Day: March 8, 2021

(Xinhua)09:52, December 19, 2020

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — China will work to solve prominent housing problems in big cities as one of its key economic tasks for 2021, a key meeting said Friday.

Sticking to the principle that houses are for living in, not for speculation, the country will adopt multiple policies to promote steady and healthy development of the real estate market, according to a statement released after the annual Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday.

More attention will be given to the construction of government-subsidized rental housing, with policy improvements to ensure the equal rights of tenants and house buyers in enjoying public services, and the market of long-term rental apartments to be further standardized.

More land supply for rental housing is expected while tax and fee burdens for rental housing will be eased, the statement said.

(Xinhua)09:54, December 19, 2020

NAIROBI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — Technology firm, Huawei Technologies Kenya on Friday confirmed plans to enhance its projects service delivery capacity in collaboration with local partners.

Chris Yu, Huawei Kenya Delivery and Service Vice President, said in a statement released in Nairobi that the firm had activated its delivery operations center in Nairobi to provide projects delivery oversight and support for its sub-contractors.

Ensuring the wellbeing of our employees, both directly and indirectly, as well as those of our partners, are some of Huaweis key focus aspects underpinned by mutual adherence to policies such as compliance to the business conduct guidelines, quality and EHS (environmental, health and safety) management, cybersecurity, user privacy protection, Yu noted.

The delivery operations center provides contact center support to field contractors linked to the recently introduced smart helmets, he said.

The firms operating partners in Kenya will also access basic and advanced Huawei Certified Training delivered at the African Advanced Level Telecommunications Institute (AFRALTI), he said.

AFRALTI is a Huawei Authorized Learning Partner (HALP) with a mandate to provide Huaweis certification training programs authorized, supervised and managed by Huawei. Under this arrangement, AFRALTI offers Huawei certification programs in the field of data communication.

According to Ivan Zhu, Huawei Southern Africa region procurement qualification department director, the firm, in conjunction with its local subcontractors, will continue pursuing quality service and projects delivery.

In 2020, Huawei invested in building a hands-on training center for all ICT scenarios, providing more training opportunities for ICT industry technicians. This helps them mitigate risks and improve business efficiency, Zhu said.

Huawei encourages all our partners to adopt the best industry practices and entrench sustainability in their business strategies. This allows them to mitigate risks and, thereby, enhance efficiency within their operations, he added.

(Xinhua)10:09, December 19, 2020

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — China-EU investment agreement negotiations are now in final stages, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a press briefing in response to a query about the latest progress of China-EU investment agreement negotiations.

Wang said since the beginning of this year, China and EU have overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and made important progress in holding 10 rounds of China-EU investment agreement negotiations. The negotiations are now in their final stages.

We believe that as long as the two sides take good care of each others concerns and meet each other halfway, we will be able to achieve the negotiation goals set by the leaders of the two sides, Wang said.

(Xinhua)10:14, December 19, 2020

BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) — The annual Central Economic Work Conference that concluded on Friday summarized Chinas experience in developing economy in the face of severe challenges.

The meeting summarized Chinas experience through the countrys practice of taking both domestic and international situations into consideration, and coordinating epidemic prevention and control with economic and social development.

In time of crisis, the whole Party, the whole nation and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups can always rely on the authority of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee to rise to challenges, said the meeting.

In the face of major tests, the judgement, decisiveness and executive capability of the CPC Central Committee have played a decisive role at critical junctures, it said.

Regarding putting people first as the fundamental premise of making correct decisions, the meeting said that as long as peoples interests are put at the upmost position, correct decisions can be made, the best path be taken, and all challenges be conquered by relying on the people.

It also acknowledged the institutional strengths of the country in time of difficulties. By mobilizing nationwide resources to deal with important matters, the whole Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups can be united closely, gathering great strengths in overcoming difficulties and making great accomplishments.

Scientific decision-making and creativity are the fundamental ways to transforming crises into opportunities, while scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening provide primary support for development, the meeting said.

(Xinhua)09:56, December 14, 2020

BEIJING, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — Chinas small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have seen moderate recovery and improved vitality as the country continues its robust overall recovery, the latest industry data shows.

The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Index, based on a survey of 3,000 SMEs, rose 0.1 points to 87.1 in November and hit a 10-month high, according to the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises.

The index contains multiple sub-indexes to gauge the performances and expectations of SMEs. A reading below 100 indicates dented vitality.

In November, the operating cost, labor force and financing sentiment sub-indexes edged down, but remained above 100.

The survey also revealed increased confidence and improved market expectations among the firms, the association said, attributing the upbeat sentiment to the governments supportive policies and the countrys consolidating of its economic foundation.

