Chinese premier meets ADB president in Beijing

China

Chinese premier meets ADB president in Beijing

2025-03-24 19:46 Last Updated At：22:07

Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Masato Kanda, president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in Beijing on Monday, vowing to enhance bilateral cooperation.

Amid the slow recovery of the global economy and rising instability and uncertainties, Li emphasized, Asian countries should strengthen unity and cooperation, uphold multilateralism, promote regional economic integration, enhance macroeconomic policy coordination, and deepen sci-tech innovation exchanges to better withstand risks and achieve shared development.

Li further noted that China will contribute greater stability to the development of both Asia and the rest of the world through steady economic growth, and active openness and cooperation.

He expressed China's willingness to expand all-around cooperation with the ADB in areas such as capital and knowledge so as to elevate the partnership to a new level.

Masato Kanda said that China's steady economic growth has made significant contributions to the economic growth of Asia and the rest of the world, stressing the ADB's commitment to strengthening cooperation with China in areas such as knowledge innovation and green development to promote development of the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan's core CPI up for 55th consecutive month

Japan's core consumer price index (CPI) rose to 112.1 in March, marking the 55th straight month of increase year on year, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications on Friday.

Comparing with March 2025, the country's core CPI climbed 1.8 percent, surpassing February's 1.6 percent rise.

On a monthly basis, the index increased 0.5 percent in March, reversing a 0.3 percent decline recorded in February.

Rising food prices remained the primary driver of inflation, with coffee bean prices surging 54 percent year on year and ordinary rice prices climbing 6.4 percent.

Mobile phone communication fees jumped 11.1 percent, while hotel accommodation costs rose 5 percent.

Electricity bills fell 8 percent in March, thanks to government price subsidies.

As prices continue to climb, a growing number of Japanese consumers expect the inflationary trend to persist.

A recent Bank of Japan survey showed that consumers expect prices to be 10.3 percent higher on average in five years - the highest level since the survey began in 2006.