China’s factory activity contracted in May, according to an official survey released on Saturday, although the decline slowed from April as the country reached a deal with the U.S. to slash President Donald Trump's sky-high tariffs.

President Trump said on Friday that China is violating the "fast deal" it made with the nation to pare back tariffs during negotiations.

Beijing has high hopes for its C919 single-aisle jet after years of delay, but the plane depends on engines, avionics and other gear from Western companies.

Australia has in recent times pledged to boost its missile defence capability amid China's nuclear weapons buildup and its blue-water naval expansion, as the country targets to increase its defence spending from roughly 2% of GDP currently to 2.4% by the early 2030s.

The Tianwen-2 mission by China targets asteroid 2016 HO3 to gather samples, with plans for future missions to Mars and Jupiter, enhancing space exploration efforts.

The U.S.-China trade truce in Geneva earlier this month hinged on Beijing agreeing to resume crucial mineral exports. Now China is slow-walking the concession, and the pact is in jeopardy.

China's manufacturing activity shrank for a second month in May, an official survey showed on Saturday, raising expectations for more stimulus to support the economy amid a protracted trade war with the United States.