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☆ US FCC chair says China's Quectel, Fibocom may pose national security risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Jonathan Newton/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel asked U.S. government agencies to consider declaring that Chinese companies including Quectel (603236.SS) and Fibocom Wireless (300638.SZ) pose unacceptable national security risks, according to letters seen by Reuters. Federal funds cannot be used to purchase equipment from companies on the list, and the FCC will not authorize new equipment from companies deemed national security threats. Rosenworcel wrote the FBI, the Justice Department, the National Security Agency, the Defense Department and other agencies on Sept. 1, forwarding the request from the lawmakers. She added the FCC can update the Covered List "only at the direction of national security authorities." Last year the FCC voted to revoke China Unicom’s U.S. unit, Pacific Networks and ComNet’s authorization to operate in the United States, citing national security concerns.

Persons: Jessica Rosenworcel, Jonathan Newton, Mike Gallagher, Krishnamoorthi, Rosenworcel, David Shepardson, Jonathan Oatis, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S . Senate Commerce, Science, Transportation Committee, Federal Communications Commission, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Federal Communications, U.S, Fibocom Wireless, Reuters, Republican, China, FCC, FBI, Justice Department, National Security Agency, Defense Department, Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, Zhejiang Dahua Technology, Pacific Networks, Embassy, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Quectel, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, U.S, United States, Washington

☆ AI is helping the healthcare industry cut wait times for patients and save thousands of hours on data retrieval. Here's how it could come to a doctor or hospital near you.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AI can help insurers navigate patient records much faster, one automation company said. In New Mexico, AI helped parents access newborns' coverage within minutes, an official said. Healthcare companies can use AI-led automation to speed up the work of customer-service agents. Get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in business, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley — delivered daily. "I hope that AI will make healthcare more accessible to the consumer and make healthcare itself more sustainable for professionals," Chow of Automation Anywhere said.

Persons: Yan Chow, Chow, there's, Humana, Allie, Forbes, Sam Altman, it's, Shanita Harrison, Harrison Organizations: Healthcare, Service, Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Chow . Healthcare, New Mexico Human Services Department, IBM, SS, New, New York Times, Amazon Web Services Locations: New Mexico, Wall, Silicon, Kaiser

☆ China's Leapmotor looks to sell EV tech as it targets export growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"For us, to survive, we have to achieve at least 500,000 to 1 million units of annual sales globally. The top 10 automakers in the world all have annual sales of more than 4 million units. Leapmotor had sales of almost 111,000 EVs in China in 2022, up from just over 44,000 in 2021. With European automakers scrambling to take a larger share of an EV boom in China that has largely left them behind, several have been looking at or licensing EV technology developed in China. Reporting by Zhang Yan in Munich, writing by Kevin Krolicki; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Zhu Jiangming, Leonhard Simon, Leapmotor, ” Zhu, Xpeng, Zhu, Zhang Yan, Kevin Krolicki, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HK, Reuters, Volkswagen, Toyota, Audi, SAIC Motor Corp, VW, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, China, Europe, Australia, New Zealand

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

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

☆ China's 360 and iFlytek release AI models to public
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Sept 5 (Reuters) - China's 360 Security Technology (601360.SS) and iFlytek (002230.SZ) on Tuesday became the latest tech firms to release their artificial intelligence (AI) models to the public. Unlike other countries, China requires companies to submit security assessments and receive clearance before AI products can be available for anyone to use. Authorities have recently accelerated efforts to support companies developing AI as the technology increasingly becomes a focus of competition with the United States. Hefei-based iFlytek, best known for it voice recognition technology, said it was launching its "Spark" AI model while Beiing-based 360 Security Technology, best known for its antivirus software, launched its its AI model "Zhinao", according to the state-backed Securities Times.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Josh Ye, Jacqueline Wong, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Security Technology, Authorities, Securities Times, Baidu Inc, HK, SenseTime, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING, China, United States, Hefei, Hong Kong, Beijing

☆ China's auto workers bear the brunt of price war as fallout widens
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Millions of auto workers and suppliers in China are feeling the heat as an electric vehicle price war forces carmakers to shave costs anywhere they can. State-run China Automotive News estimates there are over 100,000 auto suppliers in the country. Suppliers typically negotiate prices once a year, but many have been pressed to lower prices on a quarterly basis in 2023, two senior executives at auto suppliers said. And in June, a group of small suppliers wrote to state-owned Changan Automobile to push back against 10% price reductions. Three months later, he told Reuters that price cuts had been more aggressive in 2023 than in previous years.

