Lund, University of Western, University of Hong, Microsoft, Royal Institute of Technology, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, UNESCO, Strategic, Lund University, England's University of Oxford, Reuters, European Union, EU, Boston Consulting Group, Thomson Locations: STOCKHOLM, University of Western Australia, Perth, University of Hong Kong, Stockholm, Sweden, Britain, Singapore

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani addresses the opening session on the first day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, Britain June 21, 2023. The hugely ambitious project sees China strengthening trade ties with large infrastructure spending in countries along the historic Silk Road route via Asia to Europe and beyond. "China is willing to work with Italy to continue to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, explore opportunities for potential trade and investment... and promote further development of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership," said He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson. SENSITIVE DIPLOMACYItaly's trade deficit with China grew by 22.3 billion euros ($23.9 billion) between 2019 and 2022, according to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So far, 90 countries have confirmed attendance, China's foreign ministry announced on Thursday.

Persons: Antonio Tajani, Henry Nicholls, Xi Jinping, Wang Yi, Italy's, Tajani, Joe Cash, Ryan Woo, Giselda Vagnoni, Alvise Armellini, Federico Maccioni, Kim Coghill, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Italy's, Conference, Rights, Initiative, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, RAI, American Enterprise Institute, AC Milan, Inter, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, London, Britain, Rights BEIJING, China, Italy, Beijing, Asia, Europe, Rome, Inter Milan

☆ Blockbuster weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic are being tested to treat addiction and dementia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Weight loss drugs are being assessed for their ability to treat conditions like dementia and addiction after a landmark study showed that Wegovy helped reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Late-stage trial data released last month by Novo Nordisk indicated that its Wegovy weight loss injection led to "large reductions" in heart failure-related symptoms among at-risk patients. A treatment for drug and alcohol abuseHendershot is one researcher investigating whether the appetite-regulating mechanisms at play in weight loss drugs could be used to treat other conditions such as alcohol and drug addiction. Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly 's Mounjaro work by imitating a naturally occurring gut hormone that helps regulate appetite in the brain, ultimately leading to weight loss. Implications for reward signalingAdditional possible use cases for weight loss drugs could exacerbate the hurdles already faced by patients using them, however: high costs and supply shortages.

Persons: Wegovy, —, Hendershot, Nordisk's Wegovy, Eli Lilly, Kyle Simmons, Simmons, Ivan Koychev, Harshal Deshmukh Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Novo Nordisk, University of North, Chapel Hill, CNBC, Nordisk's, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma State University, University of Baltimore, University of Oxford, University of Hull Locations: Danish, University of North Carolina, Chapel

☆ Torrid summer for Chinese economy but hope for rebound, says professor
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailTorrid summer for Chinese economy but hope for rebound, says professorGeorge Magnus, a research associate at the University of Oxford China Centre and SOAS China Institute, discusses the current economic climate in China, and explains why President Xi is so opposed to stimulating the economy.

Persons: George Magnus, Xi Organizations: University of Oxford China Centre, SOAS China Institute Locations: China

"There is a significant risk in the short term of financial crisis or other degree of economic crisis that would carry very substantial social and political costs for the Chinese government. By the time the global financial crisis hit in 2008-09, it had already met most of its investment needs for its level of development, economists say. To keep growth high, China in the 2010s doubled down on infrastructure and property investment, at the expense of household consumption. China has since backed away from major financial market liberalisation while plans to rein in state behemoths and introduce universal social welfare never quite materialised. "But at the same time there's a great fear of the short-term political and social risk, especially of provoking an economic crisis."

Persons: Xi Jinping's, William Hurst, Chong Hua, there's, Max Zenglein, We're, Logan Wright, Alicia Garcia Herrero, Hurst, Liangping Gao, Kevin Yao, Kripa Jayaram, Marius Zaharia, Sam Holmes Organizations: Development, University of Cambridge, International Monetary Fund, Asia Pacific, China's, Reuters Graphics, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Japan, Beijing, Natixis

However, in a hopeful sign for growth, conditions did not materially worsen even though the survey showed factories under persistent pressure. China's major manufacturing rivals in the region Japan and South Korea also reported sharp declines in output on Thursday. "It's too early to tell, but today's print suggests that a sequential uptick in growth activity in the third quarter could still be possible," said Louise Loo, senior economist with Oxford Economics. Policymakers remain under pressure to boost domestic demand as the global economy continues to slow. Going forward, "the actual implementation and effectiveness of policy support will be the key indicator to watch," he added.

