China has allocated 81 billion yuan (about 11.04 billion U.S. dollars) in subsidies for the country's trade-in promotion for 2025, said an official from the Ministry of Finance in Beijing on Wednesday. Fu Jinling, director of the Department of Economic Construction at the Chinese Ministry of Finance, said the ministry has expanded its subsidy program to cover a wider range of sectors and has also raised the funding standards for areas with significant financial needs and high public interest
"For instance, we will expand the support for equipment restoration to more fields like electronic information, production safety, and facility agriculture. We will expand the categories of home appliance products eligible for trade-in subsidies from eight to 12, and introduce new subsidies for purchasing new digital products such as mobile phones. We also raised the standards for subsidies for new energy public buses and power battery renewals, with the average subsidy per bus increased from 60,000 yuan (about 8,183.53 U.S. dollars) to 80,000 yuan (over 10,900 U.S. dollars)," said Fu.
By the end of 2024, China's central government had exhausted its 150 billion yuan (approximately $20.45 billion USD) allocation for trade-in consumption.
The Ministry of Finance also allocated another 150 billion yuan (about 20.45 billion U.S. dollars) for large-scale equipment restoration to local governments across the country, with the use clearly defined for specific projects.
China allocates 81 bln yuan for 2025 trade-in subsidies
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
