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Let's put our headstogether, Xi tells EU

China and the European Union should be partners for growth, offering each other opportunities and speeding up completion of an investment treaty, President Xi Jinping told European Council President Herman Van Rompuy on March 31.

In the first visit to the EU headquarters by a Chinese president, Xi told the bloc's top official that China expects Europe to expand high-tech exports, and that the two sides should start a feasibility study for a free trade pact as soon as possible.

Xi, on the last leg of a four-country visit to Europe, met Van Rompuy, European Parliament chief Martin Schulz and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. China firmly supports European integration and has committed itself to expanding and deepening a comprehensive strategic partnership with the EU, Xi said.

Search for MH370 'must not ease up'

No effort must be spared in the coordinated search for Malaysia Airlines flight 370, Premier Li Keqiang said on April 2.

The multinational hunt for the plane remains challenging, but it must not ease up, Li said in a phone conversation with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

"We must strengthen search efforts that is our responsibility to the victims and their families," Li said, adding that China will continue to work with Australia, Malaysia and other nations.

MH370, carrying 239 people, including 154 Chinese, vanished on March 8 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.

China preps satellite to help detect quakes

China's first test satellite for detecting electromagnetic anomalies from space will launch in 2016 in a move that is aimed at improving the country's earthquake monitoring network and moving its seismological science forward.

Yuan Shigeng, project manager for the satellite, said the polar-orbiting device will carry eight payloads, including a search-oil magnetometer, electric field detector, energetic particle sensors designed by China and Italy, and a Langmiur probe and plasma analyzer.

The satellite will collect and transmit data on electromagnetic signals in the Earth's ionosphere at altitudes of 507 km.

During its mission life of five years, the satellite will collect and supply data for research on earthquake monitoring, earth science and space science.

Economic pro-growth initiatives announced

China announced a slew of pro-growth measures on April 2 in what economists described as a targeted stimulus program, after a run of disappointing economic indicators raised concerns that economic growth in the first quarter might slip below the official target.

At a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang, three major initiatives were announced, including tax breaks for small and micro enterprises, greater support for the redevelopment of run-down urban areas and more investment in railways.

The measures came after a series of data points indicated weakened economic activity from January through March. Economists worry that if no fresh measures were rolled out, the overall economy could sink to an unacceptable level.

"The economy now is like a decelerating car. If you take your foot off the throttle, it slows precipitously. But you also have to make sure that you don't gun it too hard," said Chen Hufei, a macroeconomic analyst with Bank of Communications.

Surge in visits to Europe forecast

The number of Chinese tourists traveling to Europe is expected to surge this year, thanks to loosened visa application procedures and an increase in the number of tour packages provided, a tourism expert says.

European destinations have always attached significance to Chinese visitors, and as tourism authorities in European countries further facilitate visa application procedures, it is believed more Chinese tourists will flock to the continent, said Yang Jinsong, a professor at the China Tourism Academy who focuses on international tourism.

China Daily - Xinhua

(China Daily European Weekly 04/04/2014 page2)