Persons: It's, Louise Loo, Pan Gongsheng, Frederic Neumann, Bruce Pang, Jones Lang Lasalle, Joe Cash, Qiaoyi Li, Ellen Zhang, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, National Bureau of Statistics, PMI, Oxford Economics, Reuters, People's Bank of, Global Research Asia, HSBC, Jones, Thomson Locations: Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, Rights BEIJING, Japan, South Korea, People's Bank of China, United States, Europe, Asia

HONG KONG, Aug 31 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Prudential’s (PRU.L), new CEO has inherited an old problem. Wadhwani’s decision to lead the $35 billion company from Hong Kong underscores its focus. Its Hong Kong and London-listed stock trades at just over 13 times expected earnings for 2023, per Visible Alpha. Larger rival AIA, listed in Hong Kong, is valued at around 18 times. The group’s new business profit in the mainland slipped 16% to $171 million in the first half as Pru withdrew some products from the market.

Persons: Anil Wadhwani, Pru, Peter Thal Larsen, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, AIA, HK, U.S ., Prudential, Investments, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, U.S, Greater China, Hong Kong, London, China

☆ A disturbing AI phenomenon could completely upend the internet as we know it
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Generative AI could soon be trained on AI-generated content — and experts are raising the alarm. The new term comes as AI-generated content filled with errors continues to flood the internet. Other AI researchers have coined their own terms to describe the training method. Jathan Sadowski, a senior fellow at the Emerging Technologies Research Lab in Australia who researches AI, called this phenomenon "Habsburg AI," arguing that AI systems heavily trained on outputs of other generative AI tools can create "inbred mutant" responses that contain "exaggerated, grotesque features." These new terms come as AI-generated content has flooded the internet since OpenAI launched ChatGPT last November.

Persons: Jathan, paywalls, Ray Wang, Baji, Cohere, OpenAI, ChatGPT, It's, Gizmodo, Kai, Cheng Yang, OpenAI's chatbot, Yang Organizations: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Stanford, Rice, Emerging Technologies, Constellation Research, CNET, Microsoft, Ottawa Food Bank Locations: Australia, Ottawa

☆ U.S. presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis is struggling to have a clear identity, professor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailU.S. presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis is struggling to have a clear identity, professor saysDesmond King, professor of American government at the University of Oxford, discusses the U.S. Republican presidential candidates.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Desmond King Organizations: University of Oxford, U.S, Republican

☆ Mysterious dark spot detected on Neptune
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Astronomers have spotted a large and mysterious dark spot within Neptune’s atmosphere, and it has an unexpectedly bright companion. “Since the first discovery of a dark spot, I’ve always wondered what these short-lived and elusive dark features are,” said lead study author Patrick Irwin, professor of planetary physics at the University of Oxford, in a statement. Gas giants and dark spotsGiant gaseous planets in our solar system, including Neptune, are known for the dark spots that appear in their atmospheres, such as Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a centuries-old storm. The Great Dark Spot on Neptune, the nickname given to the largest storm witnessed by Voyager 2, was so large that it could contain Earth. The unusual cloud appeared in the observation as a smaller bright spot next to the larger dark spot, and both are on the same atmospheric level.

Persons: I’ve, ”, Patrick Irwin, Hubble, Neptune, Irwin, Irwin et, Michael Wong, ” Wong, “ Organizations: CNN —, Southern, Hubble, University of Oxford, Gas, NASA, Irwin’s, European Southern Observatory, University of California Locations: Chile, Northern, Berkeley

☆ How Merve Emre became the hottest — and most reviled — name in literary criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Anna Silman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

Last winter, the 37-year-old literary critic and Wesleyan professor Merve Emre stood in front of a microphone in Rachel Comey's Soho boutique. While the others had largely opted to pull boldfaced names from the Review's archives — like a 1985 Gore Vidal piece about Tennessee Williams — Merve Emre would be reading Merve Emre. Emre has penned so many introductions for new anthologies and reissues that one fan joked on Twitter: "every new baby in 2024 comes with an introduction by merve emre." Courtesy of Merve Emre. Over her cocktail, Merve Emre told me what my profile on Merve Emre should be about.

