Tariff on US imports

China suspended tariff concessions* on 128 items of U.S. products including pork and fruit starting Monday, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council has decided to impose a tariff of 15 percent on 120 items of products imported from the United States, including fruit and related products, and a tariff of 25 percent on eight items of imports including pork and related products from the country, according to a statement posted on the ministry website. The statement said it was a countermeasure* in response to a previous U.S. move to slap tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

Express rail link

The Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link started its first test run on Sunday, without passengers, according to a report from Shenzhen TV, quoting sources from GZ-SZ-HK High-speed Railway Co.

During the test period, which will last for several months, the railway operator will arrange for multiple high-speed trains to run between Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The test will focus on control systems at railway stations, signal systems and the trains. In addition, drills to prepare for the operation of the rail will be conducted.

Payment limit

Starting Sunday, there is now a daily limit of 500 yuan (US$79.7) for WeChat transactions made using static QR codes, reports thepaper.cn.

Static* codes are generally used by street vendors and small stores where the customer scans a printed QR code to pay. But the printed QR codes are often easily swapped for fraudulent codes.

Xiongan area

A year has passed since the Central Government announced the decision to establish the area on April 1, 2017. China aims to build the area as a low-carbon, intelligent, and globally influential city where people and nature exist in harmony.

This is the third new area of national significance after the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area. (SD-Agencies)