Persons: Aly, Mike Chen, Chen, carmakers, Tesla, George Magnus, Elon Musk, Mike Chen's, Li Auto, Liu, Changan Automobile's, Chen Yudong, They've, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Kripa Jayaram, Marius Zaharia, David Clarke Organizations: SAIC Volkswagen, REUTERS, Rights, Shanghai, SAIC, Volkswagen, VW, Oxford University's China, China Passenger Car Association, Tesla, GM, HK, Changan Automobile, Mitsubishi Motors, Toyota, Hyundai, China Automotive, Automobile, EV, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, China's, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hefei, Chongqing, Chery's, Qingdao

BEIJING, Sept 4 (Reuters) - Kweichow Moutai (600519.SS) and coffee brand Luckin Coffee (LC0Ay.MU) on Monday launched in China a latte advertised as containing the fiery Chinese spirit baijiu, as the Chinese luxury liquor maker aims to pull in younger consumers. The companies said the latte alcohol content was lower than 0.5% of its volume. By Monday afternoon in Beijing and Shanghai, Luckin's app showed that the drink had sold out at several stores. "Moutai and Luckin are the leading enterprises in the domestic liquor and coffee sectors, respectively," Zhu said. ($1 = 7.2640 Chinese yuan)Reporting by Sophie Yu and Brenda Goh; Editing by Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Moutai, Kweichow Moutai, Zhu Danpeng, Zhu, Luckin, Sophie Yu, Brenda Goh, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Monday, Weibo, Luckin, Nasdaq, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, China's, Guizhou, Beijing, Shanghai

Coins and banknotes of China's yuan are seen in this illustration picture taken February 24, 2022. Country Garden, China's largest private developer by sales, did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Lower deposit rates will partially offset various pressures on banks' narrowing net interest margins - a key gauge of profitability, said Nicholas Zhu, a banking analyst at Moody's. "The impact of the deposit rate cut is material, given that close to three-quarters of Chinese banks' liabilities are deposits," Zhu said. China's mortgage loans totalled 38.6 trillion yuan ($5.29 trillion) at the end of June, representing 17% of banks' total loan books.

Persons: Florence Lo, Nicholas Zhu, Zhu, Ziyi Tang, Ryan Woo, Wang Jing, Davide Barbuscia, Anne Marie Roantree Organizations: REUTERS, HK, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank Corp, Agricultural Bank of China, Reuters, Industrial Bank Co Ltd, China Bohai Bank Co Ltd, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Beijing, China, Washington, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, New York, Lincoln

☆ Exclusive: Brazil's Petrobras plans China subsidiary in push to boost ties, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Marta Nogueira | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Prates said Petrobras aims to open the Chinese subsidiary next year, after getting formal approval. "It's important to them," Prates said in a phone interview during a business trip to China. "It is an interesting signal, saying that in the same way that we have a Petrobras America, we will have a Petrobras China, because both countries are equally important to us," he added. Prates said Petrobras China subsidiary would allow Petrobras to operate and participate in projects as partner even in other countries, including in Africa. Petrobras wants to increase its share of China's oil imports to 15% from the current 5% in the next 10 to 20 years, Prates said.

Persons: Sergio Moraes, Jean Paul Prates, Jair Bolsonaro, Prates, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, didn't, Marta Nogueira, Gabriel Araujo, Brad Haynes, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A, REUTERS, DE, Petrobras, PETR4, Reuters, Petrobras America, White House, HK, CITIC, China Development Bank, Bank of China, Thomson Locations: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, DE JANEIRO, SA, China, Petrobras China, United States, Beijing, Africa

India's EV market is small, with Tata Motors (TAMO.NS) dominating sales that made up less than 2% of all cars sold last fiscal year. All sources declined to be identified as the talks are still ongoing and a final decision has not been made. Founded in 2015, Leapmotor has less than 2% share of China's fragmented EV market, where it sells four mass market electric models. This has also forced MG Motor India to find local investors like JSW so it can raise equity. Leapmotor also has been in partnership talks with other major automakers, including Stellantis (STLAM.MI) and Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), according to media reports.

