The number of the novel Coronavirus cases in Russia has surpassed that of China, where the disease originated. The country on Monday reported 6,198 new confirmed infections, taking the tally to 87,147, reported the Moscow Times.

China has recorded 84,500 confirmed cases since the outbreak last year. The Russian authorities on Monday confirmed 50 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking the total toll to 794.

Russia is now the ninth country to be worst hit by the pandemic. The virus has spread to all of Russia's 85 regions, but has affected the capital, Moscow, the most. Of all the 6,198 new cases, 2,971 have been registered in Moscow, 576 in the Moscow region and 153 in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

The virus has affected the country's military as well. A total of 874 servicemen in the military have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, Russia's Defence Ministry has said. Four people are in grave condition, including one on a ventilator.

The vast majority of the country has been on lockdown since late March, with only essential businesses — grocery shops, pharmacies, banks — operating and people ordered to stay at home. Military units have already rehearsed the parade -- footage of these rehearsals showed hundreds of servicemen drilling outside Moscow without observing social distancing. A Kremlin spokesman said that the military had their own isolation and distancing protocols which allowed them more freedom.

Spain sees slight spike in daily cases

Spain recorded 331 new deaths in the past 24 hours, up from Sunday's 288, while the political and social debate focuses on the way out of the seven-week lockdown. The total death toll stands on Monday over 23,500, while the number of infections is over 2,00,000.From Friday, people of all ages will be allowed to go on walks or practice sports outdoors, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has announced.

Singapore records drop in new infections

The tally in Singapore, which for long recorded over 1,000 cases daily, reached 14,423 on Monday after 799 new infections were reported with majority of them being foreign workers residing in dormitories. Around 3,00,000 low-wage workers, mostly from South Asia, work in Singapore in construction and maintenance. Most of them live together in huge dormitory complexes.

After being the epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak, China is final limping back into normalcy and the citizens, government, and public institutions are taking the necessary steps to avert another outbreak. And while the country is at it, a school in Hanzhou came with a creative idea to ensure children thoroughly follow social distancing norms.

Eileen Chengyin Chow, a professor at the Duke University posted pictures of first graders at the Yangzheng Elementary School in Hanzhou on her Twitter account on April 27. What’s striking about the pictures is the headgears the students are wearing in class, that bears resemblance to that of the soldiers belonging to the Song Dynasty. The colourful head gear, that teaches the historical context it has in the country and also helps maintain social distance,  has a 3 feet-long rod made of  soft materials such as cardboard or foam, attached on the sides.

Chow explains the  historical context of the headgears’ designs in the tweet, that reads, “The long horizontal plumes on Song Dynasty toppers were supposedly to prevent officials from conspiring sotto voce with one another while at court—so social distancing was in fact their original function!”

First graders back to school in Hangzhou, with social distancing headgear

The long horizontal plumes on Song Dynasty toppers were supposedly to prevent officials from conspiring sotto voce with one another while at court—so social distancing was in fact their original function! pic.twitter.com/0AOKsWE1xH

— eileen chengyin chow (@chowleen) April 27, 2020

The professor’s post garnered more than 17,300 likes and was retweeted over 8,300 times. The users commenting on the posts lauded the teacher who used a smart way to designed these headgears that has a historical significance.

Historical precedents used. Clever on the part of the teacher to be able to incorporate a history lesson and maintain social distancing.

— Olga Sadowy (@OSadowy) April 27, 2020

Wow! This is adorable and really interesting. I hope they are safe enough...

— Tristan Felix 🏳️‍🌈 (@tiger) April 27, 2020

This is ridiculously cute! Did they make the hats themselves? 😄

— Heather Jean Bruskay (@HBruskay) April 27, 2020

for all the nerds saying "but they can just get close face to face so this doesn't help"

making and decorating hats was obviously a fun thing for the kids to do while also learning some history

— bieb (@red_bieb) April 27, 2020

Wow I always thought it was a fashion choice

— josué (@joshnekoff) April 27, 2020

What do you think about the post?

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China's warning of trade repercussions from Australia's campaign for an independent inquiry into COVID-19 has rattled Australian business leaders as President Donald Trump's administration urges other governments to back such a probe. China has accused Australia of parroting the US in its call for an inquiry independent of the World Health Organisation to determine the origins of COVID-19 and how the world responded to the emerging pandemic.

Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye used an Australian newspaper interview this week to warn that pursuing an inquiry could spark a Chinese consumer boycott of students and tourists visiting Australia as well as of sales of major exports including beef and wine. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday stood firm on his call for an inquiry and denied any motivation other than to prevent such a pandemic from happening again.

