Economists at China’s central bank predict that the Chinese economy will grow more quickly in the second half of this year thanks to more stable house prices in the domestic market and growing overseas demand for Chinese goods, news agency Reuters reported.

China’s state-owned Industrial and Commercial Bank (ICBC) signed a deal with Angola’s Ministry of Finance to provide a US$840-million loan for a power plant in that country, state-run news agency China News Service reported.

The relationship between China and Brazil is one of China’s top priorities in foreign policy, said Zhang Dejiang, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

The consumer price index (CPI) in China went up by 1.2 percent year-on-year in May, while the Producer Price Index (PPI) fell 4.6 percent year-on-year, the National Bureau of Statistics of China revealed on Tuesday.

Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI) is to launch two new academic programmes that should help to build relations between China and the Portuguese Speaking Countries, Macau’s Portuguese language newspaper Jornal Tribuna de Macau reported on Wednesday.

China will encourage its companies to invest in Angola, and to take part in the construction of industrial parks and infrastructure there, China’s President, Xi Jinping, pledged.

China narrowed its export decline in May but its imports fell more than expected, data from the Chinese Customs showed.

The Chinese Government will invest nearly 5 billion yuan (US$806 million) in agricultural projects this year to support the country’s economy, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Investments made by Chinese companies in Portuguese-speaking countries totalled US$6.5 billion in 2014, said Fang Qiuchen, president of the China International Contractors Association.

China and the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) signed on Sunday a US$50 million co-operation agreement to enhance knowledge exchange on agriculture. The aim is to help developing countries in the southern hemisphere build sustainable food systems and “inclusive agricultural value chains”, Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

China is expected to play a further role in the economic diversification of Angola, especially in the agricultural, mining and fishing sectors, said the Angolan Ambassador to China, Garcia Bires. He was speaking on Saturday in Beijing, ahead of this week’s visit of the Angolan President, José Eduardo dos Santos, to China.

Brazil’s mining giant Vale SA will increase its iron ore production by 30 percent, in particular to provide China with high-quality minerals, Chinese state-run newspaper China Daily reported.