Persons: JSW, Leapmotor, Sajjan Jindal, Aditi Shah, Zhang Yan, Neha Arora, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, DELHI, HK, MG Motor India, China's SAIC Motor Corp, EV, Tata Motors, MG Motor, Ford, JSW, Volkswagen, Thomson Locations: Jinhua, Zhejiang province, China, India, EVs, New Delhi, Shanghai

The logo of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is pictured at the entrance to its branch in Beijing, China April 1, 2019. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) (601398.SS), the country's biggest lender, and Bank of China (BoC) (601988.SS) posted in exchange filings first half profit growth of 1.2% and 0.78%, respectively, from a year earlier. "There are some regional risks that have begun to emerge," Liu said, adding that asset quality has declined slightly but remains under control. BoC's NIM narrowed to 1.67% at end-June from 1.7% at end-March. "Chinese banks are likely to continue to face earnings pressure from margin compression," said Ming Tan, director at S&P Global Ratings.

Persons: Florence, Liu Jiandong, Liu, NIM, BoC's NIM, ICBC, Ming Tan, Tan, BoC's, Ziyi Tang, Engen Tham, Selena Li, Muralikumar Anantharaman, Mark Potter, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, REUTERS, BoC, Commercial Bank of China Ltd, Bank of China, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING, SHANGHAI, HONG KONG, ICBC's

☆ Chinese banks should step up lending to private sector, central bank official quoted
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Paramilitary police officers stand guard in front of the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the central bank (PBOC), in Beijing, China September 30, 2022. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Aug 30 (Reuters) - An official at China's central bank urged banks to step up lending to private companies during a meeting on Wednesday with financial regulators, corporations and lenders, the state-owned Securities Times reported. The central bank will ask financial institutions to set annual targets for services to private firms and vigorously expand loans to companies that are borrowing for the first time, it said. Investment by private companies shrank 0.5% in the first seven months of the year, bigger than the 0.2% decline for the first half. The Shanghai and Shenzhen bourses, major banks including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (601398.SS) and China Construction Bank (601939.SS) as well as at least 11 private firms participated the meeting, according to Yicai financial news.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Ma Jianyang, Yicai, Ellen Zhang, Ryan Woo, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: People's Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, Securities Times, Investment, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Titan Wind Energy, Longfor Group, HK, Seazen Holdings, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, Shanghai, Shenzhen

☆ Top China bank ICBC posts 1.2% H1 profit rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The logo of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is pictured at the entrance to its branch in Beijing, China April 1, 2019. REUTERS/Florence Lo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Ltd (ICBC) (601398.SS), the country's biggest lender, said on Wednesday net profit grew 1.2% year-on-year in the first half of this year. Profit was 173.74 billion yuan ($23.83 billion) for the first half of this year, compared with the restated 171.67 billion yuan in the same period a year earlier, the bank said in a filing. ($1 = 7.2543 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Ziyi Tang, Engen Tham and Selena Li; Editing by Muralikumar AnantharamanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence, Ziyi Tang, Engen Tham, Selena Li, Muralikumar Organizations: Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, REUTERS, Rights, Commercial Bank of China Ltd, Profit, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING

☆ China's Nio to launch first mobile phone in Sept to boost appeal of EV
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nio's founder and chief executive, William Li, was a key driver of the phone project, which the automaker is targeting mainly at drivers of its cars. As the smartphone trend fuels great demand for connectivity, from drivers, more automakers are seeking ways to stay ahead of the growing competition. But Nio's phone project has raised concern among some investors as the company battles widening losses and a sales slump amid a price war started by Tesla in January. Nio posted a net loss of 6.12 billion yuan ($839.51 million) in the second quarter, versus a loss of 2.75 billion yuan in the corresponding period a year ago. Li said Nio would launch the first model of its new EV brand targeting the mass market in the second half of 2024.