Persons: Merve Emre, Rachel Comey's, Emily Greenhouse, Gore Vidal, Tennessee Williams — Merve Emre, Emre, Diane Williams, who's, Everyone's, Elena Ferrante, Jonathan Franzen, Rachel Cusk, Susan Sontag, Michael Roth, Reading Emre, merve emre, John Guillory, Dorothy Parker, Christopher Hitchens, Jon Fosse, Stephanie LaCava, Batuman, Lawrence, Alison Roman, Frank Gehry, Jason Stanley, someone's, they're, Anna Shechtman, Anne, Maggie Doherty, doesn't, Emre Emre, Roald Dahl's, Matilda, Myers, Briggs, you've, I've, Bain, Chris Bierly, I'd, Amy Lombard, Ferrante, She's, Christian Nakarado, Leo Carey, Jason, Nakarado, hasn't, Emre's, Altan, Emre lasered, Ara Osterweil, McGill, Beyoncé, Osterweil, Al Jazeera, sensitively, Ivy pricks, she's, Michael Berube, He'd, he'd, James Joyce, Simone de Beauvoir, Merve, Sarah Chihaya, —, Mary Butts, Leonora Carrington, Susan Taubes, Taubes, Durga Chew, Christian Lorentzen, Orhan Pamuk, Lena Dunham, Chew, Bose, Yale's, it's, she'd, Taylor Swift, Elif Batuman, Swift, Janet Malcolm, Charlie Kaufman, Roth, we're, What's, Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, It's, Elizabeth Morache, Rebecca Zisser, David Bergman Organizations: The New York, McGill, Times, New York Magazine, The, Yorker, Wesleyan University, Reading, Twitter, McGill ,, Wesleyan, Ivy League, Yale, Shapiro Center, Creative, NBA, Harvard, Bain & Company, Insider Yale, HBO, Congress, NPR, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, New York, Yahoo, Oxford, Oxford . McGill, University of Oxford, Penn State, Fordham University, Boston, Intelligence Squared, Yale Science, University, Whitney Museum, Netflix Locations: Rachel Comey's Soho, McGill , Oxford, Columbia, Norwegian, New Haven , Connecticut, New Haven, Adana, Turkey, New York, Cambridge, Montreal, United States, chiseling, Turkish

☆ How Merve Emre became the hottest — and most divisive — name in literary criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Anna Silman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

HONG KONG, Aug 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Volkswagen’s (VOWG_p.DE) China shortcut sets a tricky roadmap for its western rivals. An increasingly competitive Chinese market means others may also need to plot a new route. VW’s western peers may feel they do not need to follow in its tracks. Second, VW’s Xpeng deal highlights how companies need to adapt quickly to stay relevant in China. Both partnerships will see the companies jointly develop intelligent, connected electric vehicles for the Chinese market.

Persons: China’s, that’s, Bernstein, Alix, Elon Musk’s, VW’s, Auto, Neil Unmack, Pranav Kiran, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, HK, FAW, SAIC, VW, BMW, upstarts, Alix Partners, Elon, Mercedes, Benz, Nissan, General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volkswagen’s Audi, Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, Jetta, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, China, Xpeng, Kingdom, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Zhejiang

☆ Neptune’s disappearing clouds linked to solar cycle
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The findings are “extremely exciting and unexpected, especially since Neptune’s previous period of low cloud activity was not nearly as dramatic and prolonged,” Chavez added. The findings also contradict the idea of the clouds being affected by Neptune’s four seasons, which each last about 40 years. Additionally, Neptune storms rising from the deep atmosphere do influence the planet’s cloud cover — but aren’t related to clouds formed in the upper atmosphere. That variable could interfere with studies looking at correlations between photochemically produced clouds and the solar cycle. More research could also suggest how long the near absence of clouds on Neptune might last.

Persons: ”, Imke de Pater, Neptune brightened, Erandi Chavez, ” Chavez, Neptune, Patrick Irwin, wasn’t, Irwin, Carlos Alvarez, ” Irwin, “ Organizations: CNN —, University of California, NASA, Hubble, Keck, Lick, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian, JPL, Caltech, University of Oxford, Keck Observatory Locations: Berkeley, Hawaii, California

☆ Jewelry worth up to $63,000 was stolen from one of the world's top museums and sold on eBay for as little as $50, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Several jewelry items worth up to $63,000 were stolen from the British Museum in London. A museum curator suspected of being behind the thefts was fired, and police are investigating. Some of the items were worth up to £50,000, or approximately $63,000, and were listed on eBay for as little as £40, or $50, according to British newspaper The Telegraph. An independent review is underway to establish what is missing, attempting to recover the missing items and preventing future thefts. A spokesman for the British Museum told the paper: "We have conducted a thorough investigation, identified the person we believe to be responsible, and that person has been dismissed.

