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Brief Energy & Environment Law & Regulation Politics & Society

China sets carbon reduction target at 17% per unit of GDP

China set a cautious new climate target for the rest of the decade, reports Bloomberg, which says the goal frustrates hopes for tighter policy that would accelerate the nation’s work to curb emissions. A new goal pledges to cut carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 17% by 2030 and compares to a previous objective to […]

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Economics & Policy Law & Regulation Politics & Society Takeaway

Target fixed but the world keeps changing

On the second day of the National People’s Congress (NPC) the country’s growth target of 4.5-5% was formally ratified. The figure was first proposed during the party’s plenum in October, the lowest growth target set by Beijing since 1991. A lot has changed since the target was proposed by the party back then. The current […]

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Brief Politics & Society

China’s demographic decline hits primary schools

China’s primary school enrolment fell to 14.617 million in 2025, a drop of 10% from the previous year and a 22% contraction from the peak in 2023, reports Caixin citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics. With births further sliding to 7.92 million in 2025, projections suggest that primary school intake will shrink by nearly half […]

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Brief Politics & Society

China to crack down on excessive wedding dowries

China’s Supreme People’s Court has issued a warning against the practice of demanding excessive betrothal gifts, reports Caixin. The move comes as part of a state campaign to curb costly wedding customs that authorities say are destabilizing families and imposing heavy financial burdens. In a press briefing Monday, the high court reiterated the legal principle prohibiting […]

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Brief Economics & Trade Markets Politics & Society

Hong Kong stocks fall to three-month low

Hong Kong stocks fell to a nearly three-month low on Wednesday, reports the South China Morning Post. This comes as surging oil prices fuelled bets that rising energy costs would stoke inflation and cripple global growth. The Hang Seng Index closed 2% lower at 25,249.48, the lowest since December 16. The Hang Seng Tech Index lost […]