MNI China Press Digest, May 7: SME, Consumption, Coronavirus

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

on Thursday:

     China will introduce more policies to help enterprises stabilise their

operations and safeguard employment, according to a statement on the government

website. The statement followed the State Council executive meeting late

Wednesday, and said that small private companies would be allowed to delay the

payment of income tax. For companies which had largely maintained employment

levels, local authorities should extend deadlines for debt repayments and create

policy tools to support banks to extend credit, the statement said.

     China's consumption index for the life services industry rose to 91.5% by

May 4, up from 75.9% before the public holiday began, state media China Central

Television reported. Citing data from the Meituan Research Institute, an

affiliate of the company which owns one of China's biggest food delivery apps,

the report said data also showed more people visiting restaurants in the larger

cities including Shenzhen and Shanghai over the public holiday period. 

     China lowered the coronavirus risk level at a county in Heilongjiang

province bordering Russia from Thursday, according to China Central Television.

The assessment means there are no medium or high risk areas in the county. The

new assessment means the region can now make all efforts to resume production

and re-open businesses and markets while still controlling infection risk, the

report 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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