Persons: William Li, Li, Tesla, Nio, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: HK, Zhejing, Huawei Technologies, Seres, CYVN Holdings, EV, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI

☆ Chinese banks to cut existing mortgage rates as property crisis deepens
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The reduction in existing mortgage rates will come amid several other property, economic and market support measures Beijing has announced over the past few weeks, as concerns mount about the health of the world's second-largest economy. Chinese lenders were widely expected to cut interest rates on existing mortgages after the PBOC earlier this month said that it would guide commercial banks to do so. The central bank's proposal to cut rates, which came after a wave of early repayments of mortgage debt, aims to reduce the interest rate costs for homebuyers and to boost consumption in a slowing economy. Adjusting existing mortgage rates is conducive to easing pressure on banks from mortgage prepayment, Lin Li, vice president of Agricultural Bank of China Ltd (601288.SS), the country's No.3 lender by assets, said earlier on Tuesday. Cutting deposit rates could help banks to maintain a proper level of NIM, one of the sources said.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Zhu Qibing, Lin Li, Fu Wanjun, NIM, Xiangming Hou, Rong Ma, Tang, Ryan Woo, Selena Li, Sumeet Chatterjee, Alex Richardson, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Agricultural Bank of, REUTERS, Bank, BEIJING, People's Bank of China, Reuters, HK, BOC International China, Citigroup, Agricultural Bank of China Ltd, Agricultural Bank, China's, Thomson Locations: Agricultural Bank of China, Beijing, China, Hong Kong

☆ Inceptio sees big jump in China sales of driver-assist truck tech, plans overseas foray
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A Dongfeng truck with autonomous driving system developed by Inceptio is showcased at Shanghai Centre in Shanghai, China August 29, 2023. REUTERS/Zoey Zhang Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Chinese startup Inceptio expects the number of trucks in China using its driver-assist technology will quadruple by mid-2024 from around 600 currently, and also plans to begin sales overseas next year. "This is a new 'blue ocean' market," he said, using a phrase that describes an underdeveloped market with few competitors. Over the next three to five years, Inceptio is looking at offering services to help manage truck fleets, Ma said. Inceptio eventually hopes that trucks will be eventually allowed to go fully autonomous, enabling it to build a robotruck fleet.

Persons: Zoey Zhang, Inceptio, Julian Ma, China's, Ma, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Inceptio, Shanghai, REUTERS, Rights, Dongfeng Automobile, Nestle, Budweiser, Deppon Express, Reuters, East, Boston Consulting, Thomson Locations: Shanghai, China, U.S, CATL, Sequoia China, East Asia, East, Japan, Inceptio

☆ Mom takes son to Churchill, Canada, for a week of education no school can match
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

We were in Churchill, a town of roughly 900 people nicknamed the “Polar Bear Capital of the World,” in Canada’s Manitoba province. A male polar bear rests during a Tundra Buggy ride into the Churchill Wildlife Management Area in August. People have to learn to co-exist with polar bears in Churchill, where some of them stay waiting for sea ice to refreeze. Hudson Bay polar bears are among the most vulnerable on Earth because of loss of sea ice, with their numbers in sharp decline. They arrive as soon as the sea ice breaks up to feast on small fish called capelin that spawn here.

Persons: we’re, I’d, Nico, Ursula, Jim Baldwin, Baldwin, Alex Cupeiro, “, Terry Ward, you’re, Terry Ward I’d, we’d, Barba, can’t, Jennifer Diment, “ Churchill, Ward, Chantal Maclean, ”, ” Maclean, ” Nico, Chantal, he’d, John Gunter, Fronters, velcroed, Indiana Jones, Joe, he’d maxed, Sandra Cook, Churchill Organizations: CNN, Polar Bears, Churchill Wildlife Management, Churchill Wildlife Management Area, Frontier North, Zodiac, Helicopters, Bear Holding, “, Churchill Locations: Churchill, Canada’s Manitoba, Florida, Hudson Bay, Hudson, Tampa, Winnipeg, Churchill’s, Svalbard, Norway, Stockholm, Oslo, Toronto, Denver, Vancouver, Washington, Ithaca, SS Ithaca

