Global-China Information Service

Abstract : Shanghai saw a consumption boom during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, with major retailers doubling their sales over the same period last year as the holiday ended on Wednesday. SHANGHAI, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) — Shanghai saw a consumption boom during the week-long Spring Festival holiday, with major retailers doubling their sales over the same period last year as the holiday ended on Wednesday. Data released by the municipal commission of commerce showed that during the Feb. 11- Feb. 17 holiday period, 390 of the city’s closely-watched retailers including cinemas, automobile, home appliance, jewelry, catering businesses, shopping malls and other retail businesses saw their sales more than doubled. Their sales volume reached 7.6 billion yuan (about 1.18 billion U.S. dollars), and 107 major restaurants registered 29.33 million yuan in sales, an increase of 79 percent over the same period last year. The box office takings in Shanghai topped 327 million yuan between Feb.

Abstract : The 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will set up a special section for biomedical products for the first time, the organizer said on Thursday. SHANGHAI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will set up a special section for biomedical products for the first time, the organizer said on Thursday. The new section, situated inside the Medical Equipment & Healthcare Products Exhibition Hall, will not only help industry leaders to showcase new products and promote cooperation, but also enable domestic institutions to learn about cutting-edge technologies and industry trends, according to Liu Fuxue, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau. During the 3rd CIIE, the Medical Equipment & Healthcare Products Exhibition Hall covered an area of 69,000 square meters, with more than 120 new products and technologies debuted. The CIIE is the first dedicated import exhibition in the world and has seen fruitful outcomes in the past three expos.

Abstract : The government of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is expected to see a deficit of 101.6 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 13 billion U.S. dollars) for the 2021-22 financial year, the third straight year with a budget deficit. HONG KONG, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — The government of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is expected to see a deficit of 101.6 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 13 billion U.S. dollars) for the 2021-22 financial year, the third straight year with a budget deficit. When unveiling the annual budget in the Legislative Council, Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, said the deficit, equivalent to 3.6 percent of the local gross domestic product (GDP), comes as the government has boosted expenditures for the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic reliefs. The global financial hub registered the first deficit in the 2019-20 financial year after reporting a surplus for 15 years in a row and

Abstract : With the timely arrival of China's Sinopharm vaccine, Senegal on Tuesday officially began the first phase of its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, taking one step further in its fight against the pandemic. NAIROBI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — With the timely arrival of China’s Sinopharm vaccine, Senegal on Tuesday officially began the first phase of its COVID-19 vaccination campaign, taking one step further in its fight against the pandemic. The delivery once again showed not only the solid friendship between China and Africa, but also China’s honoring of its commitment to making Chinese COVID-19 vaccines a “global public good” accessible and affordable to people around the world. During the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 held last year, China pledged that African countries will be “among the first to benefit” from Chinese vaccines. It has walked the talk indeed — China has donated to Zimbabwe a batch of Sinopharm vaccine, and will offer ano

Abstract : The city of Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, is slated to host the first China Cross-border E-commerce Trade Fair from March 18 to 20, local authorities said Thursday. FUZHOU, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The city of Fuzhou, capital of east China’s Fujian Province, is slated to host the first China Cross-border E-commerce Trade Fair from March 18 to 20, local authorities said Thursday. The trade fair, with an exhibition area of 72,000 square meters, will mark the presence of more than 2,000 suppliers, 33 cross-border e-commerce platforms and over 200 service providers, according to the city government. Authorities also plan to hold more than 30 activities during the event. Enditem About Xinhua Silk Road Xinhua Silk Road (en.imsilkroad.com) is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) portal. China’s silk road economic belt and the 21st century maritime silk road website, include BRI Policy, BRI Trade, BRI Investment, Belt and Road weekly, Know Belt and Road, and

Abstract : Sierra Leone on Thursday received a consignment of 200,000 doses of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to support the country's vaccination campaign. Workers unload the COVID-19 vaccine donated by China at an airport in Freetown, Sierra Leone , on Feb. 25, 2021. Sierra Leone on Thursday received a consignment of 200,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to support the country’s vaccination campaign. (Photo by Abu/Xinhua) FREETOWN, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — Sierra Leone on Thursday received a consignment of 200,000 doses of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by China to support the country’s vaccination campaign. Health authorities in Sierra Leone said the vaccine will “play an important role in preventing and containing the COVID-19 in the country.” According to the authorities, the vaccine comes at a time when the Sierra Leone government is planning to vaccinate about 1.6 million vulnerable people. Chinese Ambas

