More than 40 government officials, including seven at the provincial level, have been held accountable for a substandard vaccines scandal at Changchun Changsheng Biotech Co, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China decided at a meeting on Thursday.

A senior Chinese negotiator will visit the United States at Washington's invitation late this month to resume trade talks, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

China's economic growth will not be derailed by deleveraging moves as the government will implement such efforts at the proper pace, according to senior officials with the nation's top economic regulator.