"I don't think anybody's in any fantasy land about where it started. It started in China. What the world over needs to know is how did it start and what are the lessons that can be learnt," Morrison said. "That needs to be done independently and why do we want to know that? Because it could happen again."

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China, where the deadly coronavirus first emerged in December last, reported just one COVID-19 case, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Saturday. The death toll remained at 4,633 with no new fatality. As of Friday, the total confirmed cases on the mainland were 82,875. As many as 77,685 patients have been recovered, the NHC said.

One new imported coronavirus case was reported on Friday with no new local infection, it said. China has reported a total of 1,671 imported COVID-19 cases, including seven in critical condition. The Hubei province and its capital Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, have not reported any coronavirus case for 28 consecutive days since April 4, local health commission said on Saturday. Hubei also lowered its COVID-19 emergency response from the highest level to the second-highest on Saturday.

The lowering of the emergency level shows a major breakthrough in Hubei's prevention and control against the coronavirus, Hubei Vice-Governor Yang Yunyan told media. Meanwhile, 20 new asymptomatic cases were reported on Friday, taking the total number of such patients to 989. Asymptomatic cases refer to people who are tested COVID-19 positive but develop no symptoms such as fever, cough or sore throat. However, they pose a risk of spreading the disease to others.

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US officials believe China covered up the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak — and how contagious the disease is — to stock up on medical supplies needed to respond to it, intelligence documents show. Chinese leaders "intentionally concealed the severity" of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a four-page Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intelligence report dated May 1 and obtained by the AP.

Marked "for official use only," the DHS analysis states that, while downplaying the severity of the virus, China increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies. It attempted to cover up doing so by "denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data," the analysis states.

Hid details from WHO
The report also says China held off informing the World Health Organisation that the COVID-19 "was a contagion" for much of January so it could order medical supplies from abroad " and that its imports of face masks and surgical gowns and gloves increased sharply.

Those conclusions are based on the 95 per cent probability that China's changes in imports and export behaviour were not within normal range, according to the report. China publicly identified the pathogen as a novel Coronavirus on January 8.

Trump 'thinks' we'll have vaccine by year end

President Donald Trump says he believes a vaccine for COVID-19 will be available by the end of the year. Trump commented Sunday night during a televised town hall. "I think we'll have a vaccine by the end of the year. We'll have a vaccine much sooner rather than later," he said. Trump also increased his projection for the total US death toll to 1,00,000 — up by as much as 40,000 from what he had suggested just a few weeks ago. So far, over 67,000 have died in US.

'Remdesivir to be out by next week'

Antiviral drug Remdesivir, approved by the USFDA for emergency use to treat COVID-19 patients, is expected to be available by early next week, the CEO of Gilead Sciences, the pharmaceutical firm manufacturing the medicine has said.

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China has made a number of announcements on anti-dumping duty orders, including to launch an investigation into US, Korean, and Taiwanese exports of styrene, which is used to manufacture plastics and resins.

China's Ministry of Commerce has objected to the EU's new anti-dumping methodology, claiming that it violates World Trade Organization rules.

The United States International Trade Commission will issue countervailing duty orders on imports of cold-drawn mechanical tubing from China and India, after determining that they are causing material injury to US manufacturers.

The Chinese tax administration has reported that businesses have saved CNY2 trillion (USD317.8bn) following the replacement of business tax with value-added tax, beginning in 2012.

On February 3, 2018, China's State Administration of Taxation set out new rules on the disallowance of tax treaty benefits where an entity fails to demonstrate it is the beneficial owner of Chinese assets from which passive income is derived.

China plans to actively expand imports and open up to foreign investment by reducing tariffs and taxes, according to a work report released by the Government ahead of the annual parliamentary session.

China's new Finance Minister, Liu Kun, has announced plans to reform the nation's taxation system, including value-added tax rate reductions.

China's State Council has announced a cut in value added tax rates as part of a CNY400bn (USD63bn) tax reduction package to stimulate growth.

The tax agencies of China and Kazakhstan, with involvement also from the OECD, hosted a three-day tax conference to discuss the provision of capacity building support from China for those countries that will be involved in China's Belt and Road Initiative. It was attended by more than 250 delegates from 49 tax administrations, four international organizations, and five academic institutions.

China's Government announced recently that a local insurance company had issued the country's first tax-deferred pension insurance policy, saying it marked the beginning of tax-deferred pension plans in China.

China intends to implement numerous changes to its trade tariffs from January 1, 2018, to ensure domestic businesses have access to inputs and equipment and to implement changes in prior international agreements.

Officials from the Abu Dhabi Global Market, a free zone in the United Arab Emirates, and the Abu Dhabi Exchange recently visited Shanghai, China, to meet with representatives of key Chinese financial authorities and institutions.