Sub-indexes gauging sentiment in different sectors continued to diverge. The accommodation and catering industry, which was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 epidemic, reversed its downturn trend to bounce back, while the computer and software industry recorded a two-month contraction streak.

(Xinhua)10:04, December 14, 2020

FUZHOU, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — The city of Quanzhou in east Chinas Fujian Province, one of the most important Chinese ports along the historic Maritime Silk Roads, reported new findings over archaeological efforts from 2019 to 2020, experts said at a seminar held in Quanzhou from Friday to Saturday.

The latest research and excavation results on iron-making remains in Quanzhous Anxi County showed that it previously manufactured big iron and steel, major commodities of trade along the historic Maritime Silk Roads, mainly during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), said Shen Ruiwen, a professor at the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University.

Two other sites were discovered and identified as the remains of regulatory bodies that existed within the two dynasties, said Wang Bo, a researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

One of them oversaw affairs related to the emperors kin, and the other served similar functions as todays customs, according to Wang.

The two ancient institutions showed that Quanzhou once provided valid support for the monarchs reign, especially through ocean trade, An Jiayao, a senior archaeologist, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the seminar.

Another finding unveiled was the evolution of china-making technology from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in Dehua County, as is evidenced in the thousands of relics unearthed in the remains of five kilns.

The city is the site of Chinas only UNESCO World Cultural Heritage application project in 2020 named Quanzhou: Emporium of the world in Song-Yuan China. The project consists of 22 sites of historical relics, including the four that posted new findings at the seminar.

Quanzhou is one of a kind in historical significance because it preserved the consistent trail of urban planning and construction from the late Tang Dynasty (618-907) to the Qing Dynasty, said Wang.

Experts say the city will continue with excavation on some of the sites included in the project and carry out long-term preservation plans.

(Xinhua)10:09, December 14, 2020

CAIRO, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — Casting shadow over the world this year, the COVID-19 pandemic has been suffocating almost all economies and strangling their business activities, especially the cross-border cooperation.

Nevertheless, in remote deserts and along the Gulf bay, Chinese workers, shoulder to shoulder with local friends, have never stopped their efforts in building various projects of landmarks, energy and technologies.

These projects under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have been lighting up the murky circumstances and creating a brighter future for participants and the China-Middle East ties.

AFRICAS TALLEST SKYSCRAPER-TO-BE

The project team focuses on safety standards, and we are particularly impressed by the new technologies and methods from China, said Yara, a student from Egypts Ain Shams University, when visiting the construction site of a new capital CBD project by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC).

Located some 50 km east of the capital Cairo, the project is under construction by Chinese and Egyptian workers. It includes a planned 385-meter high Iconic Tower, which is expected to be the tallest skyscraper in Africa upon completion, a candidate for Egypts another landmark like pyramids.

The tower is a spectacular project built by a perfect team. Ibrahim Samy, professor from the Faculty of Engineering and Materials Science at German University in Cairo, expressed amazement after a visit in October.

In late November, the main structure of a high-rise office building completed its roof-sealing, a milestone in the project, and an even more remarkable achievement considering all the difficulties from the pandemic.

Since the virus outbreak in Egypt this February, the CSCEC has adopted strict anti-virus measures to ensure the safety in the construction area, where all the staff and workers are required to wear face masks and gloves, ride in designated vehicles, and receive regular temperature tests.

Around 7,000 personnel working and living there have been protected from the pandemic, some of them saying its much safer here.

The CSCEC (Egypt) will continue to strengthen the security barrier against the pandemic, push forward the construction of the new capital CBD project, and create a happy living environment for the Egyptian people, said the construction giant on its social media.

A LETTER OF THANKS

After what we have experienced, choosing to stay and work for the project will become one of our most beautiful memories. I call it solidarity and brotherhood, said Fang Jie, construction manager of Hunutlu Thermal Power Plant in Turkey, in a letter to his colleagues. Thank you all.

Turkey, the worst-hit country by COVID-19 in the Middle East, has so far registered over 1.8 million infections. However, altogether 1,831 Chinese and Turkish personnel chose to stay and continue their work.

Moreover, to speed up the construction, 455 Chinese staff members, some of them having newborn babies or just graduating from school, flew to Turkey and joined the project in August, regardless of health risks.

The Chinese side has also organized volunteers to clean the beach near the construction site, and invested in improving local environment for sea turtles to lay and hatch eggs, earning good reputation from local residents.

Located in the southern province of Adana, the Hunutlu project, with a total investment of 1.7 billion U.S. dollars mainly from the Shanghai Electric Power Company, is Chinas biggest project with direct investment in Turkey, and a flagship project linking the BRI with Turkeys Middle Corridor vision.

