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1. China rejects Trump claims of tariff phone call with Xi Jinping
China has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claims that he received a phone call from Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said: “I would like to reiterate that China and the US have not engaged in consultations or negotiations regarding tariff issues.”
2. Absence of Chinese general from Politburo event raises questions
One of China’s most senior generals, He Weidong, missed another top political gathering on Friday, adding to speculation about his whereabouts over the past few weeks.
3. More Chinese leave the knot untied as marriage registrations drop
As marriage registrations in China continued to decline in the first quarter of the year, local governments have dangled cash rewards as high as 40,000 yuan (US$5,487) in front of young couples in a bid to rekindle the will to wed and stave off the worst of a demographic crisis.