☆ Who is Dmitry Utkin, the Nazi-obsessed Wagner commander presumed dead in the same crash as Prigozhin?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dmitry Utkin, a close associate of Yevgeny Prigozhin, is presumed dead in Wednesday's plane crash. The Wagner Group is named after Utkin's callsign, which stems from his fascination with Nazi Germany. AdvertisementAdvertisementNonetheless, Utkin's influence is woven into the Wagner Group's origin story and its exploits. AdvertisementAdvertisementWith Moran, Utkin served in a failed operation sponsored by the Syrian government to suppress Islamic State militants, the think tank wrote. The US sanctioned Utkin along with the Wagner Group in 2017, citing activities that "threaten the peace, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine."

Persons: Dmitry Utkin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Utkin, Bellingcat, Prigozhin, Utkin's, Time, Moran, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin's Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Concord Management, Consulting, BBC, Third, Nazi, Russia's, Moran Security Group, CSIS, Islamic, Radio Free Europe, US, Guardian Locations: Nazi Germany, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Ukraine, Russian

REUTERS/Chris Helgren/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Shell is considering a sale of its Singapore refining and petrochemical plants as part of a broader strategic review and has hired investment bank Goldman Sachs to explore a potential deal, said several sources close to the matter. "Our strategic review is ongoing and we are exploring several options including divestment," a Shell spokesperson told Reuters on Wednesday. Companies that are reviewing Shell's Singapore assets include Asia's largest refiner, China's Sinopec (600028.SS), as well as global trading companies Vitol and Trafigura, the sources said. For trading companies, the site is seen as a potential oil storage and distribution hub, some of the sources said. In March, Shell decided not to proceed with two projects it was studying to produce biofuels and base oils in Singapore.

Persons: Chris Helgren, Goldman Sachs, Wael Sawan, China's Sinopec, Shell, Trixie Yap, Chen Aizhu, Florence Tan, Tony Munroe, David Goodman Organizations: Shell, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Vancouver , British Columbia, Canada, Singapore, Jurong, Asia

☆ China Construction Bank H1 profit up 3.36%
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

China Construction Bank Corp (CCB) logo is seen on its headquarters in Beijing, China, March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies H1 net profit 167.34 bln yuan vs 161.9 bln year agoNIM 1.79% end-June vs 1.83% end-MarchNPL ratio 1.37% end-June vs 1.38% end-MarchBEIJING/SHANGHAI, Aug 23 (Reuters) - China Construction Bank Corp (CCB)(601939.SS), the first of the country's Big Five lenders to report half-year results this week, posted a 3.36% rise in first-half net profit on Wednesday. China's second-biggest lender by assets saw profits rise to 167.34 billion yuan ($22.95 billion), a filing by the bank showed. The bank said it will continue to fulfill the responsibilities of a major state bank and provide strong financial support for the real economy for the rest of this year. ($1 = 7.2901 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Ziyi Tang and Engen Tham; editing by Jason NeelyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kim Kyung, China's, CCB, CCB's, Ziyi Tang, Engen, Jason Neely Organizations: China Construction Bank Corp, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, BEIJING, SHANGHAI

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

China cut its one-year benchmark lending rate on Monday, which is set to further weigh on banks' NIM. Chinese commercial banks' NIM shrank sharply to 1.74% last quarter from 1.91% at the end of 2022, official data showed. Shares of China's biggest five banks have been sliding since early May amid concerns over the weakening economy. Debt-laden municipalities represent a major risk to China's economy and financial stability, after years of over-investment in infrastructure and plummeting returns from land sales. Still, there's really no getting around the fact that banks will need to sacrifice profitability to support the economy this year," Beddor added.