Persons: Peter Higgs, Higgs, Greg, Greg Higgs, He's, I've, Nobody, Martin Henig Organizations: British Museum, eBay, Service, British, Telegraph, The Telegraph, University of Oxford Locations: London, Wall, Silicon

The "AI for business" diploma offers training in data and AI for client leaders, practitioners, and WPP executives, according to WPP's website. The team work under AI expert Daniel Hulme who was appointed chief AI officer at WPP two years ago. While lawmakers and philosophers alike still debate whether content produced by generative AI models amounts to anything like human creativity, advertisers have already begun using the technology in their promotional campaigns. Unilever, which owns more than 400 brands including Dove soap and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, has its own generative AI technology that can write product descriptions for retailers' websites and digital commerce sites, it said. The company's TRESemmé haircare brand has used its AI content generator for written content and its automation tool for visual content on Amazon.co.uk (AMZN.O).

Persons: Mark Read, Read, we've, Mondelez, Shah Rukh Khan, Daniel Hulme, Nestle, Gandon, Ray, Johannes Vermeer's, Aaron Rajan, Nestle's Gandon, Martin Sorrell, You've, Ben King, Richa Naidu, Martin Coulter, Matt Scuffham, Daniel Flynn Organizations: Nestle, Unilever, Marketing, Investment, Reuters, WPP, Oreo, Cadbury, Bollywood, YouTube, Facebook, University of Oxford, Global, Google, Go, Market Technology, Consumer, Walmart, Carrefour, Kroger, Thomson Locations: Africa, India, London, Swiss, Okta

☆ Yale and Oxford-trained neuroscientist: These 3 questions can help you get better at embracing change
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"Change is scary," Shankar said in a recent TED Talk. And when we experience a change that we wouldn't have chosen for ourselves, it's easy to feel that our lives are contracting, that we're more limited than before." If you struggle with rigidity when faced with uncertain circumstances, ask yourself these three questions, Shankar suggested:How might this change improve what you're capable of? Focusing on the opportunities you might gain — rather than what you could lose — can help you better adapt to unexpected challenges. But adapting to change can be a crucial life and professional skill — and practicing self-reflection can help you become more open to uncertainty, said Shankar.

Persons: Maya Shankar, Shankar, Carla Marie Manly, Manly, Warren Buffett Organizations: Yale University, University of Oxford

☆ AI Scams, Spam, Hacking, Are Ruining the Internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Shubham Agarwal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

A report from Europol expects a mind-blowing 90% of internet content to be AI-generated in a few years. A report from Europol, the European Union's law-enforcement agency, expects a mind-blowing 90% of internet content to be AI-generated in a few years. And while AI bots have telltale signs now, experts indicate that they will soon get better at mimicking humans and evading the detection systems developed by Menczer and social networks. While misinformation has long been a problem with the internet, AI is going to blow our old problems out of the water. But security researchers have discovered that the AI bots in your apps and devices might steal sensitive information for the hackers.

Persons: HBO Max, haven't, ChatGPT, Christian Selig, Reddit, Martijn Pieters, He'd, NewsGuard, Gordon Crovitz, NewsGuard's, Filippo Menczer, NewsGuard's Crovitz, Christopher Cowell, Cowell, John Licato, Bing, Florian Tramèr, Toby Walsh, Walsh, Shubham Agarwal Organizations: HBO, Europol, Market, Indiana University's Observatory, Social Media, Facebook, Microsoft, Google, University of South, ETH Zürich, University of New, University of Oxford, Wired, Company Locations: Cambridge, Europol, Portland , Oregon, Etsy, University of South Florida, University of New South Wales, Ahmedabad, India

Containers are seen at the Yangshan Deep-Water Port in Shanghai, China October 19, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song/File PhotoBEIJING, Aug 7 (Reuters) - China's exports likely contracted further in July, as manufacturers in the world's second-largest economy struggled for buyers in markets grappling with high inflation and rising interest rates, a Reuters poll showed on Monday. Imports are expected to have shrunk by 5.0%, after a fall of 6.8% in June, reflecting slightly improved domestic demand. The median estimate in the poll indicated only marginal change in China's trade surplus, with analysts predicting it will come in at $70.60 billion, compared with 70.62 billion in June. China's trade data will be released on Tuesday.