Abstract : China and Ethiopia have agreed to boost cooperation in the technology field, according to the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia on Thursday. ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — China and Ethiopia have agreed to boost cooperation in the technology field, according to the Chinese embassy in Ethiopia on Thursday. The agreement to boost cooperation in the technology field between the two countries was reached Wednesday during a discussion held between Chinese ambassador to Ethiopia Zhao Zhiyuan and the Ethiopia Minister of Innovation and Technology Abraham Belay. Zhao and Belay had a warm discussion on coopeartion in space technology, traditional medicine, development of industrial parks, development of electronic trading as well as modern real estate. Zhao said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 50 years ago, China and Ethiopia have witnessed increasingly frequent high-level exchanges and enhanced political mutual trust. Belay thanked China for its support to Ethiopi

Abstract : China's northern port city of Tianjin saw its retail sales soar during the Spring Festival holiday, said the municipal commission of commerce on Friday. TIANJIN, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) — China’s northern port city of Tianjin saw its retail sales soar during the Spring Festival holiday, said the municipal commission of commerce on Friday. Data from the commission showed that 200 department stores, shopping malls and supermarkets in Tianjin raked in a total of 1.59 billion yuan (about 246 million U.S. dollars) during the weeklong holiday, up 64 percent from the same period last year. The catering industry also saw robust growth, with 27 catering companies drawing total revenues of 11.92 million yuan, an increase of 52.5 percent compared with the same holiday period in 2020. As many chose to stay put for the holiday amid the pandemic, tourism products such as short trips and spa hotel visits recorded remarkable increases in Tianjin during the holiday. The city also organize

Abstract : The 600,000 doses of the Sinovac-made vaccine CoronaVac donated by China are due to arrive in the Philippines on Sunday, the Chinese Embassy to Manila said on Thursday, marking the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccines. MANILA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The 600,000 doses of the Sinovac-made vaccine CoronaVac donated by China are due to arrive in the Philippines on Sunday, the Chinese Embassy to Manila said on Thursday, marking the first shipment of the COVID-19 vaccines. “A friend in need is a friend indeed. The donation of vaccines is another testament to the solidarity as well as the profound friendship and partnership between our two peoples and two countries,” Huang Xilian, China’s ambassador to the Philippines, said in his Facebook feed. “I want to thank all those who have worked so hard to make this happen! I hope the vaccines will help kick off the Philippines’ mass inoculation campaign to curb the pandemic and allow Filipinos’ life to return to normal at the earli

Abstract : China's fixed-asset investment in the transport sector registered a rapid increase in January from a year earlier, an official said Friday. BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) — China’s fixed-asset investment in the transport sector registered a rapid increase in January from a year earlier, an official said Friday. In January, the sector’s total fixed-asset investment soared 42.1 percent year on year to 191.2 billion yuan (about 29.5 billion U.S. dollars), Sun Wenjian, a spokesperson with the Ministry of Transport, told a press conference. The figure climbed 13.8 percent from January 2019, Sun said. Most of the transport investment went to road and waterway construction, which surged 52.3 percent from a year ago to 143.4 billion yuan in January, Sun added. Enditem About Xinhua Silk Road Xinhua Silk Road (en.imsilkroad.com) is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) portal. China’s silk road economic belt and the 21st century maritime silk road website, include BRI Policy, B

Abstract : The Supreme People's Court (SPC) on Thursday released a guideline requiring people's courts to provide effective judicial services and guarantees for ecological conservation and green development in the Yangtze River basin. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on Thursday released a guideline requiring people’s courts to provide effective judicial services and guarantees for ecological conservation and green development in the Yangtze River basin. The guideline on implementing the Yangtze River conservation law, which will take effect on March 1, called for judicial efforts to strengthen environmental protection and restoration in the basin, and ensure the reasonable and efficient utilization of resources so as to promote green development. Comprising 16 articles in four parts, the guideline focuses on water pollution in the Yangtze River basin, according to SPC Vice President Yang Linping, adding that biodiversity protection efforts wil

