Three-minute news breakfast on Thursday, July 18, 2024

1) The National Bureau of Statistics released data on per capita disposable income of residents in 31 provinces during the first half of 2024. Ten provinces reported per capita disposable income exceeding 20,000 yuan. Shanghai topped the list at 44,735 yuan, followed by Beijing at 43,084 yuan. Other provinces showed a significant gap compared to Shanghai and Beijing.

2) The National Disaster Reduction Committee launched a national level-four emergency response to the Henan rainstorm. Henan activated a level-three emergency response for natural disaster relief. The governor of Henan Province stated the necessity of ensuring that rivers do not breach their banks and reservoirs do not collapse. The National Flood Control Headquarters launched a level-four flood prevention emergency response for Shaanxi. Shandong continued to issue rainstorm and flash flood warnings.

3) Ministry of Commerce: Supports both domestic and foreign-funded enterprises equally in participating in large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer product trade-ins. Ministry of Finance: Tax incentives are available for the digital and intelligent transformation of specialized equipment in areas such as energy conservation and water conservation.

4) The State Administration of Government Affairs is accelerating the construction of a nationwide "single network" for public goods warehouses, implementing requirements for tightening spending.

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd. released a new bogie for 400 km/h high-speed trains. The Xijiang 30-2B 10,000-ton-class marine oil and gas platform was completed and installed at sea.

6) Over 200 million passengers have been transported by national railways since the start of the summer transport season, reflecting strong travel demand.

Fuzhou Maritime Police successively busted two major cases of illegal fishing, seizing over 155,000 kilograms of fish.

8) [Military] Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China has decided to suspend talks with the US on holding a new round of arms control and non-proliferation consultations; the US bears full responsibility for this situation. The China-Russia "Maritime Joint-2024" joint exercise concluded. The Chinese Navy's hospital ship "Peace Ark" arrived in Tanzania for a visit and to provide medical services.

9) [Hong Kong and Macau] "Hong Kong's Gaokao" results released; John Lee encourages students to strive for a bright future. The 34th Hong Kong Book Fair opens. Details revealed about the death of a 70-year-old Hong Kong man who died after being trapped in a tree while paragliding: he was blown into the clouds.

1) The US State Department imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials under the guise of "human rights accountability." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it will retaliate in kind. The US is considering stricter measures to pressure Japan and the Netherlands to restrict chip trade with China. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hopes that relevant countries will resolutely resist coercion. "China tours" are becoming a new trend; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes more foreign friends to share "first-hand China." Two Chinese tourists in Thailand ignored the ban on going to sea and encountered a storm, causing their boat to capsize; the Chinese consulate issued a reminder.

2) A WTO review side event on China's trade policies was held in Geneva to help WTO members understand China's economic and trade policies. The ADB raised its economic growth forecast for developing economies in the Asia-Pacific region to 5.0%. A Chinese representative called on the international community to jointly promote an equal and orderly multipolar world. UN agency: Clearing rubble in Gaza will take 15 years, and there may be unexploded ordnance and hazardous materials.

3) Biden returned to the campaign trail, attending rallies and calling for a ban on the type of gun used in the attempt to assassinate Trump. Biden plans to push for Supreme Court reform to limit the terms of justices. Biden: Harris is a great vice president and could also become president of the United States. Biden said he would withdraw from the presidential race if doctors found a significant health problem. Trump privately discussed his feelings about being shot: the bullet was like a big mosquito, Biden was surprised I dodged it. Low interest rates and low taxes! Trump's plan to return to the White House is revealed, no longer planning to ban TikTok. Trump reiterated his support for TikTok: If you don't have TikTok, you can only use Facebook and Instagram, which are Zuckerberg's products. Trump: Taiwan has taken away all of America's chip business and should pay protection money. The US Department of Homeland Security launched an investigation into the Secret Service's security work.

4) French President Macron accepted the collective resignation of Prime Minister Borne and her government, requesting that they continue to serve in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed.

5) Israeli military: In the nine months of fighting in the Gaza Strip, half of Hamas's military commanders were eliminated, and the Israeli army killed or captured about 14,000 Hamas militants. Gaza Strip Civil Defense: Israeli forces carried out three airstrikes within an hour, resulting in hundreds of casualties in Gaza. The Israeli army said that the northern region of Israel was attacked again by rockets, with no reports of casualties.

6) Four Vietnamese and two Vietnamese-American people died at a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Police: The suspect poisoned others before committing suicide by poisoning himself; the motive was business failure.

7) A shooting in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile resulted in five deaths and multiple injuries. A shooting in Oman resulted in six deaths; the Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

4) Yesterday's closing prices:

Shanghai Composite Index: 2962.85/-0.45%

Shenzhen Component Index: 8835.14/-0.47%

ChiNext Index: 1696.45/+0.01%

Hang Seng Index: 17739.41/+0.06%

4) Many masterpieces from various countries gather together, the "extended version" International Theatre Festival opens in Beijing.

5) Snooker Shanghai Masters: Ding Junhui advances to the quarterfinals, next round against O'Sullivan.

1) Beijing: Per capita consumption expenditure of residents in the first half of the year was 24165 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.7%; Beijing's GDP grew by 5.4% year-on-year in the first half of the year. Online and offline integrated processing, Beijing has fully entered the "e-era" of business establishment. Beijing subway has installed cold air machines at 16 ground stations, and the thermal environment improvement equipment of 4 stations has been put into trial operation.

5) Videos of people touching clams in Qiantang River appeared online, Zhejiang provincial and municipal departments urgently reminded: The water conditions are complex and changeable, the beach is unstable, do not go down the embankment to play. A fire broke out in Jiuding Department Store in Zigong, Sichuan, and some people were trapped.

7) There is still heavy rainfall in the Huang-Huai region and the Sichuan Basin, and there is persistent high temperature weather in the Jiangnan and South China regions. From 8 pm on July 17 to 8 pm on July 18, parts of northeast Inner Mongolia, northern Heilongjiang, southern Shaanxi, western Huang-Huai, Jianghuai, eastern southwest China, and the coastal areas of South China experienced moderate to heavy rain.