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☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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 –

☆ Hong Kong jails 12 people over the storming of the legislature in 2019
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Sarita Harilela | Sophie Jeong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Hong Kong CNN —A Hong Kong court on Saturday sentenced 12 people to between 54 and 82 months in prison over the storming of the city’s legislature council building during a pro-democracy protest in 2019, the city’s public broadcaster RTHK said. RTHK said the defendants were convicted of rioting on July 1, 2019, when a large group of protesters smashed through glass doors and stormed Hong Kong’s legislative council building after weeks of mass demonstrations. Deputy District Court judge Li Chi-ho said the storming of the building represented a challenge to the Hong Kong government and had long-lasting effects on the city, according to RTHK. Two reporters who were previously acquitted of rioting were fined 1,500 Hong Kong dollars ($192) and 1,000 Hong Kong dollars ($128) for entering the legislature, according to RTHK. This is a developing story and will be updated.

Persons: Li Chi, Gregory Wong, Ventus Lau, Owen Chow Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, RTHK, Hong Locations: Hong Kong, Hong

London/Hong Kong CNN —McDonald’s has been hit by a system failure in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, with many stores forced to close and online ordering suspended. “Many stores across the country have temporarily suspended operations,” McDonald’s Japan said in a post on X Friday. “There is currently a system failure,” it said earlier. McDonald’s stores around Australia were affected by a major outage Friday, with customers struggling to place orders, CNN affiliate 9 News reported. Please order directly at the restaurant counter.”In the UK, Maria Avram, who works at a McDonald’s store in London, told CNN that there was a system outage between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. local time (2 a.m and 3 a.m.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — McDonald’s, CNN McDonald’s Hong, Maria Avram, McDonald’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, CNN McDonald’s, Facebook Locations: Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, CNN McDonald’s Hong Kong, London

☆ 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

☆ China restaurant explosion in Sanhe, Hebei kills at least one, injures 22
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —A deadly suspected gas explosion ripped through a residential neighborhood in northern China on Wednesday, leaving a scene of devastation and multiple people wounded. The blast ripped through a four-story building, state media said. Local residents said on social media they heard a loud bang in the early morning and felt their buildings trembling. Buildings across the street from the blast site were also impacted, with glass shattered and shop signs damaged, footage aired on CCTV showed. Last June, a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwest Ningxia region killed 31 people.

Persons: Weibo Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CCTV, Weibo, Firefighters Locations: Hong Kong, China, Sanhe, Hebei province, Beijing, Weibo, Ningxia

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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, —

☆ Article 23: Hong Kong unveils its second national security law, aligning city more closely with mainland China
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —Hong Kong’s government unveiled a new suite of powerful national security laws on Friday that critics and foreign governments warn could deepen the ongoing crackdown in the city and further undermine its reputation as an international business hub. They point to the application of national security laws in mainland China as well as in Hong Kong where a Beijing-imposed national security law has already transformed the once outspoken city since 2020, silencing almost all dissent and jailing dozens of political opponents. The new draft Hong Kong law – known locally as Article 23 – is aimed at “filling the loopholes” left by the Beijing-imposed version enacted in 2020, according to the Hong Kong government. But the atmosphere in Hong Kong this time around is very different. Many of the city’s leading pro-democracy figures are in jail either convicted or facing charges under the 2020 national security law.

Persons: ”, Hong Kong’s, –, John Lee –, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong, China’s Communist Party, Chinese Communist Party, Authorities, Security, US Department of State Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Hong, United States

☆ China’s exports jump thanks to demand from India, Russia and other emerging markets
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China registered a surprise jump in foreign trade at the start of the year, partly because of strong demand from Russia, India and emerging markets in Africa and Latin America. China’s economy is battling a number of headwinds, including weak consumer and investor confidence, high youth unemployment and a long-running real estate crisis. Apart from the weak base effect, strong demand from emerging markets helped China’s trade surge at the start of the year. Meanwhile, China’s exports to Russia increased 12.5%, representing a slowdown from the rapid growth seen last year. “At the current juncture, it is likely too soon to call for a revival in China’s trade sector,” said HSBC analysts on Thursday.