Abstract : China's National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) has received increasing patent applications from domestic enterprises via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), NIPA sources said. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) has received increasing patent applications from domestic enterprises via the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), NIPA sources said. In 2020, China saw a 17.9-percent year-on-year increase in patent applications from domestic applicants via the PCT, the sources said. Applications for trademark registration under the Madrid System from domestic applicants also increased 16.1 percent year on year in 2020. Meanwhile, the export volume of China’s intellectual property royalties reached 7.47 billion U.S. dollars in the January-November period last year, up 24.2 percent year on year. The NIPA has been strengthening international cooperation and exploring cooperation projects to better serve Chinese

Abstract : China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs unveiled guidelines on the country's rural work for 2021 on Thursday, stressing efforts to push rural vitalization and accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs unveiled guidelines on the country’s rural work for 2021 on Thursday, stressing efforts to push rural vitalization and accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas. The guidelines outlined 34 specific tasks to be achieved this year, covering areas including ensuring agricultural supply and enhancing the sector’s technological strength. The ministry will step up policy support to help grain output stay above 650 billion kg this year amid efforts to ensure food security, and upgrade agricultural machinery and apply new technologies to modernize the agricultural sector. The guidelines also detailed policies to make agriculture greener and improv

Abstract : The overall tax rate on imported goods in China was slashed by more than a quarter during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), hitting an all-time low, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said Thursday. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The overall tax rate on imported goods in China was slashed by more than a quarter during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), hitting an all-time low, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said Thursday. The overall tax rate had dropped from 21.8 percent to 15.8 percent during the period, marking a decline of 27.5 percent, said Jiang Feng, an official with the GAC, adding that the huge decline was due to China significantly reducing its value-added tax (VAT) and tariffs during the period. However, the total amount of customs duties and taxes levied, mainly the VAT and consumption tax, on imported goods, saw an 8.7-percent growth to 8.99 trillion yuan (about 1.39 trillion U.S. dollars) in the last five years, he sa

Abstract : Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday that China has scored a "complete victory" in its fight against poverty. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday that China has scored a “complete victory” in its fight against poverty. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said absolute poverty has been eradicated in the world’s most populous country. Xi made the announcement while addressing a grand gathering held in Beijing to mark the country’s accomplishments in poverty alleviation and honor its model poverty fighters. Over the past eight years, the final 98.99 million impoverished rural residents living under the current poverty line have all been lifted out of poverty. All the 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 impoverished villages have been removed from the poverty list. Since the launch of the reform and opening up in the

Abstract : The Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA), which entered into effect on February 21, will greatly lower the time and costs of customs clearance, said the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). Photo shows the first freight train from eastern China’s Yiwu, world famous marketplace for small commodities, arrived in Liege, Belgium on Oct. 25, 2019, creating a new link between Europe and China. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA), which entered into effect on February 21, will greatly lower the time and costs of customs clearance, said the Ministry of Commerce (MOC). Initiated by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the agreement will promote cross-border paperless trade by enabling the exchange and mutual recognition of trade-related data and documents in electronic form and facil

Abstract : Businesses in China's impoverished counties posted double-digit growth in their average annual sales revenue during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) as their production and operations gained steam, the State Taxation Administration said Thursday. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — Businesses in China’s impoverished counties posted double-digit growth in their average annual sales revenue during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) as their production and operations gained steam, the State Taxation Administration said Thursday. The figure came in at 14.6 percent for businesses in the country’s 832 impoverished counties, which have all since been removed from the poverty list. Impoverished counties in the country’s northeastern region enjoyed the highest annual growth rates in their sales revenue over the past two years, coming in at 13.6 percent in 2019 and 29.7 percent in 2020, data from the administration showed. The average annual sales growth rates in ea

Abstract : The Chinese yuan and the Japanese yen have been included in the regulatory currency structure of Russia's National Wealth Fund (NWF), the country's Finance Ministry announced Wednesday. A staff member displays the banknotes and coins included in the 2019 edition of the fifth series of the renminbi at an Industial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) branch in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 30, 2019. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua) The yuan accounts for 15 percent of the foreign currencies portfolio of the NWF. MOSCOW, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — The Chinese yuan and the Japanese yen have been included in the regulatory currency structure of Russia’s National Wealth Fund (NWF), the country’s Finance Ministry announced Wednesday. The yuan accounts for 15 percent and the yen 5 percent of the foreign currencies portfolio of the NWF, the ministry said in a press release. The shares of the U.S. dollar and the euro have been lowered from 45 percent to 35 percent each, with the British

