今日听力丨中国5月实现贸易顺差417亿美元

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中国5月实现贸易顺差417亿美元，同比增长67.5%，为去年12月以来最高，是4月份贸易顺差的3倍多。5月进口同比下降8.5%，是2016年7月以后最大幅度下降。出口在4月下降2.7%后，5月同比增长1.1%。

China’s trade surplus surged to its highest level so far this year in May, as imports declined at the steepest pace in nearly three years.

China’s imports of goods fell 8.5% year-on-year last month, marking the steepest decline since July 2016.

The goods import reading was up from a 4% increase in the previous month and missed the median forecast of a 3.5% drop from economists polled by Bloomberg.

Exports edged up 1.1% year-on-year in May after a 2.7% decrease the month before.

China’s trade surplus swelled to 41.7 billion dollars in May, the highest since December.

The reading more than tripled from April’s 13.8 billion dollars, and was up 67.5% from a year earlier.

央行近日宣布，为完善香港人民币债券收益率曲线，将于6月下旬在香港发行人民币央行票据。

China’s central bank said Tuesday it will issue bills in Hong Kong, though it did not specify the amount it will sell.

The issuance of central bank bills in the region can reduce the amount of yuan commercial banks have available to lend by absorbing yuan funds in the offshore market.

The move could help push up the cost of yuan shorting.

As the domestic economy cools and trade tensions persist, financial markets are wondering whether the onshore yuan’s reference rate will weaken past 7 per U.S. dollar – a figure widely interpreted as a breaching point for further devaluation.

The onshore yuan depreciated beyond 6.9 per dollar in mid-May due to intensified trade tensions, and is now fluctuating around 6.9.

中办、国办近日发文允许将专项债券作为符合条件的重大公益性项目资本金，提振了市场情绪。多家券商研究机构的研报测算显示，按照目前的专项债券结构，用于基建方向的债券规模占比不超过30%，如果考虑项目是否符合要求，也用做项目资本金的专项债券规模更少，预计撬动基建投资规模在万亿元左右。

China is easing restrictions on local governments’ borrowing for major infrastructure investments to spur growth in the world’s second-largest economy.

Local governments will be allowed to use proceeds from special-purpose bond issuances as project capital for certain infrastructure investments, according to a document issued Monday by the central government.

The document also encourages local authorities and financial institutions to expand funding sources for major projects by using market-based financing methods as long as they follow the rules.

China previously prohibited local governments from using any borrowed money as project capital put up by investors for initial investment in infrastructure to curb local debt surges.

According to the document, local governments can now use special-purpose bonds to raise project capital for major and strategic investments in highways, railways, electricity and gas projects.

The document said the eased policy will encourage market-oriented fundraising, increase effective investments and improve economic structure while keeping governments’ hidden debts under check.

近日，中国银保监会新闻发言人答《金融时报》记者问时表示，金融管理部门高度重视明天集团风险处置工作。在各方共同努力下，明天集团调整结构，瘦身转型，整体风险从发散转为收敛。该集团按照市场化法治化原则，主动转让若干金融机构股权，多措并举化解各类风险。

Tomorrow Holding, one of China’s most secretive conglomerates, has shed its stakes in more than 10 financial institutions, all of which are now managed by new shareholders, the country’s top banking regulator said, noting that the institutions are operating normally.

The statement marks Chinese authorities’ latest effort to prevent panic in the market, as concerns have risen that the Tomorrow-controlled Baoshang Bank, a small lender that was taken over by the government last month, might be just the first in a line of dominos to fall.

The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission said, quote, “Financial regulatory agencies have attached great importance to defusing Tomorrow’s risks.”

据彭博报道，中国将扩大肉类进口，以应对非洲猪瘟疫情带来的潜在猪肉供应紧张问题。

Beijing is preparing to allow more sources of imported meat, in an effort to overcome potential pork shortages as African swine fever shrinks domestic hog herds, Bloomberg reported, citing the China Meat Association.

China may lift restrictions on buffalo meat imports from India as well as live cows and sheep from Mongolia and pork from Russia, said Gao Guan, the vice president of the association.

He said, quote, “Though China is boosting its own production, more countries will also be allowed to export to the country after the outbreak of African swine fever.”

据北京市纪委监委6月10日消息，北京文化投资发展集团公司党委副书记、副董事长、总经理戴自更涉嫌严重违纪违法，目前正接受纪律审查和监察调查。

The former publisher of a major state-owned newspaper is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law” — a euphemism for corruption, a Beijing corruption watchdog announced this week.

Dai Zigeng, vice chairman at state-owned financing platform Beijing Cultural Investment Development Group, was once head of the Beijing News, an outlet known for investigative journalism.

The Beijing municipal supervisory commission didn’t offer further details on the investigation into Dai.

It’s unclear if the investigation is related to Dai’s previous roles.