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

The Chinese government has expanded a list of products that people can trade in to get a discount of up to 20% on new goods such as the country is trying to stimulate its stalled economy.

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

State-backed trade-in schemes now cover TVs, phones, tablets and smartwatches, as well as electric and hybrid vehicles.

The world’s second largest economy is facing several challengesincluding weak consumer demand and a deepening housing crisis.

On Wednesday, officials said 81 billion yuan (£8.9 billion; $11 billion) had been set aside this year for the consumer goods exchange scheme.

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

According to the country’s Commerce Ministry, the policies have boosted sales of major goods such as home appliances and cars.

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

“The approach has had mixed success so far,” said Harry Murphy Cruz, head of the China economy at Moody’s Analytics.

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

In recent months, China has pushed for more measures to support its domestic economy as the country’s exporters face mounting challenges.

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

It came after President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to return to the White House this month, threatened to impose a 60% tariff on products made in China.

Next week, China is due to release data on its economic growth for 2024, which Beijing says it expects to be around 5%.