It, including the construction of the power plant and ports specially designed for coal transportation, is expected to have a capacity of 1,320 megawatt after completion, and to generate 9 billion kilowatt hours every year with full operation, accounting for an estimated 3 percent of all electricity supplies across Turkey.

KEEPER OF PROMISE

In the desert of southeastern Jordan, over 2,000 Chinese staff members are constructing the Attarat Oil Shale Power Plant. It is expected to become Jordans largest one upon completion, meeting around 15 percent of the countrys need for power.

After two months of suspension caused by COVID-19, construction has been gradually resumed since early May, said Luo Xiongdong, with China Energy Engineering Group Guangdong Power Engineering, constructor of the project.

He said Chinese workers were not startled by the pandemic, even when the situation in Jordan has worsened in past weeks, but continued their work with high-level preventive measures, so as to keep the promise for the Arab country.

One generator under construction will be delivered by the end of this year and another one next year, Luo added.

Ibrahim Gharaibeh, a researcher at the University of Jordans Center for Strategic Studies, said the BRI and Chinese people have helped launch and push forward the plant project, which creates huge opportunities for Jordan, a state highly dependent on energy imports.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with which China has comprehensive strategic partnership, staff of Harbin Electric International Company Limited also kept the pace in building the Hassyan clean coal power plant.

Safeguarded by high-standard health and hygiene measures, the company has realized important achievements, such as the connection to the grid for power generation. At the beginning of December, the projects commercial operation started.

As a key project to play an important role in supporting the UAE Clean Energy Strategy 2050, the Hassyan plant is the first investment project by the Silk Road Fund in the Middle East, and will be the first clean coal power plant in Mideast when completed.

(Xinhua)14:05, December 14, 2020

BEIJING, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) — Chinas housing market remained stable in November, with slower month-on-month growth in home prices in major cities, official data showed Monday.

New home prices in four first-tier cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen — rose 0.2 percent month on month in November, 0.1 percentage points slower from the previous month, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

On a month-on-month basis, new home prices in 31 second-tier cities and 35 third-tier ones both edged up 0.1 percent.

Prices of resold homes in first-tier cities edged up 0.5 percent month on month in November, with the rise unchanged from the previous month. Prices in the resold home market in second-tier cities went up 0.1 percent and third-tier cities saw a month-on-month growth of 0.2 percent.

On a year-on-year basis, home prices in first-tier cities went up 3.9 percent last month, retreating from a 4.1-percent expansion seen a month earlier, while those in second-tier cities rose 4.2 percent.

In November, local governments continued to implement the long-term mechanism in the housing market and adopted measures to promote the steady and sound development of the sector, said Sheng Guoqing, a senior NBS statistician.

In the latest quarterly monetary policy report, Chinas central bank reiterated that the property sector will not be used as a means of short-term stimulus and vowed to maintain the continuity, consistency, and stability of property financial policies.

Facing the sweeping impacts of the coronavirus outbreak and other economic headwinds, Chinese policymakers have kept property policy largely stable in 2020, guiding the market to gradually recover from the virus-induced slump.

Chinas investment in property development rose 6.3 percent year on year in the first 10 months, picking up from the 5.6-percent increase in the first nine months, official data showed.

Investment in residential buildings came in at 8.63 trillion yuan (about 1.32 trillion U.S. dollars), up 7 percent from the same period last year, quickening from the 6.1-percent surge in Jan.-Sept. period.

Commercial housing sales in terms of floor area totaled 1.33 billion square meters in the first 10 months, basically unchanged compared with the same period last year.

(Xinhua)16:14, December 14, 2020

TOKYO, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) — Tokyo stocks closed higher Monday as the market mood was buoyed by the Bank of Japans Tankan business sentiment survey showing improvement for a second quarter, underscoring hopes for the pandemic-hit economys recovery.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 79.92 points, or 0.30 percent, from Friday to close the day at 26,732.44.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, rose 8.51 points, or 0.48 percent, to finish at 1,790.52.

Marine transportation, machinery and consumer credit issues comprised those that gained the most by the close of play.

(Xinhua)16:34, December 14, 2020

ZHENGZHOU, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) — Central Chinas Henan Province saw its foreign trade cross 100 billion yuan (about 15.3 billion U.S. dollars) in November, a monthly record, local authorities said.

From January to November, the provinces foreign trade has grown 11.5 percent to more than 574 billion yuan, according to Zhengzhou customs.

Henans exports reached 351.5 billion yuan, up 4.7 percent year on year, and imports totaled 222.7 billion yuan, an increase of 24.2 percent in the first 11 months of this year.

Integrated circuits and components used in the mobile industry are the major imports of the province. Mobile phones, which form the main export item of Henan, account for about 56 percent of the total foreign trade value, customs said.