Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to adopt a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age in the country, marking the first adjustment in the arrangement since 1950s.

According to the decision adopted at the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, the statutory retirement age for men will be gradually raised from 60 to 63 in the course of 15 years starting 2025, while that for women cadres and women blue-collar workers will be raised from 55 to 58 and from 50 to 55, respectively.

China's services sector and services trade are expected to maintain upward momentum in the second half of the year, supported by strong industrial foundations, sustained development momentum, and the country's economic resilience, a top executive with global accountancy firm Ernst & Young told the Global Times ahead of the opening of 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS).

The development of China's services sector has to date shown positive growing trends. The services industry in China has increased to a greater level of openness, setting a new record for services trade volume, highlighted with thriving tourism and knowledge-intensive services sector, Jack Chan, EY China chairman, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"The structure of services trade is continuously improving with the emergence of new models and business categories. And we are seeing a mutual promotion and synergy between services trade and the services industry," Chan said. 

China's services trade saw rapid growth in the first half of 2024, with notable increase in the trade of travel-related services, data from China's Ministry of Commerce showed in August. 

In the first half of 2024, total trade in services reached 3.59 trillion yuan ($501 billion), up by 14 percent year-on-year. Trade in travel-related services surged by 47.7 percent to reach 961.7 billion, while trade in knowledge-intensive services rose 3.7 percent to over 1.4 trillion yuan.

Knowledge-intensive services trade is providing robust support for industrial innovation, economic structure transformation and consumption upgrade, and is becoming a new engine for the services trade growth, Chan noted.

Chan said that new business models are continuously emerging in the field of services consumption, adding fresh impetus to the expansion of domestic demand and providing strong support for the high-quality development of the world's second-largest economy.

The resolution adopted by the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in July called for adopting innovative measures to boost trade in services, and fully apply the "negative list" for cross-border trade in services. 

"We will promote comprehensive trials and demonstrations for expanding opening up of the services sector and encourage specialized services organizations to enhance their capacity for providing international services," the resolution reads.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner, said on Sunday that it will work with other government agencies to further advance the opening-up of the services sector.

The commission is currently revising the catalog of encouraged foreign investment industries, increasing access to the services sector, according to a NDRC official.

According to Chan, a range of recently introduced policy measures will further broaden China's scope of opening-up in the services sector, creating new opportunities for the growth of foreign trade and investment, driving the upgrade of services sector structure.

The theater commanders of the Chinese and US militaries on Tuesday had a video teleconference, marking the resumption of all military communication mechanisms agreed by the heads of state of the two countries at the San Francisco meeting in November 2023.

According to the consensus reached by the heads of state of China and the US at the San Francisco meeting, Wu Ya'nan, commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, and Samuel Paparo, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, on Tuesday held a teleconference in which they exchanged views on issues of mutual concern, China's Ministry of National Defense said in a press release on Tuesday.

The US Department of Defense is also sending a delegation to the upcoming Beijing Xiangshan Forum, scheduled to take place from September 12 to 14 in Beijing.

The video teleconference between the theater commanders on Tuesday marked the resumption of all four military communication mechanisms agreed by the Chinese and US presidents during the San Francisco meeting.

The high-level communication between the two militaries took place on May 31 when Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the 17th China-US Defense Policy Coordination Talks took place in January in Washington, DC, and a China-US Military Maritime Consultative Agreement work group meeting took place in April in Hawaii.

This is a positive signal showing that the two countries are boosting mutual understanding and managing their differences in the military field to avoid accidents that benefit the interests of neither, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.

While the Chinese press release did not provide more details about the talks, the US Indo-Pacific Command released a readout saying that Paparo urged the PLA to "reconsider its use of dangerous, coercive, and potentially escalatory tactics in the South China Sea and beyond."

Zhang Junshe, another Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the US is using false narratives to accuse the PLA's rightful countermeasures as dangerous, and ignores the fact that the current tensions in the South China Sea stem from the Philippines' provocations.

The US should not on the one hand expect to manage differences through talks, then on the other hand incite the Philippines and other allies to stir up troubles, experts said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday met with visiting Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan. The visit eyes more pragmatic cooperation following the elevation of bilateral ties in 2023, while also fostering increasing consensus to jointly promote peace and development amid regional instability, analysts said.

