MNI China Press Digest, July 24: Imports, NDRC, China-U.S.

     BEIJING (MNI) - The following lists highlights from China press reports on

Wednesday:

     China's Ministry of Commerce could release a list of favoured imports of

technologies and products, and encourage Chinese companies to diversify their

sources of importing key components and advanced technology, according to a

statement published on the Ministry's website on Tuesday. The statement said the

Ministry was also committed to continuing to lower import tariff levels.

     China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has approved

around 40 infrastructure projects with a total investment of CNY950 billion so

far this year, according to the Securities Daily. The newspaper reports that the

projects are largely in areas such as urban rail, airport expansion and coal

mining. China's transport infrastructure is a key focus area for investment,

according to Ma Qiang, the deputy director of the Infrastructure Development

Bureau at NDRC.

     An open letter from 130 U.S. signatories urging President Trump to remain

tough in his China policy was arrogant and malicious, Global Times said in an

editorial published late Tuesday. The editorial said the letter encouraged

confrontation between the U.S. and China, but this was not wanted by either

country or by the rest of the world. The letter demonstrated that there were

people holding extreme views towards China in the U.S., and China needed to

remain strong in the face of these opinions, the newspaper said.

--MNI Beijing Bureau; +86 (10) 8532-5998; email: wanxia.lin@marketnews.com

--MNI Sydney Bureau; +61 405322399; email: lachlan.colquhoun.ext@marketnews.com

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