Abstract : Sharp increase in China's retail sales volume during its Lunar New Year week indicates that China has become not only a linchpin of the global supply chain but also a linchpin of global consumers spending, a U.S. scholar has said. CHICAGO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — Sharp increase in China’s retail sales volume during its Lunar New Year week indicates that China has become not only a linchpin of the global supply chain but also a linchpin of global consumers spending, a U.S. scholar has said. The whole nation of China has enjoyed strong holiday spending, including rural households and tier-3 and tier-4 cities, said Khairy Tourk, professor of economics with the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, in a recent interview with Xinhua. Chinese youth now “represents 25 percent of the country’s population but 60 percent of total spending growth.” This is the first year ever when China prompted the development of digital yuan, and “there has

Abstract : China unveiled a new government body for the promotion of rural vitalization on Thursday as the world's most populous country declared an end to absolute poverty, shifting its policy focus to further boosting rural areas. Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, attends the inauguration ceremony of the new national administration for rural vitalization in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — China unveiled a new government body for the promotion of rural vitalization on Thursday as the world’s most populous country declared an end to absolute poverty, shifting its policy focus to further boosting rural areas. The new national administration for rural vitalization is the successor to the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, which focused on overseeing China’s poverty alleviation efforts. The

Abstract : Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday said dozens of countries have approved the emergency use of Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, and China will continue to promote the equitable global distribution of vaccines. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Thursday said dozens of countries have approved the emergency use of Chinese COVID-19 vaccines, and China will continue to promote the equitable global distribution of vaccines. China puts the safety and effectiveness of vaccines first and has made sure that companies conduct vaccine research and development in strict accordance with scientific methods and regulatory requirements, Zhao told a press briefing. China is committed to making COVID-19 vaccines global public goods. China has provided or is providing vaccine aid to 53 countries, while Chinese enterprises have exported or are exporting vaccines to 27 countries, Zhao said. “We will continue to work with all parties to p

Abstract : The results of a national anti-poverty census, released Thursday, have attested to China's "complete victory" in eradicating absolute poverty. BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The results of a national anti-poverty census, released Thursday, have attested to China’s “complete victory” in eradicating absolute poverty. According to the current standards, all Chinese poverty-stricken rural residents have been lifted out of poverty, said sources with the State Council leading group office of national anti-poverty census. The census provided true and accurate statistical information, said the sources in an interview. “The results fully demonstrate that China’s progress in poverty alleviation is solid and can stand the test of history and the people.” According to the office, multiple measures were taken to ensure the data quality of the census, including a scientifically designed census plan, as well as the electronic and networked process of data production. From

Abstract : Relations between China and Mongolia have entered into fast-track in recent years with fruitful results gained through practical cooperation, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday. BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Relations between China and Mongolia have entered into fast-track in recent years with fruitful results gained through practical cooperation, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Wednesday. Wang made the remarks in a telephone conversation with the newly-appointed Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg. China attaches great importance to the friendly neighborship with Mongolia, and always puts this relation at a specially significant place in China’s neighborhood diplomacy, he noted. This year is historically meaningful for both China and Mongolia as people of each country will respectively greet the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and Mongolian People’s Party, Wang said. Both sides sh

Abstract : Farm produce prices in China retreated last week, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed Wednesday. BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Farm produce prices in China retreated last week, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed Wednesday. From Feb. 15 to 21, the overall price of farm produce decreased by 2.8 percent on a weekly basis. The wholesale price of pork fell 5.9 percent week on week to 42.29 yuan (about 6.54 U.S. dollars) per kg. The wholesale price of mutton went up 0.1 percent, while that of beef gained 0.3 percent. The wholesale price of eggs fell 2.4 percent on a weekly basis and that of chicken edged up 0.1 percent week on week. The average wholesale prices of 30 types of vegetables went down 5.8 percent from a week earlier. Food accounts for about one third of China’s consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation. The CPI declined 0.3 percent year on year in January, down from a 0.2-percent increase in December last year, official data showed. Endi

