Chinese newspapers available in Beijing carried the following stories on Wednesday. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

CHINA DAILY (www.chinadaily.com.cn)

-- China and the United States on Tuesday pledged to work towards easing bilateral trade tensions and creating a "positive atmosphere" for the upcoming meeting between presidents Hu Jintao and George Bush as U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierezz met with Premier Wen Jiabao and Vice Premier Wu Yi in Beijing.

-- Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding A.G. said on Tuesday it had granted a sub-licence to a Shenzhen-based pharmaceutical company to produce Tamiflu, believed to be the most effective medicine against bird flu.

CHINA SECURITIES JOURNAL

-- The Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation have again suspended tax rebates for gasoline and naphtha exports, taking effect from March 14, in order to ensure domestic supply. The duration of the suspension is unclear.

FINANCIAL NEWS

-- Bank of Communications Co. Ltd. <3328.HK> scored a net profit of 9.249 billion yuan ($1.15 billion) in 2005, up 477 percent from a year earlier.

ECONOMIC DAILY

-- Property prices in 70 big and medium-sized cities in February rose 5.5 percent from a year earlier. They were also 0.7 percent higher than in January.

PEOPLE'S DAILY

-- Two professors on work safety gave a lecture to leaders in a group study session of the Communist Party Politburo on Monday. Hu Jintao said during the session that China was a socialist country and its development should not come at the expense of people's lives and environment. He said the frequent occurence of major work safety accidents must be curbed.