Policy easing

    CHINA still has room to further loosen monetary policy, especially when it comes to relaxing banks’ reserve requirements, an adviser to the Chinese central bank was quoted by Xinhua as saying yesterday.

    Chen Yulu, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, told Xinhua that persistent deflationary risks suggest there is a “high possibility” of more policy easing in China in the future.

    Nuclear reactors

    THE government will approve six to eight nuclear reactors this year, the China Nuclear Industry Association said in an annual report yesterday.

    It also said eight reactors would go into commercial operation this year, which would be the biggest annual rise for the country.

    Private investment

    CHINA introduced new measures Tuesday to encourage private investment in infrastructure and public services.

    Private investment in areas such as transportation, energy, water and environmental protection can improve public services, said a statement released after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang. Through open competition, domestic and overseas legal persons and organizations are all entitled to establish a presence in these areas and make a profit.

    Coal imports

    CHINA’S imports of coal from Australia and Indonesia, its top two suppliers, fell in March from a year earlier, customs data showed yesterday, in a further sign that subdued demand and quality checks are curbing buying.

    Coal imports from Australia dropped 15.9 percent year on year to 5.35 million tons in March, customs data showed. Imports from Indonesia fell 48 percent to 2.65 million tons over the same period.