Xinhua China News Digest at 11:00 GMT, May 6

The following are China news stories moved by Xinhua News Agency as of 11:00 GMT, May 6.

TOP STORIES:

*1st Ld: Chinese plane brings back nationals from Mexico

SHANGHAI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A plane sent to fetch Chinese citizens from Mexico arrived in Shanghai Wednesday afternoon with 98 passengers on board. *China's SARS expert calls for vigilance against current influenza A/H1N1 despite low death rate

GUANGZHOU, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A leading Chinese expert on respiratory diseases has called on people to be vigilant against the current wave of influenza A/H1N1 despite the low death rate from the disease.

*1st Ld-Writethru: Taiwan chief negotiator to resign

TAIPEI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan chief negotiator Chiang Pin-kung said here Wednesday he had submitted his resignation as chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

*Mexicans under quarantine leave Hong Kong

Hong Kong, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A Mexican chartered plane left Hong Kong International Airport early Wednesday morning with 12 Mexican travelers from the city, but the Mexican index patient remained in hospital.

*Chinese Vice Premier leaves for Sino-EU dialogue, visit Britain

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan left here Wednesday for the second Sino-European Union (EU) high-level trade and economic dialogue in Brussels on May 7 and 8, and to pay an official visit to Britain from May 8 to 12 at the invitation of British Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling.

BUSINESS & FINANCE

*1st Ld-Writethru: Chinese shares edge up 0.98 pct, rising for fifth day

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese equities rose for a fifth consecutive trading day Wednesday to a nearly nine-month high, led by banks and coal producers.

*HK plays role as financial gateway to China: official

HONG KONG, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury KC Chan called on Belgian investors to take advantage of the expanding renminbi business in Hong Kong, a government press release said on Wednesday.

*Profit surge at Chinese central SOEs fuels call for fair profit distribution

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- An 85.7 percent month-on-month surge in the profits of central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in March has triggered call for a fair distribution of their profits.

*China's auto sales expected to blossom in April

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- April sales numbers released by leading carmakers in China indicated the country's automobile market has walked out of the shadow of the global financial crisis as the government's stimulus measures began to pay off, Wednesday's China Daily reported.

FEATURES

*China Exclusive: Tibet challenged by global warming, says met chief

LHASA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Tibet has felt some of the largest impact of global warming, China Meteorological Administration (CMA) chief Zheng Guoguang said here Wednesday.

*China Exclusive: Taiwan woman's small orchard harvests big hope in mainland

by Xinhua writers Fu Shuangqi and Lai Jianqiang

ZHANGZHOU, Fujian, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Luo Meijuan is welcoming the first harvest season in her 2-hectare mulberry orchard where dark purple, juicy fruit bends the branches all over the hill.

*Roundup: China adopts, defends strict quarantine amid flu threat

by Xinhua writer Lv Chuanzhong

BEIJING, May 5 (Xinhua) -- With the influenza A/H1N1 already spreading to more than 20 countries and regions, China is taking swift actions to keep the deadly virus at bay, while both the world health body and the country itself have defended the strict quarantine policies the government has adopted.

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YOUR QUERIES:

Duty editor: Huang Xiaonan @ 8610 6307 3665

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