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Reports that the initial public offering (IPO) of the four major banks in China signifies that the reform of commercial banks is underway. Addition of 45 billion dollars to the foreign exchange reserves of the Bank of China and China Construction Bank (CCB) in 2003; Plan of CCB to accomplish its IPO in 2004; Comment from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange that the capital injection is a move taken by the State Council to guard against and dissolve the country's financial risks and improve the financial system.

Reports on private investors and scholars' submission of proposals to establish five private banks to the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) in the belief that the state monopoly of the banking sector must be broken in light of the country's bad debts. Commercial bank status for the five banks if approved by the CBRC; Government's concern about the credibility of private banks; Reasons why China should develop more private banks.

The article reports on the listing of China Life Insurance Co. on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on January 9, 2007. The significance of the insurance company's listing in the Chinese stock market is cited. The outcome of the company's initial public offering on January 9, 2007 is reported. China Life performance from 2003 to 2006 is also detailed.

The article reports on the plan of the Chinese government to adopt an across-the-country flat tax on all enterprises. Under a new corporate income tax law, enterprises of major sectors supported by the government will continue to enjoy preferential policies. However, the actual tax burden on Chinese enterprises is twice that of companies funded by foreign investments.

The article focuses on the Chinese automobile company Chery. According to Qin Lihong, Deputy General Manager of Chery's Sales Co., today's Chery is actually similar to yesterday's Toyota. He adds that they have been studying Toyota in their plan of production lines, development of overseas markets, manufacturing technologies and even utilization and design of automobile shows. On November 20, 2006 Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda declared that his company was negotiating with Chery to establish a joint venture.

The article focuses on the influence of fuel surcharges on the profits of airlines in China. Increasing fuel surcharges may only offset the soaring prices of aviation oil. Competition forces airlines to lower their rates in order to keep their passengers. Airlines need to improve their management and cost control instead of raising ticket prices.

This article look at how new media forms supported by new technologies are changing the way people in China get access to information. The advent of IPTV draw many people away from traditional television in the country. The interactive media is gaining more and more followers in China. The advertising and business potentials of these new media are being discovered by businesses.

This article presents information on bright business prospects lying before foreign investors in the Chinese water industry. The great potential of China's water industry have attracted foreign investors in the country. It is expected that water shortages and pollution control could deliver enormous profits for foreign investors.

The article focuses on the efforts of the government to ensure that the country's blood supply is safe for both donors and recipients in China. The government has made the practice of voluntary non-remunerated blood donations into law with promulgation of the Blood Donation Law. Stringent testing procedures have been made to ensure safe blood donations. Finally, real name system has been encouraged.

The article reports on the recognition of Citibank Corp. as the leading foreign bank entering the financial market in China. The bank is able to offer excellent tailored services to its individual clients. Citibank covers the maintenance and appreciation of asset values for middle and upper level clients. The bank is also active in buying shares in China's commercial banks. INSET: Citibank's Business Development in China.

Reports on the announcement of Chinese Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai that the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council has decided to exempt export duties on 81 categories of domestic textile products. Response of the minister to the import restrictions carried out by the European Union (EU) and the U.S. on a total of nine categories of textile imports from China; Comparison of the profits of EU and the two countries on textile products; Need of China to shoulder the double burdens of the profits of foreign companies.

Reports on interim regulations on management buyouts (MBO) of state-owned enterprises (SOE) in China which signifies the government's recognition of the practice of managers and executives of a company purchasing controlling interest in a company from existing shareholders. Prohibition of MBO in large-scale SOE while permitting them in small and medium-sized ones; Acknowledgment that MBO is a path to efficient corporate management.

Focuses on the sale of a non-performing loans (NPLs) by China Orient Asset Management Co. to an overseas investor. China's four state-owned asset management companies; Release of non-performing asset statistics of the four asset management companies by the China Banking Regulatory Commission; Assessment of the Ministry of Finance on the asset recovery rate and cost of recovery for the asset management companies.

Reports on the contribution of business logistics to economic development in China. Reduction in the competitive pressure in the job market with the lack of logistics professionals; Need for improvement in the distribution and flow of goods; Value of foreign investment in outsourcing of services, purchasing and logistics in the country.

Reports on the expansion of electronic commerce in China in reference to the growing number of consumers who shifted to online shopping. Advantages of e-commerce; Relative effects of online shopping to consumers; Basic condition for the development of e-commerce.

Reports that government officials have approved the large-scale restructuring of state assets through mergers and acquisitions in China. Reform of state-owned enterprises; Adjustment of industrial structure; Achievement of industrial upgrading; Defects in the property rights and capital flow structures.

Focuses on the demands for electricity brought about by the rapid economic growth in China. Executive report issued by the People's Bank of China on the monetary policy of the nation; Concern on power supply shortages; Fiscal policy adopted by the government to stimulate demand for power.

The article presents the WiCity project in Beijing, China, offered by wireless broadband network builder and operator CECT-Chinacomm Communications Co. Ltd. since before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The project provides free wireless Internet access within the city and is set to extend throughout Beijing and in other cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Qingdao, Wuhan, Nanjing and Hangzhou by 2010. CECT has planned to invest about 500 billion yuan to complete the project, asking support from the government.

