Briefly

Zero-distance power services turn popular

Chinese power companies are working to expand zero-distance services for clients via intelligent cloud terminals. In the prefecture-level city of Xuzhou in Jiangsu province, employees from State Grid Xuzhou Power Supply Co installed such devices at convenient power service points established in each village and town throughout the city. The devices allow users to easily check various electricity matters such as grid connections, repair issues, usage, fee inquiries, payments, bill printing and others, 24 hours a day without leaving the village.

Yuan strengthens against greenback

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 34 pips to 7.1903 against the US dollar on Thursday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System. In China's spot foreign exchange market, the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 2 percent from the central parity rate each trading day. The central parity rate of the yuan against the US dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.

Xinhua - China Daily