Persons: Aly, Joe Cash, Anant Chandak, Susobhan Sarkar, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, BEIJING, Beijing, outflows, Bengaluru

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. Investors in China's stock markets, however, were clearly underwhelmed, as Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (.HSI) dropped roughly 2% over the week, while the mainland's benchmark CSI 300 index (.CSI) eked out a 0.7% gain. But investors are becoming frustrated by the time the NDRC is taking to flesh out stimulus policies, or order measures like a cut in stamp duty - that could help China's ailing property sector, and please investors in stocks and bonds. Even in a best-case scenario, growth over the second half of this year looks set to be modest." Reporting by Joe Cash and Albee Zhang in Beijing; Editing by Himani Sarkar & Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, HSI, flexibly, Zou Lan, Xu Tianchen, Joe Cash, Albee Zhang, Himani Sarkar, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, National Development, Reform Commission, Communist Party's, UBS, Council, Economist Intelligence Unit, Weibo, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING

HONG KONG, Aug 2 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Koji Sato enjoyed a smooth ride in his first quarter behind the wheel at Toyota Motor (7203.T). Toyota now trades just shy of 10 times estimated earnings for the next 12 months, per Refinitiv. Those same Chinese brands are encroaching on emerging markets like Thailand, where Toyota has traditionally sold well. Executives told investors on Tuesday that they’re eager to review other investments, too, including cross-holdings in the Toyota group and other assets. Total sales rose by 24% to 10.5 trillion yen in the same period.

Persons: Koji Sato, Sato, Toyota’s, that’s, Encouragingly Sato, Antony Currie, Pranav Kiran Organizations: Reuters, Toyota, Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Asia, China, Thailand

BEIJING, July 31 (Reuters) - China's manufacturing activity fell for a fourth straight month in July while the services and construction sectors teetered on the brink of contraction, official surveys showed on Monday, threatening growth prospects for the third quarter. Construction sector activity for July was its weakest since COVID-19-related workplace disruptions dissipated around February, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed. The non-manufacturing PMI, which incorporates sub-indexes for service sector activity and construction, dropped to 51.5 from June's 53.2. "Meanwhile, we're seeing improvements in inventory levels, suggesting that with destocking nearing its end, China's manufacturing sector bottomed out in the second quarter," he added. "Unless concrete support is rolled out soon, the recent downturn in demand risks becoming self-reinforcing."

Persons: Xu Tianchen, Julian Evans, Pritchard, Joe Cash, Sam Holmes, Edmund Klamann Organizations: National Bureau, Statistics, Communist Party, PMI, Economist Intelligence Unit, destocking, China, State, Capital Economics, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China

[1/5] China's Vice Premier He Lifeng and French Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire attend the China-France Economic and Financial Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, July 29, 2023. REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, July 29 (Reuters) - China hopes France can "stabilise the tone" of EU-China relations, vice-premier He Lifeng told a senior French minister in Beijing on Saturday, as European leaders debate how to "de-risk" but also cooperate with the world's second-largest economy. "It is hoped that France will stabilise the tone of friendly cooperation between China and the EU," He said in opening remarks before an afternoon of discussions at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guest house, adding that China believes its bilateral ties with France "have a good foundation". "It is essential to think about the expansion and deepening of economic and financial cooperation between France and China," La Maire said. "We would like to welcome major new investments from China to French territory."

Persons: Lifeng, Bruno Le Maire, Thomas Peter BEIJING, State Anthony Blinken, Janet Yellen, Le Maire, La Maire, Joe Cash, Layli Foroudi, Liz Lee, Lincoln, Giles Elgood Organizations: China's, Finance, France Economic, REUTERS, Economy, Beijing's, U.S, State, Economic, European Union, Union, Huawei, Thomson Locations: French, China, France, Diaoyutai, Beijing, EU, United States, Russia, Paris

BEIJING, July 24 (Reuters) - China is struggling to revive foreign investment in its financially battered cities and provinces as foreign firms remain wary of political risks and new incentives fall far short of sweeteners once used to attract overseas money. With their coffers depleted after an economically bruising pandemic and property crisis, local authorities have been racing to find new revenue sources, with foreign investment particularly coveted. He cited five meetings between their London office and delegations from Chinese local governments in late June. PART OF THE SYSTEMLocal authorities carry out a delicate balancing act when courting foreign investment and dealing with critical questions about Xi's security policies. "As far as the macro situation is concerned, local governments can't do anything to reassure foreign investors.

Persons: Premier Li Qiang, Kiran Patel, Xi Jinping's, Noah Fraser, it's, Li Qiang, Agatha Kratz, Joe Cash, Brenda Goh, Sam Holmes Organizations: Premier, China - Britain Business Council, China's Ministry of Commerce, Canada China Business Council, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Sichuan, Chaozhou, Shanghai

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