(ShenzhenDaily, Sept 29, 2006) THE Foreign Ministry called on two U.S. senators Wednesday to drop their bill that would impose 27.5 percent tariffs on Chinese imports in retaliation for the alleged undervaluation of the yuan, the Financial Times reported on its Web site Thursday.

¡°We hope the U.S. senators will view objectively and rationally the problems that have emerged in the process of rapid development of Sino-US trade...and will cease deliberation on a bill harmful to Sino-U.S. economic cooperation,¡± the ministry said, according to the newspaper. The sponsors of the U.S. legislation, Senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham, said Tuesday they aren¡¯t sure whether they will call for a vote on their bill this week.

Vallourec to build threading plant

VALLOUREC SA, a French seamless steel tube producer, plans to build a plant that will serve China¡¯s oil and gas industry, the company said Thursday.

The plant for threading seamless steel tubing and casing will have a capacity of 50,000 tons per year and will begin operation in mid-2007, the company said.

Airlines hike fuel surcharges

THE nation¡¯s three biggest airlines will lift fuel surcharges for international flights by 50 to 60 percent from Oct. 1.

The surcharge on Air China flights to Asian routes would be raised to US$40 from the present US$25 and that for flights to the Middle East, Europe and the United States would rise to US$60 from US$40, Rao Xinyu, an official at the airline¡¯s investor relations department, said Thursday. China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines will impose the same surcharges.
source:ShenzhenDaily