During the meeting, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the current international situation is marked by turmoil and complexity. As two stabilizing forces, it is necessary for China and Singapore to strengthen their strategic coordination and communication.

Wang noted that Singapore was one of the first countries to deeply engage in China's reform and opening-up process. Both sides have consistently cooperated closely and learned from each other, providing significant support for the development of their respective countries. 

China is ready to work with Singapore to better align their development strategies and fully implement the new positioning of an all-round, high-quality and future-oriented partnership jointly established by the leaders of the two countries, so as to make new contributions to regional peace, stability and development, Wang said.

Balakrishnan said the new Singaporean government is committed to strengthening partnership with China, and is willing to take the opportunity of the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Singapore and China next year to prepare for high-level exchanges and expand all-round cooperation.

"Balakrishnan's visit to China holds significant importance in terms of bilateral relations, as the Singaporean Foreign Minister communicates the new government's perspectives, especially concerning foreign relations and ties with China, while also aiming to gain insight into China's attitudes and viewpoints," Gu Xiaodsong, dean of the ASEAN Research Institute of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, told the Global Times.

Chen Hong, executive director of Asia Pacific Studies Centre at East China Normal University, said that the meeting also seeks to foster consensus between the two sides on various issues through enhanced dialogue in light of international and regional instability, as China and Singapore serve as two stabilizing forces in the Asia-Pacific region.

Singapore has upheld its strategic autonomy and diplomatic independence on various issues, taking a prudent approach in managing its relations with both China and the West, which has allowed it to play a significant role in the region, Chen said.

A staff member responsible for translation at a US consulate general in China has repeatedly spread rhetoric related to "Taiwan independence" during public activities, deliberately translating "the People's Republic of China" as "the Republic of China," a source familiar with the matter told the Global Times. The source added that the person, if she insists on behaving in such a way, is certainly unwelcome by the Chinese people.

According to the source, after the Chinese side pointed out the mistake, the US staff member refused to admit and instead accused the Chinese side of slander. In contact with Chinese personnel, this US staff member repeatedly issued extreme remarks such as "Taiwan is an independent country." 

She even aggressively pushed local Chinese officials on foreign affairs during external events, displaying an arrogant demeanor, the source said. 

The aforementioned source told the Global Times that "A staff member dispatched by the US government to China has behaved in such an inappropriate manner. It raises questions about whether the issue lies with her personally or with the lack of discipline within the US diplomatic missions in China." 

But one thing is certain -- her words and actions have offended Chinese society, violated the US government's commitment to the one-China principle, and breached both the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations and the Consular Convention between the People's Republic of China and the United States. 

The person, if she insists on behaving in such a way, is certainly unwelcome by the Chinese people, the source said. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Wednesday jointly witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the revitalization project of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway.

Hassan and Hichilema are in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which is taking place from Wednesday to Friday.  

While meeting with Tanzania's Hassan on Wednesday, President Xi said that China is willing to take the summit as an opportunity to push for new progress in the revitalization project of the TAZARA railway and jointly improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa. 

These efforts will help Tanzania become a demonstration zone for deepening high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and African countries, Xi said. 

The revitalization of the TAZARA railway holds important symbolic significance - it is not only a historical testament to traditional China-Africa friendship but also a key project in promoting regional connectivity in Africa, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The 1,860-km single-track railway was constructed through an interest-free loan from China and started operation in 1976. It links Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.  

Song noted that the TAZARA railway has played a crucial role in transporting copper from Zambia to Tanzania for export overseas, significantly contributing to the economic development of both countries. 

However, the railway has encountered poor management, aging infrastructure and reduced capacity over time, Song said.

China has discussed how to update the TAZARA railway and enhance its role in promoting Africa's development. With the signing of the MoU, the three countries can make further efforts in its revitalization, analysts said.

Some have proposed developing the TAZARA railway into a tourist project, which would not only attract visitors but also promote Africa's green economic development, providing new growth opportunities for local communities. 

Song said the TAZARA railway could serve as a pilot to explore how to achieve sustainable operation after a project was handed overed to African countries. 

In this way, the TAZARA railway could continue to serve as a bridge for China-Africa friendship while offering new momentum for Africa's economic development and China-Africa cooperation, Song said.

The US trade deficit surged by 7.9 percent from the prior month to $78.8 billion in July, the highest level in more than two years. Some political elites may still have an irrational fear about a deficit in foreign trade, even though much of their anxiety is unnecessary.

