11 The People's Bank of China announces to raise commercial banks' reserve requirement at the central bank to 7.5 percent from 7 percent as of April 25, in a bid to clamp down on excessively fast growth of bank loans and maintain stable, rapid and sound growth of the national economy.

14 With approval of the State Council, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Administration of Taxation decide to reduce the agricultural tax rate and implement agricultural tax exemption reform in selected key grain production areas on a trial basis.

15 China once again foils an anti-China attempt brewed by the United States when a "no-action" motion it tabled was passed in Geneva at the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. This constituted China's 11th victory over the U.S.-led anti-China bid since 1990.

24-25 The 2004 Annual Conference of Boao Forum for Asia is held in south China's island province of Hainan. President Hu Jintao delivered a keynote speech, entitled "China's Development Is an Opportunity for Asia," at the opening ceremony. The two-day meeting, themed "A Win-Win Asia: Asia That Opens Up to the World," drew more than 1,000 political leaders, business people and scholars from 35 countries and regions.

26 The Ninth Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress adopts a decision on methods for selecting Hong Kong's chief executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in 2008. The method of universal suffrage shall not apply to the election of the third chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) in 2007, nor to the election of all members of the Fourth Legislative Council of the HKSAR in 2008, according to the decision. It also said that the half by half ratio for members of the Legislative Council from functional groups and from constituency election, as well as the procedures for voting on bills and motions in the council, shall remain unchanged.