US spreads ‘negative information’

CHINA’S Ministry of Commerce expressed concern Thursday that the United States has been spreading negative information about the trade relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

“Recently, the United States has launched trade remedy investigations into Chinese products and has continuously released negative information,” said Gao Feng, Ministry of Commerce spokesman. “This has caused widespread concern among businesses in China and the United States, especially among U.S. companies that are willing to cooperate with and expand into China,” he said.

CNPC warns of natural gas shortages

CHINA National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) on Thursday warned there could be natural gas shortages in China this winter if the country is hit by “extreme” weather.

CNPC, a key gas supplier to the world’s No.2 economy, also forecasted in a statement that Chinese gas consumption would rise 16.4 percent to a record high in 2017. China’s gas consumption stood at just over 200 billion cubic meters in 2016, but the figure is set to rise sharply this year as a government drive to reduce pollution has seen millions of residential household switch to gas for heating.

SITC aims to buy logistics firms

DOMESTIC shipping conglomerate SITC International Holdings Co. is looking for logistic companies to buy in Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, the firm’s CEO said Wednesday.

“We’re focusing on ... those [targets] that are connected to our business,” SITC’s Yang Xianyang said, adding that none of the talks are in final stages. Yang declined to name any of the targets or provide further details on the nature of their business. SITC’s acquisition plans are not being primarily driven by the “Belt and Road” plan, Yang said, although the company expects the general transportation business to grow as the initiative gathers pace.

Property market may see ‘smaller price gains’

PROPERTY price gains in China are likely to slow due to official efforts to rein in the market, a top real estate executive said Thursday.

“For years, the government has put in effort to control the speed of the fast-rising property price, so there’s always been policies coming out to control the market, but now this becomes a real nationwide effort,” said SOHO China CEO Zhang Xin. Zhang said she expects smaller annual price increases in key cities going forward.