Faced with a persistent trade deficit, the US has been overburdened by excessive anxiety and has adopted protectionist measures in recent years targeting certain goods imported from certain countries, including China, to whittle down imports and trade deficits. But clearly, political elites in Washington have failed to do so, as the US trade deficit continues to widen. It's a bit ironic: it is not the trade deficit that poses a risk to the US economy, but trade protectionism actions.

A closer look into the US trade deficit shows that growth in July was led by increases in US imports. US exports in July were $266.6 billion, $1.3 billion more than in June, while imports were $345.4 billion - $7.1 billion more than the previous month, official data showed. Obviously, the growth in imports exceeded that of exports, resulting in a widening trade deficit.

Analysts attribute the pickup in US merchandise imports to multiple factors. First, some importers want to get ahead of a potential dockworkers' strike as reported by some media outlets by shipping cargo into the US earlier than usual. Second, retailers have begun stocking up as they bet on a strong holiday season. That's led to a surge in imports. 

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, in California, which account for roughly one-third of all US container imports, had their third-strongest month ever in July, according to Bloomberg. Retailers seem to be optimistic about American consumers' spending, especially in the holiday shopping season.

This is good news for the US economy. Consumption spending makes up two-thirds of the US economy on average, so a pickup in US merchandise imports serves, to some extent, as both a consumer confidence indicator and a leading indicator that bodes well for economic growth.

More specifically for trade between China and the US, official US data showed the US deficit with China increased by $4.9 billion to $27.2 billion in July. Exports to China fell $1.0 billion while imports advanced $3.9 billion.

Some US enterprises have been stockpiling products, components and parts from China, because of uncertainty over US tariffs. According to Reuters, the Biden administration on August 30 delayed an announcement of its final determinations for tariff hikes on some Chinese-made products including semiconductors, saying it will make a decision public in the "coming days." 

It seems US importers are trying to seize the time window to build inventories. It adds to evidence that made-in-China products are irresistible and irreplaceable. A complete economic "decoupling" between the two countries is impossible.

In general, a pickup in US merchandise imports is not necessarily a bad thing if it sends a signal that domestic consumption is recovering. The resulting trade deficit should not cause undue concern. If US policymakers seek to whittle down trade deficits and imports through protectionist trade measures, they will fail to solve existing problems but create new ones. 

They will also disrupt normal trade and economic activities, and force American importers to reduce their losses through various means, including building inventories. Excessive anxiety toward trade deficits and Washington's response to the issue - trade protectionism - may lead to bigger problems for the US economy.

A trade deficit is an indicator that a nation consumes more than it produces. The focus should be on increasing production and exports, instead of cutting consumption and imports. The US needs to further expand exports, especially those of high-tech, high-value-added products.

China does not deliberately pursue a trade surplus and the current trade imbalance between the two countries is a result of normal market operation, which is guided by the bilateral economic structure, industry competitiveness and the international division of labor. 

Based on the development of the international division of labor, the US has an advantage in the production of high-tech goods, but unfortunately, the country has in recent years embarked on a tightening of its export control rules when it comes to cutting-edge technology items such as chips. 

In this sense, the most effective way for the US to reduce its trade deficit is to ease export curbs and promote exports, rather than restricting imports by adopting trade protectionist measures.

The chief executive of Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML, which has been caught up in Washington's technology crackdown on China, said reportedly that US-led restrictions on the company's exports to China are becoming more "economically motivated" over time, noting that "there will be more pushback."

The remark shows the rising pressure imposed by the US on its allies in order to restrict chip equipment export to China. The restrictions have negatively impacted the profits of ASML and other similar companies, experts said on Thursday. 

The experts said that the serious disruption of global chip chains by the US will backfire on Western companies as they may lose the Chinese market in the long run.
"I think to make the case that this is about national security is getting harder and harder," Christophe Fouquet, the chief executive of ASML, said on Wednesday at a Citi conference in New York, Reuters reported.

"Most probably there will be more pressure for restrictions, but I also think there will be more pushback and I think we have to hope we reach a certain equilibrium, because as a business what we all want is a bit of clarity, a bit of stability," Fouquet said.

US pressure on its allies to restrict China's access to semiconductor manufacturing tools has directly affected companies like ASML, especially since they may lose the important Chinese market in the long run, Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Thursday.

