EM ASIA CREDIT: Yuexiu Property Company (YUEXIU, Ba1/NR/BBB-) April sales strong

An additional 50% U.S. tariff on top of the existing 54% duties against China would trigger significant supply-chain disruptions, though the economic impact may be diminished, according to Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. The Chinese government and businesses should work to minimise risk exposure by carefully managing their choice of trading partners, order cycles, and supply-chain interactions, while also preparing for potential fluctuations in supply and pricing, said Zhou. (Source: 21st Century Business Herald)

China’s Chief Economist Confidence Index reached 50.33 in April, down from March’s 50.65 but remaining above the breakeven point of 50, Yicai news outlet reported. Economists expect external demand pressures will weaken China's economic recovery and authorities will likely introduce additional targeted and forward-looking measures to stabilise support for the real economy. Respondents anticipated March’s trade surplus to reach USD78.5 billion with imports down -2.35% y/y and exports up 4.03%.

China and the EU are each other's most important trading partners, with highly complementary economies and close interests, Premier Li Qiang told EC President Ursula von der Leyen on a recent phone call, Xinhua news agency reported. The two sides should promote a new round of China-EU high-level exchanges on the economy, trade, green and digital, Li added. Beijing and Brussels are both advocates of economic globalisation and trade liberalisation, and firm defenders of the WTO, Li continued.