A construction worker takes off his helmet as he walks past a building site billboard in central Beijing yesterday. China is well placed to steer its economy to a soft landing and a slowdown would be a normal part of the country’s development cycle, prominent economist Yu Yongding said in comments published yesterday. The government should focus more on restraining inflation than on helping exporters and should allow the yuan to appreciate further with that goal in mind, Yu urged.—Xinhua/Reuters