China to expand domestic demand with stronger measures: official

China will make more efforts and take more concrete measures to expand domestic demand, a senior official with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, said at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

The push comes as nationwide consumption shows signs of steady improvement.

China's total retail sales of goods and services rose 2.6 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2026, with retail sales of services growing faster than goods and new forms of consumption continuing to emerge, official data showed.

Going forward, China will work to improve residents' living standards, increase consumer spending, and boost consumption, according to Zuo Gang, deputy director of the Department of National Economy under the NDRC.

More measures will be adopted to stabilize employment and household income, promote purchases of new-energy vehicles and smart products, expand elderly care consumption, support childcare consumption, and bolster the development of cultural performances, tourism services, sports events and other industries, he said.

Efforts will be made to scrap unreasonable consumption restrictions and further expand inbound consumption by overseas visitors, Zuo said.

China will invest in both physical assets and human capital to expand effective investment.

Specifically, the NDRC will push for the implementation of 109 major projects outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) and the "six networks" initiative covering water, power, computing, communications, urban underground pipelines and logistics networks, Zuo said.

Ultra-long special treasury bond funds will be deployed more effectively, and the new policy-based financial instruments will be released at a faster pace, Zuo said, vowing stronger support for social welfare, technology innovation, industrial upgrading and security resilience.

More steps will be taken to improve institutions and mechanisms for expanding domestic demand to promote the efficient and smooth circulation of supply and demand, according to Zuo.

"We will introduce regulations on developing a unified national market, unify underlying institutions and rules such as those on property rights protection and market access, improve the statistical, tax, and evaluation systems for the development of a unified national market, and abolish unreasonable restrictions," Zuo noted.

"We will continue to deepen reforms in areas such as the investment and financing models of local governments and the income distribution system. We will improve relevant standards systems and enhance the quality of commodity and services supply. We will pursue higher standards in enhancing market facility connectivity to cut logistics costs throughout society," he added.

China to expand domestic demand with stronger measures: official

Malaysia has been grappling with sustained cross-border haze for weeks -- despite repeated rainfall, the polluted air shrouding Kuala Lumpur shows little sign of dispersing, with the national weather agency cautioning that a clear timeline for relief remains elusive.

In the capital, air quality readings have held at unhealthy levels for a fortnight, with neighboring districts faring no better as passing showers leave the smog largely intact.

"The rain that is occurring in Malaysia is not going to help in total to reduce the haze because the source is still there so the wind keeps on coming from that direction to our country," said Ambun Dindang, the deputy director general of the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MET Malaysia).

That assessment from the country's weather agency points across the border, where forest and land fires have been burning in multiple parts of Indonesia in recent weeks, sending smoke drifting into neighboring countries. The persistent haze has since taken a toll on a range of industries in Kuala Lumpur.

Open-air food stalls are a hallmark of the city, but the hazy weather has kept diners indoors, leaving many such businesses noticeably quiet.

"Because we're outdoors, some customers and tourists don't want to sit outside. [Due to the haze] our customer traffic also decreases," said a local restaurant operator.

Daily life is bearing the strain beyond the food business as well, from school scheduling to commutes. Local governments and schools must adjust class arrangements based on official forecasts, and whether classes will be suspended has become parents' top concern, with some schools already closed as the pollution persists.

Authorities have reminded the public to monitor official air quality bulletins and weather updates, and to adjust their outdoor plans accordingly.

As to when the haze might finally lift, MET Malaysia says no definitive timeline can yet be offered, with any improvement contingent on a shift in wind direction.

Cross-border haze lingers over Malaysia as clearing timeline remains uncertain