The article focuses on U.S. cellular telephone maker Motorola Inc. in China. The company posted a net loss of $194 million in the first quarter of 2008, with losses in its mobile unit reaching $418 million. According to Ren Weiguang, general manager of Motorola Mobile's Terminal Department in China, the company will strive to gain at least a 10 percent market share of the Chinese mobile telephone market while maintaining a profit increase. He states that Motorola will launch more diversified products designed for Chinese customers.

The article focuses on the initial public offering (IPO) trading mechanism in China. According to Wang Lin, deputy director in charge of IPO supervision at the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), the root cause for the IPO zeal was the large price gap between the IPO price and the price traded on the secondary market. It cites the efforts of the CSRC to reduce the chances for institutional investors to take large portions of IPOs and to raise small and medium-sized investors' chances of winning IPO gains.

The article reports the launching of third generation (3G) mobile phone services in China. China Mobile Communications Corp., the parent company of China Mobile Ltd., launched the trial services in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang, Gungzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, and Qinhungdao. An analysis of the market for the 3G phone services in China, as well as its prospects during the Beijing Olympic Games, is presented.

The article focuses on Chinese farm insurance. According to Premier Wen Jiabao, the government will expand the coverage of farm insurance and carry out reforms of policy-based farm insurance. The Ministry of Finance submitted a fiscal budget report, which allocates 6.05 billion yuan for the improvement of farm insurance premiums. According to Tou Guozhu, professor at Capital University of Economics and Business, farmers are more likely to participate in farm insurance after the snowstorms in early 2008.

The article reports that the shareholders of Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. of China Ltd. (Ping An) uncovered a refinancing plan of 120 billion yuan on March 5, 2008 at its first interim meeting of the year. According to the article, none of the refinancing plans have been approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), passed by the 53 listed companies' board of directors. Chairman Tang Shuangning of China Everbright Bank believes that refinancing must be beneficial to both listed companies and investors.

The article discusses the overseas expansion strategy of Chinese enterprises of launching low-key approach in investments, as exemplified by the joint acquisition of a 12% stake in Rio Tinto by the Aluminum Corp. of China (Chinalco) and Alcoa. The acquisition has a total price of $14.05 billion, into which Alcoa committed $1.2 billion. The impact of the Rio Tinto acquisition on mining company BHP Billiton is analyzed.

The article discusses the result of a report by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) released on January 17, 2008, which revealed that the country's online population gained another 73 million in 2007. A major factor in the increase is China's economic development, according to Liu Bing, director of the Department of Internet Research and Development. Liu added that changes to current Internet revenue streams in China could come from changes in the composition of Internet population.

The article assesses the impact of the plan of Ping An Insurance to raise $22.22 billion in capital on the already declining stock market in 2008. The plan, announced on January 20, angered both institutional and private investors, resulting to a further decline in the market. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped to 4320.77 points from January 21 to February 1. The announcement also resulted to a decline in Ping An's stock price.

The article reports on the shortage of soybean supply in China. The country's soybean production capability can only meet on third of domestic demand, so Chinese oil-processing companies are relying more on imports. In 2007, soybean prices on the international market hit record highs and domestic output declined sharply, leading to severe shortages of soybeans.

The article deals with the decision of some insurance companies in China to invest in the Beijing-Shanghai highspeed railway project in China. Some of the Chinese insurers that invested in the fund for the railway project include China Pacific Insurance Co. Ltd., Taikang Life, Taiping Life and General China Life Insurance Co. Ltd. The budget for the project is 220 billion yuan. It relates the role of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission in encouraging insurers to be part of the railway project.

The article reveals that China Development Bank (CDB) has wiped out the most formidable obstacle in its business model reform. Accordingly, Central Huijin immediately injected $20 billion into CDB, providing high hopes for the implementation of its reform plan in 2008. CDB came into being in 1994 together with the Export-Import Bank of China and the Agricultural Development Bank of China. The reform plan of CDB is scheduled for implementation in 2008, but its tone was already set at the 2007 National Financial Work Conference.

The article reports on the strategic oil reserve of China in case of oil shortage. The national oil reserve center of the country has been officially launched by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on December 18, 2007. According to the web site of NDRC, the center will serve as an executive organization for the oil reserve system responsible for constructing and managing oil reserve bases, making use of the oil reserves, as well as monitoring the movement of global oil supply and demand.

The article reports on the end of the partnership between Eastman Kodak Co. and Lucky Film Co. Ltd. in China after four years. The announcement was made on November 13, 2007, and according to Kodak, the company suffered losses in the partnership due to the fast change in the market. A history of the partnership and the problems they encountered are also discussed.

The article focuses on China's fourth pilot zone for comprehensive and coordinated economic reform. The application for the zone has been submitted to the State Council for approval and will open a new area for foreign investments in the middle reaches of the Yangtze river. Two clusters of cities in central China are included in the pilot zone. The first is made up of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, and eight cities in Hubei. The second is composed of Changsha, Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, the three large cities in Hunan Province.

