美中贸易战之际,中国经济增长放缓
中国经济增长在最近一个季度进一步放缓,显示中共领导人在与华盛顿的关税战中面临更大挑战。
政府周五公布的数据显示,截至9月份的三个月,中国作为全球第二大经济体较上年同期的经济增长为6.5%,这比截止到7月份季度的6.7%和今年头三个月的6.8%有所下降。
去年北京加强信贷管理以控制债务危机后,人们预计中国经济将会降温。但经济放缓幅度超出预期,促使中国领导人转变做法,鼓励银行放贷。
中共领导人表示,他们对中国每年12万亿美元的经济能够挺过与特朗普政府的贸易冲突抱有信心。但出口行业已开始受到美国对中国商品征收高达25%的关税的影响。
在经济中比贸易所占比例大得多的零售业支出和投资增长在最近一个季度放缓,不过保持仍算强劲的增长率。
根据国家统计局的数据,今年前9个月的零售额同比增长9.1%,比上半年下降0.1%。前三季度工厂和其他固定资产投资增长5.4%,比上半年下降0.6%。
北京拒绝了美国对其缩减工业发展计划的压力。华盛顿表示,北京是以窃取或迫使外国公司转让技术为发展基础。美国官员担心这可能威胁到美国的工业领导地位。
China’s Economic Growth Slows During US Trade Fight
China’s economic growth slowed further in the latest quarter, adding to challenges for Communist leaders as they fight a tariff battle with Washington.
The world’s second-largest economy expanded by 6.5 percent over a year earlier in the three months ending in September, government data showed Friday. That was down from 6.7 percent for the quarter ending in July and 6.8 percent for the year’s first three months.
Forecasters expected China’s economy to cool after Beijing tightened credit controls last year to rein in a debt boom. But the slowdown has been sharper than expected, prompting Chinese leaders to reverse course and encourage banks to lend.
Communist leaders express confidence their $12 trillion-a-year economy can survive the conflict with President Donald Trump. But export industries have begun to suffer from American tariff hikes of up to 25 percent on Chinese goods.
Growth in retail spending and investment, which are much bigger parts of the economy than trade, slowed in the latest quarter, though to still-robust rates.
Retail sales rose 9.1 percent over a year earlier in the first nine months of the year, down 0.1 percent from the first half, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Investment in factories and other fixed assets rose 5.4 percent in the first three quarters, down 0.6 percent from the first half.
Beijing has rejected U.S. pressure to scale back industrial development plans Washington says are based on stealing or pressuring foreign companies to hand over technology. American officials worry they might threaten U.S. industrial leadership.
印尼地震海啸后展开大规模援助工作
国际援助正涌入印度尼西亚的苏拉威西岛,帮助那里成千上万的地震和海啸幸存者。在当地发生7.5级地震和海啸袭击三周后,当局估计仍有87,000多人无家可归,还有数千人生活在条件恶劣的临时定居点。
在季风季节下个月到来之前,援助机构正在争分夺秒地救助幸存者。苏拉威西岛的震灾估计造成2000多人死亡,至少有680人失踪。当局表示约有68,000所房屋受损。
联合国难民署星期五交付了435个紧急帐篷,分发给因地震和海啸而无家可归的灾民。该机构表示,将为大约6,500名最无助的灾民提供庇护,并表示在未来几周将运送更多紧急帐篷、睡垫、蚊帐和太阳能灯。
红十字与红新月国际联合会正在向幸存者提供215吨救济物品,包括帐篷、防水油布、毯子和安全饮用水。印度尼西亚红十字会将向16万受灾害影响的人分发援助物资。
世界粮食计划署的工作人员正在帮助印度尼西亚政府尽快处理、储存和分发对苏拉威西岛上幸存者的大量援助物资,这些物资被送达邻近的婆罗洲岛上的机场。
Massive Aid Effort Underway for Survivors of Indonesia Quake-Tsunami
International aid is pouring into the Indonesian island of Sulawesi for tens of thousands of earthquake and tsunami survivors. Three weeks after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck, the government estimates more than 87,000 people remain homeless and thousands more are living in poor, makeshift settlements.
Aid agencies are racing against time to get relief to survivors before the monsoon season sets in next month. The Sulawesi disaster is estimated to have killed more than 2,000 people, with at least 680 still missing. The government says around 68,000 houses are damaged.
The U.N. refugee agency delivered 435 emergency tents Friday for distribution to families made homeless by the earthquake and tsunami. The agency says that will provide shelter to around 6,500 of the most vulnerable. It says more emergency tents, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and solar lamps will be delivered in the coming weeks.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is providing 215 tons of relief items, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets and safe drinking water to the survivors. The Indonesian Red Cross will distribute the aid to 160,000 people affected by the disaster.
World Food Program staff is helping the Indonesian government expedite, manage, store and distribute to the survivors on Sulawesi the massive quantities of aid arriving at the airport of Balikpapan on the neighboring island of Borneo.