Climate change will pose a deadly threat in China in the future as heatwaves become more severe and frequent, reports a new study. The findings of the

China's first-ever anti- domestic violence law was approved. Campaigners said that the law fails to cover some potential victims and has taken too long to pass.

In a vaccine scandal that occurred in China, 37 suspects have been detained and 13 wholesalers put under investigation. The case involves the illegal

Doctors from a southern Chinese hospital successfully removed a 14-centimeter-long toothbrush from a man's stomach which he swallowed 20 years ago. The No.

Yoga has been gaining popularity in China as a healthy lifestyle choice. A total of 50 branches would be set up to boost yoga education

Each week, STR analysts provide a deep-dive into China hotel performance. The most recent video is linked below, available in both English and Chinese. STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for global hospitality...

Washington and Beijing are locked in a war of words over the origins of the disease, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has grown into a global pandemic.

Why Are People So Stupid, In Concern To Solving The High Price Housing Crisis in China, and Around the World?

By: Mr. Dominic Jermano

American-China/Foreign Affairs...

The OECD has welcomed the release by China and the US of peer reviews of their fossil fuel subsidies.

The fiscal and taxation reforms will be more than ever necessary in China to ensure that growth becomes more inclusive. So far, China has had a major success in reducing the poverty. But additional tax reforms will be needed to reduce further inequality in disposable income and across regions, as well as to help reduce the rural-urban divide.

China signed the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters at a ceremony today at the OECD. All G20 countries have now fulfilled the commitment they made at the Cannes G20 Summit to sign the Convention and move towards automatic exchange of information as the new, global standard.

This report consists of two parts. Part I is a report by the OECD Secretary-General regarding (A) the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project; (B) Tax transparency; (C) Tax policy tools to support sustainable and inclusive growth; and (D) Tax and development. Part II is an updated Progress Report to the G20 by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.

This report consists of two parts. Part I is a report by the OECD Secretary-General regarding (A) the G20/OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project; (B) Tax transparency; (C) Tax policy tools to support sustainable and inclusive growth; and (D) Tax and development. Part II is a Progress Report to the G20 by the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.

Following the first meeting of the Inclusive Framework on BEPS in Japan, on 30 June-1 July, and recent regional meetings, more countries and jurisdictions are joining the framework. The Inclusive Framework on BEPS welcomed Macau (China), Mauritius and Ukraine bringing to 90 the total number of countries and jurisdictions participating on an equal footing in the Project.

The work on BEPS Action 14 continues with today's publication of the seventh round of stage 1 peer review reports. Each report assesses a country's efforts to implement the Action 14 minimum standard as agreed to under the OECD/G20 BEPS Project.

Weapons Sales in China decreased to 1040 USD Million in 2018 from 1227 USD Million in 2017. Weapons Sales in China averaged 849.91 USD Million from 1954 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 2605 USD Million in 1987 and a record low of 3 USD Million in 1954. Weapons Sales are presented as a Trend-Indicator Value based on the known unit production costs of a core set of weapons such as aircraft, air defence systems, anti-submarine warfare weapons, armoured vehicles, artillery, engines, missiles, sensors, satellites, ships and others. The indicator aims to represent the transfer value of military resources rather than the financial value of the transfer.

Banks Balance Sheet in China increased to 2850 CNY Billion in March from 905.70 CNY Billion in February of 2020. Banks Balance Sheet in China averaged 749.47 CNY Billion from 2004 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 3340 CNY Billion in January of 2020 and a record low of -32.10 CNY Billion in July of 2005. In China, new yuan loans refer to financial institutions Renminbi credit funds balance sheet. They represent more than four-fifths of all loans. This page provides - China New Yuan Loans - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

China recorded a government budget deficit of 417.70 CNY Billion in March of 2020. Government Budget Value in China averaged -192.52 CNY Billion from 1990 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 5885.80 CNY Billion in January of 2012 and a record low of -15554.19 CNY Billion in December of 2013. The government budget balance is the difference between government revenues and expenses. The budget is balanced when outlays equal to receipts, the country reports budget surplus when revenues are higher than expenses and deficit when expenses exceed the revenues. This page provides - China Government Budget Value - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

This paper examines China’s investment policy since the publication of the 2008 OECD Investment Policy Review of China and recommends that the Chinese government continue its efforts to liberalise and increase the transparency and predictability of the framework for both inward and outward FDI. OECD Working Papers on International Investment - No. 2013/1.

Beijing, 24 October 2014 - China presented guidelines intended to provide a roadmap for the responsible business conduct of Chinese companies operating overseas. In addition, China and the OECD signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the implementation by Chinese companies of responsible business conduct in global mineral supply chains.

