China's crude oil imports hit a record high in April as falling prices encouraged stockpiling, but coal imports plunged and shipments of other commodities generally eased on a year earlier amid a sluggish economy.
Asia/Pacific
China to increase health care subsidies, deepen reform
China will increase its healthcare subsidies by 19 percent this year as part of efforts to deepen social reforms and strengthen safety nets, the government said on Saturday.
China cuts interest rates for third time since November as economy sputters
China's central bank cut its benchmark interest rate on Sunday for the third time since November, as economic growth cools to levels not seen since the global financial crisis.
China's Commerce Ministry says trade levels in second half of year to improve
China's trade position is expected to improve in the second half the year, the country's Commerce Ministry said, playing down concern sparked by recent dismal trade figures.
Toyota, Mazda in talks on expanding partnership: sources
Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T) are in talks to expand their technology partnership to fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs), sources said on Saturday, as global automakers face rising costs to comply with stricter emission regulations.
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Energy, transport and finance deals are likely to be on the agenda as Chinese President Xi Jinping meets his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a three-day visit to Russia, where he will attend World War Two commemorations.
Alibaba Group Holding (BABA.N) is in talks with India's Micromax Informatics (IPO-MINF.NS) to buy an about 20 percent stake in the smartphone maker, helping the Chinese e-commerce giant expand in one of the world's fastest growing markets for the devices, several people with direct knowledge of the matter said.
China's exports unexpectedly fell 6.4 percent in April from a year earlier, while imports tumbled by a deeper-than-forecast 16.2 percent, fueling expectations that Beijing will quickly roll out more stimulus to avert a sharper economic slowdown.
When Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's (BABA.N) eccentric founder Jack Ma stepped down as CEO two years ago, he declared "the Internet belongs to young people," and promised that most of the company's leaders born in the 1960s would soon retreat from management.
Hong Kong's financial watchdog is set to finalize new rules on so-called "dark pools" within the next few days, a source familiar with the regulator's thinking said on Thursday.
China's leaders, caught off guard by a sharp economic slowdown and worried about the risk of job losses, are likely to resort to fiscal stimulus to revive growth after a run of monetary policy easings proved less effective, policy insiders said.
China has put in place rules to protect private investors and expand opportunities in infrastructure and utility projects, the country's top planning agency said on Tuesday, as the government seeks help revitalizing a stuttering economy.
China's factories suffered their fastest drop in activity in a year in April as new orders shrank, a private business survey showed on Monday, hardening the case for fresh stimulus measures to halt a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.
Fosun International Ltd (0656.HK), an investment company controlled by Chinese billionaire Guo Guangchang, said it had offered to buy the 80 percent it does not already own in U.S. insurer Ironshore Inc (IRSH.N) for $1.8 billion.