Persons: ”, Nomura, “, Lynn Song, Biden, Wang Wentao Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Exports, European Union, “, HSBC, Greater China, ING, European Commission, Wall Street Locations: Hong Kong, China, Russia, India, Africa, Latin America, Moscow, United States, Japan, Australia, Greater

☆ Taiwan wants to hire Indian workers. What’s skin color or religion got to do with it?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Diksha Madhok | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New Delhi/Hong Kong CNN —Taiwan has swung into damage control mode after its labor minister made controversial comments about the skin color, religion and diets of some Indians ahead of a potential drive to recruit migrant workers to the island. In a separate apology, Taiwan’s labor ministry said Hsu implied “absolutely no discriminatory connotation when she mentioned ‘similar skin color’ in the interview. CNN has reached out to India’s Ministry of External Affairs for comments. In February, Taiwan said it will hire migrant workers from India to ease its labor shortage, but did not share any other details. Taipei currently allows migrant workers from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines to work in the island, according to the labor ministry.

Persons: Hsu Ming, chun, ”, ” Hsu, Hsu, Hsu’s, Taiwan’s Foxconn, ” Young Liu, ” Liu, Padma Bhushan Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Taiwan, Yahoo, Labor, CNN, India’s Ministry, Affairs, Padma, Bloomberg Locations: New Delhi, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India’s, India, China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Covid, “ India, Japan, South Korea, Taipei, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines

☆ Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock index surpasses 40,000 for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index jumped above 40,000 for the first time on Monday, extending a historic rally that analysts say has just begun. The milestone comes just days after it had set a record closing high of 39,098.68, eclipsing its previous 1989 peak. Optimism regarding semiconductors boosted Taiwan’s stock market as well, with benchmark Taiex hitting an all-time high on Monday, led by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. Premier Li Qiang is set to announce China’s 2024 growth target on Tuesday and is also likely to unveil more stimulus measures to revive the sagging economy. Analysts widely expect the policymakers to set this year’s growth target at around 5%.

Persons: ”, Jefferies, “, chipmaker, Kospi, Hong, Li Qiang, Stephen Innes Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Nikkei, Nasdaq, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Nvidia, Investors, National People’s Congress, NPC, Communist Party’s Politburo Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, Beijing, Shanghai, China

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ In China’s battle of the lattes, Luckin Coffee keeps beating Starbucks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Luckin, which already calls itself China’s biggest coffee chain, says it had surpassed Starbucks in mainland China by number of outlets in 2019. By the end of 2023, Luckin had 16,218 stores in China, nearly double its 2022 count of more than 8,200. Starbucks’ outlets in China are entirely company-owned. The number of branded coffee shops in China jumped 58% in the past twelve months, reaching 49,691 outlets, according to a December report by World Coffee Portal. Making a comebackBy 2019, the company had outnumbered Starbucks stores in China, with more than 4,500 outlets, according to the company.

Persons: Luckin, ”, Jinyi Guo Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Nasdaq, Starbucks, CNN, International Coffee Organization, Daxue Consulting, Visual China, Centurium, US Securities and Exchange Commission Locations: China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Xiamen, United States, Beijing, New York, American

☆ Zong Qinghou, self-made billionaire founder of top Chinese beverage brand Wahaha, dies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The self-made billionaire, who was once China’s richest man, died of an illness on Sunday at the age of 79, his company Hangzhou Wahaha Group said in a brief statement, without providing further details. Victory in that bitter battle boosted Zong’s wealth to $8 billion, making him China’s richest man in 2010 and again in 2012, according to Forbes. He was nicknamed “the richest man in cloth shoes” for always sporting plain black shoes, complete with a dark jacket and slacks. That year, Zong founded the Hangzhou Wahaha Group after acquiring a failing state-run canned food factory. The dispute was eventually settled in 2009, with Danone selling its stake for about $500 million and ceding all control to Wahaha.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Zong Qinghou, Zong, Forbes, Jack Ma, Lei Jun, Zong Fuli, Mao Zedong’s, ”, Deng Xiaoping, Wahaha, Danone Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hangzhou Wahaha, Danone, Forbes, Getty Locations: China, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, “, Guangzhou, Beijing

☆ China moon spacecraft named ‘Dream Vessel’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —China’s space agency has revealed the names of the spacecraft that it hopes will take Chinese astronauts to the moon by the end of the decade. In a news release over the weekend, the China Manned Space Agency said development was “progressing well” on the spaceship Mengzhou, or Dream Vessel, the lander, Lanyue, or Embracing the Moon, and a super-heavy-lift carrier rocket named Long March 10. The name Mengzhou is linked to the “Chinese nation’s dream of landing on the moon,” it added. The United States is ramping up its lunar program, with NASA last month announcing its plan to land astronauts on the moon in 2026, a year behind its original schedule. Last week, the commercial Odysseus lunar lander developed by Intuitive Machines became the first US-made spacecraft to touch down on the moon in 50 years.

Persons: “ Lanyue ”, Mao Zedong, Xi Jinping’s, Japan’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China Manned Space Agency, NASA, Machines Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, United States, Japan, India

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