China has announced a wide-ranging “special action plan” to promote domestic spending, in an effort to counter the economic impact of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

Beijing’s leaders are ordering fiscally strapped local governments to spend more to help workers, consumers and businesses.

Retail sales increased 4 per cent in January-February from the same period a year earlier. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The plan comes as levels of consumer demand in China have suffered various setbacks in recent years, due to factors such as COVID-19 disruptions and a prolonged property slump, chilling the propensity of households to spend and adding to deflationary trends.

China's retail sales growth quickened in January-February in a welcome sign for policymakers' efforts to boost domestic consumption even as joblessness rose and factory output eased, underscoring the strains on an economy facing fresh U.

SINGAPORE—China reported surprisingly robust economic activity to start the year, giving Beijing some wind at its back as it faces the prospect of increased tensions with President Trump’s second administration.

The plan was to vigorously boost consumption, expand domestic demand, and “enhance consumption capacity by increasing income and reducing burdens.”