Iran war; Q1 GDP growth; Qiushi; Foot and mouth disease

A slow day near the end of a long week so today’s newsletter is a bit thin. We missed this week’s Sharp China due to my mom’s illness; all should be back to normal next week. Apologies for being a bit ragged this week, and thanks for your patience.

Today’s top items:

1. Iran War - Wang Yi met with Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Beijing. According to the Xinhua readout Wang said:

The war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran should never have happened; the prolonged conflict has already had a serious impact on international energy security and the security of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The most pressing task is to push the United States and Iran back to negotiations in pursuit of a political resolution. China has always maintained an objective and impartial position, has been actively committed to promoting peace and ending the fighting, supports Pakistan’s active mediation efforts, and is willing to maintain communication …