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Brief Energy & Environment Law & Regulation

China reaffirms commitment to cutting steel and coal capacity in 2018

China doubled down on its commitment to reducing overcapacity in steel and coal production in 2018, Caixin Global report from Beijing, hoping to cut 30 million metric tons of steel and 150 metric tons of coal. In his annual report given to the legislature, Li also promised to close coal-fired power plants with capacity less […]

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Brief Consumer Tech, Media & Telecom

WeChat reaches landmark 1 billion user accounts

Pony Ma, chief executive of Tencent, the Chinese tech giant which owns WeChat, told reporters yesterday that the app had reached 1 billion user accounts worldwide in February. The Financial Times report from the National People’s Congress in Beijing, to which Ma is acting as one of the 5,000 delegates. A spokesperson for Tencent later […]

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Banking & Finance Brief Law & Regulation Transport & Logistics

Tougher debt restrictions for local governments building railways

China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will raise the revenue requirements of local governments looking to build railways, sources told Caixin Global, with the aim of stemming the growth of regional debt. Local authorities will now have to provide data on their fiscal revenue, GDP growth, and debt ratio before the central government approves […]

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Brief Economics & Trade Law & Regulation Politics & Society

The National People’s Congress meet in Beijing for annual session

5,000 of the country’s leading policy makers will convene in Beijing over the next 16 days to formalise the Communist Party’s goals for the coming year, and what direction the country will move in with regards to the economy, environment, education, and other social issues. On the agenda include the confirmation of proposals to remove […]

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Brief Economics & Trade

China’s 2018 growth target: 6.5%

The Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang announced in a statement that China has set a growth target of around 6.5% for 2018, reports Bloomberg. The figure is equal to that of last year, but without the additional objective for growth to be “higher if possible in practice”, reflecting policymakers drive for financial stability. The release comes […]