Persons: Florence, headwinds, Gary Ng, NIM, Christopher Beddor, there's, Beddor, Ziyi Tang, Ryan Woo, Sumeet Chatterjee, Himani Organizations: Bank of Communications, Fair for Trade, Services, REUTERS, China Construction Bank, Corporate, Investment Banking, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, Bank of Communications Co, Agricultural Bank of China, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING

☆ Factbox: China's incumbent and upcoming LNG traders
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Chen Aizhu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker is tugged towards a thermal power station in Futtsu, east of Tokyo, Japan November 13, 2017. Below is a list of China's main gas traders and their operations globally, according to information from company sources and traders. In May, PCI became the first Chinese firm to gain long-term access to gas storage at a European gas terminal. CNOOC also plans to create a London desk in the coming year or two, following PCI and Unipec. Sumitomo Corp (8053.T), which has a desk to trade piped gas in London is considering expanding into LNG trading, said a company spokesperson.

Persons: Issei Kato, Keith Martin, Wang Bingsi, CNOOC, Norinco, ENN, Chen Aizhu, Yuka Obayashi, Florence Tan, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, PetroChina International, PCI, London, Gazprom, China National Offshore Oil Company, Gas Co, ENN, LNG, Beijing Gas, Zhejiang Energy, Zhejiang Energy Zhejiang Energy, Exxon Mobil, Mexico, China Gas Holding, China Gas, JOVO Energy, Privately, SOUTH, Mitsubishi Corp, Marubeni Corp, Tokyo Gas, Korea's SK E, Sumitomo Corp, Thomson Locations: Futtsu, Tokyo, Japan, London, Singapore, Beijing, Dubai, Houston, Sinopec, China, Jiangsu province, ENN, U.S, Hebei, Shenzhen, CNOOC, Zhejiang Energy Zhejiang, Zhejiang, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, HK, Guangxi province, Yantai, Shandong province, Guangdong, Guangzhou, JAPAN, SOUTH KOREA, Asia

[1/2] A worker cleans an electric-powered car Neta V, that is displayed during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show in Tangerang, near Jakarta, Indonesia, August 10, 2023. Dody Hartono, a visitor at the auto show who plans to buy his first EV by 2024, said he wants a better deal. Indonesia has ambitious EV growth plans as it races Thailand and India to build out an EV industry as an alternative to China, the world's largest producer. CONFIDENCE ISSUESToyota (7203.T), its affiliate Daihatsu, and Honda (7267.T) account for two-thirds of auto sales in Indonesia but have been slow to pivot to EVs. Toyota has said it has no plans yet to build an EV in Indonesia.

Persons: Willy Kurniawan, Dody, EVs, Hartono, China's, Hendra Pratama, Hendra Budi, –, Johan Purnomo, Stefanno Sulaiman, Kevin Krolicki, Himani Organizations: REUTERS, Hyundai, HK, Air EV Lite, Daihatsu, Huawei, Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi Motors, Thomson Locations: Indonesia, Tangerang, Jakarta, Thailand, India, China, Southeast Asia

Zhang Yaoyu, PCI's global head of LNG trading, declined to comment on the company's traded volume, but said trading was part of the company's overall strategy. By 2026, Chinese companies are expected to have contracted LNG supplies of more than 100 million tons a year. That could mean a surplus of up to 8 million tons that year, according to consultancy Poten & Partners, or a deficit of 5 million to 6 million tons based on estimates from pricing agency ICIS. Qatar, which will be China's largest supplier for 2026, however, offers traditional LNG contracts that are restricted to a single destination or country. These openings in the market and a more liberalised domestic gas market have also prompted smaller Chinese gas distributors and importers to expand into the trading space.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Toby Copson, Copson, it's, Zhang Yaoyu, Zhang, Jason Feer, Feer, Chen Aizhu, Emily Chow, Marwa Rashad, Yuka Obayashi, Tom Hogue Organizations: REUTERS, 2026 Companies, Shell, BP, International Energy Agency, Offshore Oil Corp, China Gas Holdings, HK, Qatar, Trident LNG, Sinochem, PetroChina International, Poten, Partners, Rystad Energy, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, PCI, U.S, Beijing Gas, Zhejiang Energy, JOVO Energy, Thomson Locations: Qatar, US, Europe, Asia SINGAPORE, London, Singapore, U.S, Oman, Canada, Mozambique, Shanghai, China, Japan, Beijing, Central Asia, Russia, Southeast Asia, South Korea, Ukraine, ENN, Tokyo

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