In a historic visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the OECD in Paris, the People’s Republic of China today decided to enhance longstanding collaboration with the OECD and to join the OECD Development Centre.

30/01/2018 - The China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) and the OECD today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that sets out their commitment to intensify co-operation to promote responsible business in global textile and apparel supply chains.

Housing Index in China decreased to 7.10 percent in November from 7.80 percent in October of 2019. Housing Index in China averaged 4.65 percent from 2011 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 12.60 percent in November of 2016 and a record low of -6.10 percent in March of 2015. In China, Housing Index is measured by year over year change in house prices in 70 medium and large cities. This page provides the latest reported value for - China Newly Built House Prices YoY Change - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Unemployment Rate in China decreased to 5.90 percent in March from 6.20 percent in February of 2020. Unemployment Rate in China averaged 4.42 percent from 2002 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 6.20 percent in February of 2020 and a record low of 3.90 percent in September of 2002. In China, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force. This page provides - China Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The number of employed persons in China decreased to 77471 Tens of Thousands in 2019 from 77586 Tens of Thousands in 2018. Employed Persons in China averaged 61160.46 Tens of Thousands from 1952 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 77640 Tens of Thousands in 2017 and a record low of 20729 Tens of Thousands in 1952. In China, employed persons refer to persons aged 16 and over, who performed some work for compensation or business gains for one hour or more during the reference period; or who had work units or sites but were temporarily not at work during the reference period. This page provides - China Employed Persons - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The MNI China business sentiment index increased to 55.9 in December of 2016 from 53.1 in November. The reading pointed to the highest figure since August 2014, as output rose the most since September 2015 while Future Expectations Indicator went up to the highest in three months. "This is a positive end to a choppy year for the Chinese business environment," said Andy Wu, Senior Economist of MNI Indicators. Mni Business Sentiment in China averaged 57.59 from 2007 until 2016, reaching an all time high of 77.20 in May of 2010 and a record low of 38.70 in December of 2008. The MNI China Business Sentiment survey is a monthly poll of Chinese business executives at a mix of manufacturing and service sector companies listed on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges. The survey provides the first monthly snapshot of economic and business conditions, ahead of official data and other business confidence data in China. Respondents are asked their opinion on whether a particular business activity has increased, decreased remained the same compared with the previous month as well as their expectations for three months ahead. E.g. Is Production Higher/Same/Lower compared with a month ago? A diffusion indicator is then calculated by adding the percentage share of positive responses to half the percentage of those respondents reporting no change. An indicator reading above 50 shows expansion, below 50 indicates contraction and a result of 50 means no change. Series which show a seasonal pattern are seasonally adjusted. This page provides - China Mni Business Sentiment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In October 2014 China launched the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), drawing wide international attention. Nearly 60 countries have joined the new international financial institution, including several OECD member and partner countries, though others have remained cautiously outside. What is the purpose of the new bank and what impact will it have? We asked Yide Qiao for his views.

In a historic visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to the OECD in Paris, the People’s Republic of China today decided to enhance longstanding collaboration with the OECD and to join the OECD Development Centre.

While China’s overall debt-to-GDP ratio is not particularly high, its non-financial corporate debt relative to GDP is higher than in other major economies.

Standard & Poor's credit rating for China stands at A+ with stable outlook. Moody's credit rating for China was last set at A1 with stable outlook. Fitch's credit rating for China was last reported at A+ with stable outlook. DBRS's credit rating for China is A (high) with negative outlook. In general, a credit rating is used by sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and other investors to gauge the credit worthiness of China thus having a big impact on the country's borrowing costs. This page includes the government debt credit rating for China as reported by major credit rating agencies.

Capacity Utilization in China remained unchanged at 76.80 percent in the third quarter of 2017 from 76.80 percent in the second quarter of 2017. Capacity Utilization in China averaged 74.99 percent from 2013 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 76.80 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 and a record low of 72.90 percent in the first quarter of 2016. This page provides - China Capacity Utilization- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Exports to China in Turkey increased to 184.61 USD Million in March from 143.62 USD Million in February of 2020. Exports to China in Turkey averaged 220.81 USD Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 308.92 USD Million in August of 2017 and a record low of 107.07 USD Million in February of 2016. This page includes a chart with historical data for Turkey Exports to China.

Imports from China in Turkey decreased to 1386.12 USD Million in March from 1624.88 USD Million in February of 2020. Imports from China in Turkey averaged 1896.81 USD Million from 2014 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 2602.18 USD Million in June of 2016 and a record low of 1275.68 USD Million in June of 2019. This page includes a chart with historical data for Turkey Imports from China.