China, more growth: Beijing’s economic growth accelerated for the second straight quarter and again beat expectations, reports Steve Wang & Ben Richardson. Growth in manufacturing and core productive industries accelerated from the final quarter of 2016 to 6.4%, the fastest clip in nine quarters, with state-owned enterprises the key driver behind the latest recovery. READ THE STORY HERE
VietJet’s bikini marketing: Nguyen Phuong Thao, CEO of VietJet and Vietnam’s first woman US dollar billionaire, has risen to the top of this male-dominated society by mixing a global vision with risqué sex appeal. Ma Nguyen writes that Thao denies the strategy of dressing female cabin crew in swimwear, replete with pre-flight dances for passengers, is an exploitative stunt, saying: “whatever brings happiness to our customers, that makes us happy.”
China’s Brexit train: When the so-called ‘Silk Road’ train left a Brexit-bruised London for China last week it demonstrated, according to the British government, the huge global demand for quality UK goods. But, asks Richard Cook , is its cargo, of whisky, soft drinks, vitamins, pharmaceuticals and baby products, really a recipe for renewed global greatness? READ THE STORY HERE
Slow lane Jakarta: The Indonesian capital was ranked the world’s most congested city, according to data that showed Jakarta motorists made 33,240 stop-starts a year, more than Istanbul (32,520), Mexico City (30,840) and Bangkok (27,480). John McBeth reports that widespread downtown train construction, intended to ease the capital’s epic traffic jams that already cost the economy US$3.4 billion per year, means the issue will get worse before it gets better. READ THE STORY HERE
Major SOEs should take lead on Xiongan, says Sasac party boss
The Communist Party boss of Sasac, the body that oversees major state-owned companies, says these so-called central enterprises should take the lead role in construction of Xiongan New Area, the Paper reported. 国务院国资委成立支持雄安专项小组：央企要率先投身新区建设
Ship orders tumble; deliveries soar
Orders for new ships dropped 25.4% in the first quarter to 5.54 million deadweight tons, Economic Information Daily reported, citing Commerce Ministry figures. Vessels completed in the period jumped 87.7% to 15.76 million dwt. 工信部：一季度我国新接船舶订单量同比降25.4%
2 million housing units up for grabs as eligibility relaxed
The ministry of housing aims to allocate 2 million public housing units for rent this year, adding to the 11.66 million households now covered. Eligibility requirements will be relaxed to include more low-income families, migrant workers and new entrants to the labor markets, the Paper reported. 住建部：今年各地扩大住房保障覆盖，新分配公租房两百万套
Where did all the imports go?
Last week’s trade data showed China imported 95.56 million metric tons of iron ore in March, less than a million tons shy of the January 2016 record high. But while ore purchases rose 11% by volume, they more than doubled in value. Which begs a question: why pay such a steep price when the shipments pile up as inventory?
Chang’e 5 to lift lunar skills to next level
The planned launch later this year of the Chang’e 5 lunar probe, with its mission to bring samples back from the moon, will take China’s abilities in space exploration to the next level, Tian Yulong, chief engineer at the State Administration of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense, was cited by the Paper as saying. 国防科工局：今年年底将发射嫦娥五号，由长征五号火箭运载
Shenzhen sees better M&A as path to killing zombies
Shenzhen Stock Exchange plans improvements to mergers and acquisitions involving listed companies, including clear procedures for delisting and better reorganization and combination of businesses, as a way to resolve the issue of so-called zombie enterprises, Yicai reported. 深交所：完善市场化并购重组和退出机制 加快清理“僵尸”企业
Insurance chief relieved of position; key leadership posts unfilled
Xiang Junbo has been removed as China Insurance Regulatory Commission chairman after being put under investigation by the Communist Party’s disciplinary arm, Xinhua news agency reported. His deputy, Chen Wenhui, will be interim head of the regulator, which is also without a party secretary and deputy secretary due to this year’s ongoing leadership shuffle, Caixin said. 保监会主席项俊波涉嫌严重违纪被免职独家|项俊波被免职 陈文辉临时负责保监会
LeTV, Yidao unit issue statement denying cash misuse
LeTV issued a joint statement with its 70% owned Yidao Yongche on Monday evening to deny allegations by the unit’s former chairman turned whistleblower, Zhou Hang, that the ride-hailing company is experiencing financial difficulties because LeTV misused 130 million yuan (US$ 18.87 million) of its money, Security Times reported. Local media had earlier reported that the Uber rival is facing financial difficulties and had been unable to pay suppliers or drivers. 周航惊爆乐视挪用易到资金13亿，乐视回应称现代版农夫与蛇易到与乐视联合声明：乐视从未挪用过易到任何资金
Guangdong study under way on banks’ use of arbitrage
Guangdong’s bank regulator has ordered financial institutions it oversees to report on their use of different types of arbitrage, Yicai reported. 独家 | 广东银监已下发“三套利”自查问卷 最快周三进场检查
Big cities see one-fifth jump in residential land prices
Prices of residential land in first-tier cities rose on average 19.6% in 2016, Caixin said, citing Ministry of Land data. Nationwide, prices were 7.91% higher. 国土部：2016年一线城市住宅地价上涨近两成
