China increased its tax on share trades, leading to a 6.5 percent drop in its main stock index and jitters throughout Asian markets. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index fell 281 points Wednesday after China's decision to triple its tax on share trades.

Net foreign assets of China grew 57 percent last year to US$662 billion, the Government said Friday, amid pressure on Beijing to let more money flow out of the country.

China reports strong investment growth in the first four months of this year, while Japan's economy lost some steam in the first quarter. Claudia Blume at VOA's Asia News Center in Hong Kong has more on these and other business stories from the region.

Keen for a piece of China's red-hot stock market, people all over the country are withdrawing money from their bank accounts to invest in shares. Experts warn this could be a risky move. They say the market boom is a bubble waiting to burst, and that many retail investors could be hurt. Claudia Blume reports from VOA's Asia News Center in Hong Kong.

Only one in a 1,000 children in China's financial hub want to grow up to be a common worker, once hailed as the vanguard of class struggle.

Armenia is ready to continue and intensify cooperation with China, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan reported at the meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Armenia Tzo Syuelyan, held in connection with completion of his diplomatic mission.

China trying to avoid the financial crisis told banks Thursday to increase their reserves for the third time this year, cutting the amount of money available for lending in a new effort to cool an investment boom.