Farah Master

Hong Kong's leader John Lee said on Monday his government supported China's diplomatic policy towards Japan and the financial hub would closely monitor the situation and respond appropriately.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said that China welcomes more Italian companies to enter the Chinese market and hopes Italy will provide a fair and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese to invest in the country, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China will expand imports of high-quality agricultural products from Tajikistan and encourage Chinese companies to invest in the landlocked country, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said during a visit to the capital, Dushanbe.

The eastern Chinese city of Ningbo will issue marriage consumption vouchers for couples who register their marriage between October 28 and December 31, as authorities ramp up efforts to encourage young couples to wed and have children.

Chinese authorities have announced measures to improve the mental health of primary and secondary school students by reducing academic pressure, cutting screen time and mandating two hours of physical exercise daily.

China will continue to promote the expansion of market access, particularly in the service sector, which will bring new investment opportunities to companies including those from the United States, senior Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang said, according to a statement from the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday.

China has increased the maximum hiring age for some civil service positions for the first time in three decades, from 35 to 38, a move that aims to keep older workers in the labour force longer and bolster a shrinking workforce.

Hong Kong shut schools and many businesses closed on Monday as severe Tropical Storm Tapah came within 170 km (106 miles) of the territory with gale-force winds and heavy rain bands affecting much of the financial hub, prompting the cancellation of some flights.

China's finance ministry on Wednesday said it had earmarked 90 billion yuan ($12.54 billion) as an initial budget for childcare subsidy payments this year, an amount that experts said would probably be insufficient to boost a flagging birth rate.

China on Sunday announced a plan to promote consumption of agricultural products and "optimise green and high-quality products to meet multi-level consumer needs", its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said.