MNI China Press Digest, June 4: HK, GDP, Flights

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

on Thursday:

     China's central government has no willingness to practice "one country, one

systems" in Hong Kong and is not threatened by U.S. sanctions, Global Times said

in an editorial on Wednesday. The city will maintain prosperity with support

from the mainland even though it may face turbulence for a short period of time,

according to the editorial. If Hong Kong becomes the focal point of any

strategic competition between China and the U.S., the city will be squeezed and

suffocated, the editorial added.

     China's GDP growth in Q2 can reach 3% and total social financing, a leading

economic indicator, could increase at 12.7% in the same period, according to the

China Securities Journal. Citing Jiang Chao, the chief economist with Haitong

Securities, the Journal reported that economic growth for Q3 and Q4 could even

reach 7% as external demand improved.

     The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is allowing all foreign

carriers to operate one flight per week to China from June 8, according to a

statement published on its website. The CAAC also announced a "reward and

circuit-breaker mechanism", allowing foreign carriers to add one more flight per

week if no passengers are found Covid-19 positive for three weeks. Carriers will

be suspended from operations for four weeks if more than 10 passengers test

positive on a flight.

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

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

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