China's progress in economic resumption on Aug 4

China's success in controlling the COVID-19 epidemic means the economy is steadily reviving. The following facts and figures indicate how the country is forging ahead in resuming work and production:

— The extended Zhangjiakou Ningyuan Airport, one of the key supporting infrastructure developments for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, was completed and put into service on Aug 3. After the extension, the airport can now handle up to 1 million passengers a year from 600,000 previously.

— Initial public offerings (IPO) in China's A-share market continued apace last month over advanced capital market reform. In July, IPOs in the country's A-share market raised a record amount of 109.81 billion yuan (about $15.73 billion), surpassing 100 billion yuan in a single month the first time.

A total of 52 firms were listed in July, accounting for 30 percent of the total number of IPOs in the first seven months of 2020, which stood at 169.

— China wrapped up the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) on Aug 2, sending a positive signal that the world's second-largest film market is making a steady recovery.

With much of the world in the grip of COVID-19, the 23rd SIFF was something of a rarity among category-A film festivals, as most foreign festivals were postponed or shifted their main events online.

The SIFF was shorn of the star-studded red carpet and awards ceremony, with nominees for its two major film awards announced but no winners selected. However, the nine-day event still screened 320 Chinese and foreign movies, bringing more than 147,500 viewers into the city's cinemas.

— An online fair for farm produce procurement has helped farmers in 20 impoverished counties of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region secure profits from their agri-produce. Agreements with contractual value worth 775 million yuan were signed at the fair last week, which was sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Xinjiang regional department.