Premier calls for defending free trade in key roundtable meeting During a meeting with major international organizations on Nov 6, Premier Li Keqiang called for more efforts to safeguard the multilateral trading system and strengthen coordination of macroeconomic policies to support the recovery of the global economy and maintain financial stability. During the “1+6” Roundtable…
Editor’s Note: Traditional and fusion cooking styles, regional and international ingredients and a new awareness of healthy eating are all factors contributing to an exciting time for Chinese cuisine. We explore the possibilities. They are perhaps the most famous of all crustaceans, steamed, boiled or braised. Cooked in a spice mix, or doused in a…
From precision agriculture to value-added manufacturing, technology is boosting productivity and easing rural poverty The benefits of linking the digital and real economies, particularly in agriculture and industry, took the spotlight at the recently concluded World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province. Using new technologies to alleviate poverty in rural areas also was discussed at…
Combining value-chain investment projects with access to e-commerce will accelerate transformation, integration of agriculture The Chinese government recently released a rural vitalization strategy for 2018-22 to promote poverty reduction, rural development and green and inclusive growth. Despite spectacular economic growth over the past three decades, economic, social, environmental and institutional challenges remain. These challenges are…
China’s cross-border e-commerce sector has developed rapidly. In 2017, the transaction scale exceeded 8 trillion yuan ($1.15 trillion; 1 trillion euros; ￡891 billion), of which the cross-border retail market accounted for about 15 percent. Although the cross-border e-commerce import sector market only accounted for 111.3 billion yuan in 2017, its year-on-year growth of 49.6 percent…
Some European leaders seem prepared to cast off yoke of Trump’s ‘America first’ policy and negotiate deals outside of US approval After learning that my new assignment is to cover the European Union, an economist friend, who holds Dutch and US dual citizenship, told me that the EU, with all its current problems and uncertainties,…
Online shopping stats serve as a barometer for consumption trends Nov 11 may be just another day for most people, but it is unique and significant to the Chinese. Singles Day, as it is called, falls on Nov 11 every year and is a tremendously popular shopping holiday in China. Initiated by a group of…
Strict EU environmental regulations could pose challenges for auto manufacturers Chinese manufacturers of electric vehicles are well positioned to take advantage of a rapidly growing global market. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 3.1 million new electric vehicles were registered worldwide in 2017. This represents an increase of 57 percent from 2016…
Peaceful and inclusive partnerships are needed, not economic or military blocs, confrontation or containment A century ago, on Nov 11, 1918, at 11 am Paris time (the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month), the armistice confirming the total surrender of Germany to the Allies came into effect, putting an end to…
With news of Tencent Music Entertainment’s recent initial public offering activities hitting the headlines this month, the company’s 800 million Chinese listeners are part of a new generation of streaming audience who are, in turn, vital in contributing to a developing music industry that differs in significant ways from the traditional Western model. Despite Tencent…