China's start-up and innovative technology-based companies maintained good growth momentum in April, as they have been unleashing creativity faster thanks to a series of supportive policies.
According to the State Information Center, the vitality index of start-up company operations recorded a 36.8 percent year-on-year increase in April, accelerating by 14.3 percentage points compared to the previous month.
In addition, the vitality index of innovative technology-based enterprise operations increased by 28.9 percent year-on-year in April, with the growth rate rising by 6.9 percentage points compared to March.
A series of supportive policies promoting equipment upgrades have boosted the development pace of certain consumer goods and equipment manufacturing industries, thereby driving the production vitality in the industrial parks, according to economic observers.
"All localities and government departments have made concerted efforts to foster and develop new quality productive forces in line with local conditions, effectively promoting industrial and economic vitality. At the same time, China continues to enhance its innovative policy system centered around laws and regulations, fiscal and tax policies, financial policies, and innovation policies, accelerating the release of vitality for start-ups and innovative enterprises," said Liu Fang, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research.
China's start-up, innovative tech companies on growth track in April
Officials from the European Union (EU) and Finland have voiced concerns after the White House said it has been discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told a press briefing in Cairo on Thursday that the message from the U.S. is "extremely concerning," and "not really helping the stability of the world."
Kallas called on all parties to stick to international law, adding that relevant response measures has been discussed among EU members.
"The international law is very clear, and we have to stick to it. It is clear that it is the only thing that protects smaller countries, and that is why it is in the interest of all of us. And we discussed this today, as well, that we uphold the international law on all levels," she said.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen on Thursday described recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump and members of his administration on Greenland as "worrying," while reiterating Finland's support for Denmark and Greenland's right to self-determination.
"Finland and the other Nordic countries have exceptional expertise in Arctic conditions, and we are happy to make use of that together with our North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies to strengthen Arctic security, but it cannot be done by threatening allies," she said at a press conference at Finnish parliament after an extraordinary meeting of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee.
Johannes Koskinen, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said it was "unprecedented" for threats of violence to be made within NATO against another member in connection with seizing territory, adding that such threats run counter to the United Nations Charter and that their inconsistency with international law should be underscored at all levels.
EU, Finnish officials express concerns over US remarks on Greenland
