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Imports showed a 14.1 percent year-on-year growth in March on the Chinese mainland, while exports increased by 10 percent, according to data released by the Customs Administration on Wednesday. While some economists said the growth in imports would help dispel the concerns over continued demand in the long run, others have expressed doubts over the authenticity of the data. "Chinese mainland's exports to Hong Kong grew by an astounding 93 percent year on year - the highest since March 1995 - whilst exports to the EU contracted by 14 percent year on year and those to the United States sank by 7 percent. Given a lot of exports to Hong Kong are actually re-exported to the EU and US as final destinations, this seems a little incongruous" said Alistair Thornton, China economist at IHS Global Insight.

Louise: I doubt the data. In the first quarter, Chinese mainland's exports to Hong Kong grew 74 percent year on year, while Hong Kong's data showed its imports from the mainland just grew 7.8 percent in the first two months. Generally there is gap between the two data but such a large gap is unusual.

Mrtigeryu: China saw a trade deficit of $884 million in March. But funds outstanding for foreign exchange even grew, which suggested hot money is entering China betting on the appreciation of the renminbi.

China formally charged former railways minister Liu Zhijun, with corruption and abuse of power on Wednesday. According to an indictment issued by Beijing No 2 People's Procuratorate, Liu sought benefits for others by using his position and accepted huge financial incentives from others. Liu was sacked in February last year and later expelled from the Communist Party. China's railway system has faced numerous problems over the past few years, including heavy debts from funding new high-speed lines, waste and fraud.

Zheng Keqiang: Liu's graft amount has broken the record. I guess a death sentence is possible for him.

Yonggege: He had successfully resisted a merger with the Ministry of Transport six years ago, but the government announced this March that the two ministries would be merged. How ironic!

Erma: Liu had abused the power originated from his post. But not all the problems of the Ministry of Railways should be blamed to him.

All information is from Sina Weibo

(China Daily 04/15/2013 page14)