Beijing is betting on rice cookers and microwave ovens to boost its economy

The Chinese government has expanded the list of items people can trade in to get up to 20% off new products as the country tries to revive its sluggish economy.

The list now includes microwave ovens, dishwashers, rice cookers and water purifiers.

Government sharing schemes have already covered TVs, phones, tablets and smartwatches, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles.

The world’s second-largest economy has faced a number of challenges, including weak consumer demand and a deepening real estate crisis.

Officials said on Wednesday that 81 billion yuan (£8.9 billion; $11 billion) had been earmarked for the consumer goods exchange scheme this year.

China’s top economic planning body said the schemes, which were launched in March, had already produced “visible effects”.

According to the country’s Ministry of Commerce, this policy has increased sales of major goods such as home appliances and cars.

But some economists doubt whether these schemes will be enough to significantly boost consumer spending.

“So far, this approach has had mixed success,” said Harry Murphy Cruz, head of China economics at Moody’s Analytics.

“While this has supported sales of some listed goods, such as cars and home appliances, it has not led to an overall increase in spending.”

In recent months, China has taken additional measures to support its domestic economy as the country’s exporters face increasing challenges.

In December, a key meeting of China’s leaders stressed the need for “vigorous” efforts to boost consumer spending.

It comes after President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to return to the White House this month, threatened to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese-made products.

Next week, China is due to announce economic growth figures for 2024, which Beijing has said it expects will be around 5%.