MNI China Daily Summary: Tuesday, January 22 (Update)

     TOP NEWS: Chinese President Xi Jinping, also the general secretary of the

Chinese Communist Party, called on cadres to tackle major risks that may

destabilize governance, according to a readout by the Xinhua News Agency late

yesterday following Xi's forum with provincial and central leaders. Among the

key points, Xi first urged stricter controls over public opinions, the Internet

and "ideological and political" education of the youths to ensure "political

security." Officials must also address economic risks by overcoming challenges

from the supply-side reform, ensuring a healthy development of and "long-term

mechanism" as solution for the property market, as well as easing financing

difficulties faced by the private sector, Xi said. China must protect its

overseas interests, including its Belt and Road projects, and defend its

sovereignty, Xi said.   

     TOP NEWS: China has taken steps to quicken further reforms of its capital

market, the People's Daily said on Tuesday in a commentary published on its

overseas edition. Building a standardized, open, dynamic and resilient capital

market is important to reform and economic restructuring, the official newspaper

said. The government should improve the quality of listed companies and the

trading system, direct more medium and long-term funds into the market, and set

up an innovation-focused trading board within the Shanghai Stock Exchange and

the pilot registration system as soon as possible, the newspaper said.

     POLICY: China will support and expand bond issuances by private companies

with good standing, particularly in sectors considered strategic by the central

government, Meng Wei, spokeswoman of the top planner National Development and

Reform Commission, said in a briefing today. China will encourage banks to offer

longer-term loans, such as three-year loans, to advanced manufacturers and

private companies with strong outlook, Meng said.

     LIQUIDITY: The People's Bank of China (PBOC) skipped open market operations

(OMOs) for a second day, resulting in a net drain of CNY80 billion, which is the

amount of maturing reverse repos, according to Wind. The central bank said

current liquidity in the banking system is at a reasonable and ample level.

     RATE: The 7-day weighted average interbank repo rate for depository

institutions (DR007) decreased to 2.5057% from Monday's close of 2.5527%, Wind

data showed. The overnight repo average increased to 2.2375% from Monday's

2.2336%.

     Yuan: The yuan depreciated to 6.8082 against the U.S. dollar from Monday's

close of 6.7901. The PBOC set the yuan's central parity rate against the dollar

at 6.7854 on Tuesday, with the Chinese currency weakening from the 6.7774 set

Monday.

     STOCKS: The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 1.18% to 2,579.70. Hong

Kong's Hang Seng Index decreased 0.89% to 26,954.94.

     BONDS: The yield on the benchmark 10-year China Government Bond was last at

3.1300%, down from Monday's closing 3.1400%, according to Wind Information.

     FROM THE PRESS: China's economic growth and inflation may both decline this

year, leaving less room for monetary easing but greater need for macroeconomic

measures, said the Securities Times today citing Zhang Ming, a researcher at the

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The focus is on whether the government will

allow the deficit ratio to rise above 3% of the GDP, local special bond issuance

to exceed CNY2 trillion, and whether stimulus will be carried through tax cuts

or spending, the newspaper said citing Zhang.

     The key to a stable yuan will depend largely on domestic fundamentals, as a

pause in the dollar's gain eases external pressure, China Securities Journal

said. The yuan is more likely to fluctuate rather than to depreciate helped by

improving expectations for the Chinese economy and inflow of foreign capital,

the newspaper said.

     China should provide greater policy support for pre-school education,

childcare and job security to reduce the cost of raising a baby after relaxing

population controls, Sina Finance reported today, citing Cai Fang, deputy

director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Beijing should also consider

postponing the retirement age and enhancing training for the elderly, or they

may not adapt to labor requirement in the future, Sina said citing Cai.

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 10 8532 5998; email: william.bi@mni-news.com

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