Analysts said this indicated Beijing's reluctance to take a sharper turn in changing the growth model away from investment and manufacturing exports.

The Chinese government has ramped up its war of words with Australia with accusations of 'hyping up' tensions over live firing exercises in the waters between Australia and New Zealand.

China’s failure to seize the initiative probably reflects a lack of flexibility and creativity in its diplomacy. That decades-old problem has grown more acute as Xi Jinping, its leader, has ...