BEIJING — While containing COVID-19, China is steadily reviving its economy. The following facts and figures indicate how the country is forging ahead in the economic sphere:
— Sam's Club, a Walmart-owned membership warehouse club, started construction of its flagship outlet in China on May 28.
The flagship store is located in the Shanghai Waigaoqiao bonded area of the pilot free trade zone. It will be the largest independent building operated by Sam's Club in China and its third store in Shanghai.
With a construction area of 70,000 square meters, the outlet is expected to open in 2021.
Sam's Club currently runs 26 outlets in China, and is looking to have 40 to 45 clubs in operation or under construction by the end of 2022. The company so far serves more than 2.8 million members in China, doubling the number from 2015.
— China's agriculturally rich province of Heilongjiang has increased its crop planting area, which will lead to higher rice and corn outputs than last year, according to the provincial department of agriculture and rural affairs.
The department said the province has completed planting crops in an area of 14.37 million hectares, which is 33,333 hectares more than last year.
The northeastern province produced 75 billion kg of grain last year, which is one-ninth of China's total output.
— The northern Chinese port city of Tianjin witnessed a 4.7-percent year-on-year growth in trade with Belt and Road (B&R) countries from January to April.
The trade volume between Tianjin and B&R countries reached 54.9 billion yuan (about $7.7 billion) during the period, accounting for 25.6 percent of the city's total foreign trade, the Tianjin Customs said on May 27.
The city's exports to B&R countries totaled 30.4 billion yuan in the first four months, while imports totaled 24.6 billion yuan during the period.