The New York Times writes, "China has suspended a policy that would have effectively pushed foreign technology companies out of the country's banking sector, according to a note sent by Chinese regulators to banks. Dated Monday, the letter called for banks to 'suspend implementation' of the rules, which have been at the center of a brewing trade conflict between the United States and China. The rules, put into effect at the end of last year, called for companies that sell computer equipment to Chinese banks to turn over intellectual property and submit source code, in addition to other demands. At stake is billions of dollars of business for major American companies that make the advanced computing hardware and software that crunches numbers for banks across China."
"China's island building program in the South China Sea may result in it gaining control of some of the world's most important waterways, the U.S.'s most senior military commander for Asia said...Satellite photos this month showed images of Chinese dredgers at work at Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, a feature also claimed by Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan. President Barack Obama said April 10 that the U.S. is concerned that China is using its 'muscle and power' to dominate smaller countries in the region. [Military commander] Locklear said the pace of China's building program was 'astonishing' and added that the islands would improve China's ability to locate a maritime security force in the waters that would be larger than the combined coast guards of the Southeast Asian countries," writes Bloomberg.
According to The Wall Street Journal, "China plans to close numerous small-scale enterprises in nearly a dozen industries, including dyeing plants, oil refineries and pesticide producers, in an effort to clean up its water supply. The goal is to significantly improve water quality by 2020, according to a plan released Thursday by the State Council, China's cabinet... The pollution is contributing to public-health problems. The government in 2013 acknowledged the existence of rural 'cancer villages'-with high rates of cancer-that cluster along areas with wells contaminated by industry and agriculture. Pollution is also exacerbating chronic water shortages in the arid northern part of the country."
"Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Pakistan next week to oversee agreements on pipelines, power plants and other projects as part of a massive $46 billion joint development program that Beijing hopes will stabilize its longtime ally's economy and extend China's influence in western Asia. China and Pakistan have long maintained close political and military relations, based partly on mutual antipathy toward neighbor India. However, stronger China-India ties have challenged that perception and Xi's visit seems intended to reassure Pakistan that relations remain robust," reports The Washington Post.