Abstract : A senior Chinese official on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the construction and application of a national database of laws and regulations to advance the rule of law in China. Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, speaks at the launching ceremony for a national database of laws and regulations in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — A senior Chinese official on Wednesday highlighted the importance of the construction and application of a national database of laws and regulations to advance the rule of law in China. The database will make legal services more accessible to the general public, said Wang Chen, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, at the l

Abstract : China on Thursday held a grand gathering in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the country's accomplishments in poverty eradication and commend role models in that cause. A grand gathering is held to mark the country’s accomplishments in poverty alleviation and honor its model poverty fighters at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — China on Thursday held a grand gathering in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to mark the country’s accomplishments in poverty eradication and commend role models in that cause. Enditem About Xinhua Silk Road Xinhua Silk Road (en.imsilkroad.com) is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) portal. China’s silk road economic belt and the 21st century maritime silk road website, include BRI Policy, BRI Trade, BRI Investment, Belt and Road weekly, Know Belt and Road, and the integrated information services for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

Abstract : China has unveiled plans to build the country's strength in the transport sector over the next 15 years, setting long-term goals for the industry, with the aim of developing a modern, high-quality and comprehensive national transport network. BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — China has unveiled plans to build the country’s strength in the transport sector over the next 15 years, setting long-term goals for the industry, with the aim of developing a modern, high-quality and comprehensive national transport network. By 2035, the country’s transport network should be convenient, cost-effective, green, intelligent and safe, according to the guidelines jointly released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. The transport network should feature higher domestic and international connectivity, multi-channel access to major cities, and effective coverage of county-level nodes, the guidelines said. China should be at the global forefront i

Abstract : Beijing Metro Line 11, the branch line for the Beijing Winter Olympics, is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year. BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Beijing Metro Line 11, the branch line for the Beijing Winter Olympics, is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year. The subway line, located in Shijingshan District of western Beijing, is totally underground with a length of about 4.2km and four stations. The Shougang Station is near the Winter Olympic venue, Shougang Ski Jumping Platform. Zhao Junsong, the project leader, said, “Fifty percent of the structural construction has been completed. The workers even didn’t stop work during this year’s Spring Festival.” Enditem About Xinhua Silk Road Xinhua Silk Road (en.imsilkroad.com) is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) portal.China’s silk road economic belt and the 21st century maritime silk road website,includes BRI Policy,BRI Trade,BRI Investment,Belt and Road weekly,Know Belt and Road,and the integrated

Abstract : Central banks of China, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates as well as Hong Kong Monetary Authority have launched the Multiple Central Bank Digital Currency Bridge project to study the application of CBDC in the field of cross-border payment, the People's Bank of China said Wednesday. BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Central banks of China, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates as well as Hong Kong Monetary Authority have launched the Multiple Central Bank Digital Currency Bridge (m-CBDC Bridge) project to study the application of CBDC in the field of cross-border payment, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said Wednesday. The Hong Kong branch of the Bank for International Settlements Innovation Hub has also extended its support to the research project, the PBOC added. The participants of the project will evaluate the feasibility of m-CBDC Bridge application in cross-border capital transfer, international trade settlement and foreign exchange transactions, among others

Abstract : China's National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) said it had signed agreements with 30 patent review organizations across the world on the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) by the end of 2020. BEIJING, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — China’s National Intellectual Property Administration (NIPA) said it had signed agreements with 30 patent review organizations across the world on the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) by the end of 2020. The PPH, a framework for the examination of patent applications filed to participant offices, has become an important way for Chinese applicants to seek rapid patent protection in foreign markets, the NIPA added. By the end of June 2020, Chinese applicants had submitted a total of 9,066 requests to the PPH, with an average annual growth rate of 22.6 percent. Enditem About Xinhua Silk Road Xinhua Silk Road (en.imsilkroad.com) is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) portal.China’s silk road economic belt and the 21st century maritime si

