Farah Master

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 central bank on Tuesday said it would allocate 100 billion yuan ($13.93 billion) of re-lending quota to support businesses hit by natural disasters, especially small businesses and agricultural enterprises.

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.

India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens from July 24 this year, its embassy in China said on Wednesday, the first time in five years as both countries move to repair their rocky relationship.

Argentina said on Monday that Chinese citizens with valid U.S. entry visas would not need Argentine visas to enter the country for tourism or business, a loosening of requirements that comes amid warming ties between Beijing and Buenos Aires.

China counted over a half billion consumers of online literature last year - a record - according to an official report, while the number of overseas users also jumped as authorities promoted the industry as a cultural export and soft power tool.

China's 240-hour transit visa-free policy has been extended to people arriving from 55 countries, including Indonesia, Russia and Britain, who will be able to engage in tourism and business, the official Xinhua news agency said.

China signed a convention setting up an international organisation for mediation in Hong Kong on Friday that Beijing hopes will be on par with the International Court of Justice and bolster the city's international credentials.

Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) scorched parts of northern and central China on Tuesday with authorities issuing heat warnings and offering aid to farmers to protect food production.

A tariff deal between the United States and China on Monday was greeted with scepticism on Chinese social media, while official commentary welcomed the news.