The market won't support the economic coercion by the US, while strong demand for mature chips has driven the rapid development of China's semiconductor sector lately, analysts said.

Fu Liang, a veteran industry expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that Western companies including ASML are unlikely to abandon the vast Chinese market, and they will walk a fine line of complying with US rules while still serving their Chinese clients.

To further enhance the continuous power supply capacity of the large power grid and improve the power supply reliability from 220 kV Huanggong Substation in Jinghe county, Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture to Jilintai Hydropower Station in Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, on August 16, staff members of State Grid Bortala Power Supply Company went to 220 kV Huanglin Line I and Line II to carry out inspection of the operation status of mountainous area lines and maintenance of pole number plates.

220 kV Huanglin Line I and Line II were put into operation in 2003 and 2005 respectively. They are important connecting lines between the power grid of Bortala Prefecture and the main power grid of Xinjiang region. Due to the complex terrain and high altitude, inspection is difficult. The inspectors adopted the traditional foot patrol inspection method and conducted a one-by-one inspection of foundation burial, tower material deformation, foundation scouring, geological cracks, ground clearance, and the integrity of pole number plates.

As an important sign of transmission lines, the pole number plate is the "identity card" of power lines. It not only shows the name and direction of the line but also undertakes the role of safety warning. Due to long-term sunlight and long-term rain washing, the color marks and fonts on most tower identification signs are blurred. Some are not firmly installed and get lost, bringing a lot of inconvenience to inspection work. For the pole number plates found to be faded, damaged, or missing, operation and maintenance personnel immediately carry out maintenance and replacement. 

"After replacing the pole number plates, we will continue to investigate potential line hazards and defects to ensure zero hazards and zero defects in power supply. In the later stage, the 'manual + drone' method will be used to increase the intensity of line inspection." said Liang Wei, the person in charge of the transmission maintenance class of State Grid Bortala Power Supply Company.

It is understood that the company has strengthened the inspection of the operation status of mountainous area lines of 220 kV Huanglin Line and the maintenance of pole number plates. A total of 168 mountainous area towers have been inspected and 295 pole number plates have been maintained.

China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Tuesday announced decisive countermeasures against Canada, including plans to initiate dispute settlement proceedings at WTO and launch anti-discriminatory probes, in response to Canada’s decision to impose hefty additional tariffs on Chinese products, including electric vehicles (EVs), steel and aluminum.

Chinese officials and experts stressed that the countermeasures are in line with Chinese laws and regulations as well as WTO rules, and slammed that Canada’s move in lockstep with the US and the EU is egregious in nature and violates WTO rules. 

Among the countermeasures is a decision to initiate dispute settlement proceedings against Canada’s additional tariff against Chinese EVs and other products at the WTO to safeguard the interests of its industries.

In addition, China will launch an anti-discriminatory investigation into Canada’s decision of imposing additional tariffs on Chinese EVs, steel and aluminum, based on the Article 7 and Article 36 of China’s Foreign Trade Law.

The Article 7 of China’s Foreign Trade Law clearly stipulates that in the event that any country or region applies prohibitive, restrictive or other like measures on a discriminatory basis against China in respect of trade, China may, as the case may be, take countermeasures against the country or region in question.

The Article 36 of China’s Foreign Trade Law states that the authority responsible for foreign trade under the State Council may give a notice to the public the activities in violation of this Law for impairing foreign trade order.

The MOFCOM said that it will take subsequent measures based on the actual situation. Industry insiders said that the anti-discriminatory probe is the first of its kind, and is in line with both Chinese laws and WTO rules.

Also on Tuesday, the MOFCOM announced that at the request of domestic industry, China will launch an anti-dumping investigation into canola seeds imported from Canada, in better responding to industry concerns and in order to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the domestic enterprises.

In 2023, Canada’s exports of canola seeds to China reached $3.47 billion, increasing 170 percent year-on-year, even as prices continuously dropped, according to the MOFCOM. Affected by Canada’s unfair competition, Chinese domestic industries continue to suffer losses, the ministry said.    

In addition, China also plans to launch an anti-dumping probe into relevant chemical products from Canada based on application filed by Chinese domestic industries, the MOFCOM announced.

“China’s attitude is very clear and it will take all necessary measures to defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” the MOFCOM said, while announcing the measures.