Abstract : Swiss logistic company Kuehne+Nagel announced Wednesday that it will form a "strategic partnership" with Chinese pharmaceuticals company Jointown, to better use their respective strengths in COVID-19 vaccine storage and distribution. GENEVA, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Swiss logistic company Kuehne+Nagel announced Wednesday that it will form a “strategic partnership” with Chinese pharmaceuticals company Jointown, to better use their respective strengths in COVID-19 vaccine storage and distribution. The Swiss company said in an announcement on its website that the partnership made with China’s leading pharmaceuticals distribution company represents a shift to Asia for Kuehne+Nagel. “We are pleased to be partnering with Jointown. Our cooperation perfectly meets the demands of our global clientele by enabling seamless supply chain coverage connecting China. This will enable us to accelerate our growth in the pharma and healthcare sector in China,” said Siewloong Wong, pre

Abstract : Paul Chan, the financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said Wednesday that Hong Kong aims to launch the southbound trading of Bond Connect this year. HONG KONG, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Paul Chan, the financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said Wednesday that Hong Kong aims to launch the southbound trading of Bond Connect this year. While delivering the annual budget in the Legislative Council, Chan said the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the People’s Bank of China have set up a working group to drive the initiative. “We target to expand the Bond Connect to cover both southbound and northbound trading.” Launched in 2017, Bond Connect links the mainland and Hong Kong markets, granting overseas investors easier access to the enormous market of the Chinese mainland. If southbound trading is launched, mainland investors will be offered a new channel to participate in bond markets of

Abstract : Shanghai remained economically resilient and robust last year despite the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, a local official said Wednesday. SHANGHAI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Shanghai remained economically resilient and robust last year despite the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, a local official said Wednesday. A city with a population of over 24 million and a large number of foreign visitors, Shanghai had not only effectively controlled the epidemic, but also saw positive growth in its gross domestic product (GDP), consumption, import and export volume and foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2020, Zong Ming, vice mayor of Shanghai, said at a press briefing. Official statistics show that Shanghai posted a GDP growth of 1.7 percent in 2020, with per capita GDP exceeding 23,000 U.S. dollars. Its import and export volume increased by 2.3 percent year on year, while its retail sales of consumer goods in 2020 stood at 1.59 trillion yuan (about 246 billion U.S. dollars), up 0.5 p

Abstract : The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines that Thailand ordered from China's Sinovac Biotech arrived in the capital Bangkok Wednesday, putting the country on track to kickstart its national inoculation program. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha (11th L), Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul (10th L), Chinese Embassy official Yang Xin (9th R) and other guests pose for group photos during a handover ceremony for the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand , Feb. 24, 2021. The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines that Thailand ordered from China’s Sinovac Biotech arrived in the capital Bangkok Wednesday, putting the country on track to kickstart its national inoculation program. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren) BANGKOK, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — The first batch of COVID-19 vaccines that Thailand ordered from China’s Sinovac Biotech arrived in the capital Bangkok Wednesday, putting the country on track to kickstart its nat

Abstract : Volvo Cars and Geely Automobile Holdings Limited on Wednesday announced wide-ranging collaborations and the combination of their powertrain businesses. HANGZHOU, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — Volvo Cars and Geely Automobile Holdings Limited on Wednesday announced wide-ranging collaborations and the combination of their powertrain businesses. Retaining independent corporate structures, the two auto companies plan to combine their powertrain operations into one new company focused on next-generation hybrid systems and internal combustion engines, said a joint statement issued late Wednesday. The new company, expected to become operational this year, will supply to both companies as well as other automobile manufacturers. Volvo Cars and Geely Auto will also deepen their collaboration on electric vehicles, autonomous driving technologies and joint procurement, according to the statement. “Having evaluated different options to realize value, we concluded jointly that a collaboration m

Abstract : Moving back and forth on an automobile assembly line, Zhang Tianshun was conducting function tests for vehicles before they roll off the production line. — To prevent the sporadic resurgence of COVID-19 , China encouraged people to stay put over the holiday this year, which lasted from Feb. 11 to 17. Thanks to the stay-put measure, many enterprises were able to continue holiday production or resume production quickly after the holiday break. — Apart from boisterous production activities, construction of new projects continued or started during the holiday across the country, injecting new impetus to China’s economy. By Xinhua Writers Liu Fangqiang, Li Hua, Wang Hao HEFEI/XI’AN/TAIYUAN, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) — Moving back and forth on an automobile assembly line, Zhang Tianshun was conducting function tests for vehicles before they roll off the production line. “My job is to check the functionality of seven parts of the car, including four windows, front and rear wipers and