ECONOMICS

*can we really trust a communist country? Not to mention that they keep saying they are worried about whether their investment in US Treasuries are safe. Imagine the nerve. We buy their mostly crappy products for years at US workers expense and by driving up our trade deficits, and they have the nerve to complain about us today? Stop buying Chinese products people. REVOLT!

Premier reassures world China will reach 8% growth
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao repeated his promise of reaching 8% economic growth this year, saying the country has the resources to add stimulus measures if necessary. "We have prepared enough ammunition, and we can launch new economic-stimulus policies at any time," he said. The Washington Post/Reuters (13 Mar.)

Consumer spending slows down in China: Increasingly worried about rising unemployment and the slumping economy, China's consumers slowed down their spending. In January and February, retail sales grew by 15.2%, a sharp decline from the 21.6% rate of growth for all of last year, according to the National Statistics Bureau. The slowdown took place despite increased industrial production and bank-lending activity. Forbes/The Associated Press (12 Mar.)