The article talks about the surge of mutual fund investors in China. Since the second half of 206, the soaring net value of mutual funds has attracted many to invest in the stock market. By the end of October 2007, the number of fund investors had reached 90 million. The Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission has started to strengthen controls over the rapidly expanding funds by issuing Document 44," which requires all fund management companies to stick to long-term and stable operational plans.

The article addresses the overseas expansion of China's banks as well as the establishment of operations of multinational companies in China. China's commercial banks are striving to deliver a better performance on the global financial stage. China is opening up its financial industry in two ways. The first way is allowing foreign banks to invest in the Chinese market. The second way is encouraging domestic banks to seek shares of overseas markets.

The article focuses on the competition between Chinese and overseas suppliers as foreign companies accelerate their product localization efforts in China. A strategic alliance was formed between U.S.-based fast food restaurant KFC and China Mengniu Dairy on October 22, 2007. KFC will continue its partnership with dairy supplier Nestle since the new agreement is not exclusive. It notes that Mengniu is hoping to expand globally through its partnership with KFC.

The article reports that many private property development companies in China are trying to get listed in the hope of riding the country's economic high times. The companies wants to capitalize on the rising household income which prompted more people to move into cities from rural areas. Companies who are listed in Hong Kong are thinking of issuing shares on the domestic A-share market.

The article reports on the growth of wine consumption in China in recent years, leading to fierce competition between Chinese wine producers and their foreign rivals. The popularity of wine, specifically red wine is triggered as more people begin to value health when choosing liquor products. Foreign wine producers have been adjusting their marketing strategies and have been looking for Chinese agents that can support them and sell their products.

The article reports on the temporary suspension of a reforestation project in the central and western parts of China. The government has decided to cut grain subsidy as part of a new policy to amend the farmland-to-forest project. The policy aims to halt the conversion of farmland to forest due to the fact that farmland has been severely reduced in recent years.

The article talks about the decision of people to invest in Hong Kong, China through qualified domestic institutional investors (QDII) in order to avoid possible risks in the mainland stock market. This new QDII fund has received much consideration since the recent boom in the Hong Kong stock market inflated investor confidence. QDII funds are among the first choice for those new to the overseas stock market. Most of the QDII fund investors are encouraged by the interconnection between the mainland and Hong Kong stock markets.

The article reports that private gas stations and oil depots in China are forced to sell packaged assets to foreign buyers after struggling with gas shortages for nine years. It cites that the predicament facing private gas stations offers foreign investors a good opportunity to enter the energy market in China. It states the development of a plan by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) to directly supply oil products to private oil retailers.

The article focuses on the policy of the Chinese government to allow qualified domestic institutional investors (QDII) including banks, securities companies and insurers ton invest in overseas stock markets. The new policy called the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) is aimed at widening the channels for the outflow of foreign currency and to promote the balance in international investors. The policy is also instituted to resolve excess liquidity and increasing foreign reserves.

The article reports that several individual investors are being drawn into expanding the Chinese stock market in 2007. According to experts, many of the newly registered individual investors know little about stock market and are trading blindly because they do not believe in institutional investors. They contend that several individual investors in China have succumbed to stock losses due to this kind of trading.

The article focuses on the planned growth enterprise market board which is an alternative stock market offering emerging small and medium-sized enterprises an avenue to raise capital for further development. It has lower listing requirements compared with the main board. In preparation for the introduction of a growth enterprise market board, the Chinese government has enacted laws and regulations making it clear that it should be actively promoted.

The article reports on the difficulties facing the Chinese government in curbing excess liquidity. The massive foreign reserves of China is blamed for the excessive liquidity in the country. The growth of money supply and excessive capital in the commercial banking system also contribute to excessive liquidity. Chinese consumers decided to invest in real estate and in the stock market due to the low rate of return of bank savings.

The article discusses the legitimation of google.cn to operate in China. The article states that the Internet content provider (ICP) license had been secured by google.cn from the Ministry of Information Industry. It is noted that commercial websites must apply for an ICP license before they can operate according to the Measures on the Administration of Internet Information Services. Google announced on July 19, 2007 that it would set up a joint venture, Beijing Guxiang Information Technology Co. Ltd., with its general manager being Yang Haoyong.

The article focuses on a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by beer company Lanye against beverage manufacturer Pepsi. In 2003, Lanye registered the trademark Blue Storm and used the concept in its products. Meanwhile, Pepsi launched a marketing campaign in 2005 with the theme Blue Storm. Lanye filed a lawsuit at the Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court in China on December 12, 2005 and the court decided in favor of Lanye on May 30, 2007.

The article offers information on a corporate credit loan service jointly launched by Alibaba.com, China Construction Bank (CCB) and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC). The service is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises. Through the service, businesses can apply for loans and financing assistance. Alibaba also created a set of credit rankings and a database for the loan service.

The article discusses the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to approve on June 29, 2007 the issuance of 1.55 trillion Chinese yuan in special bonds in order to purchase $200 billion in foreign currency to fund China's overseas investment companies. Finance Minister Jin Renqing said that the decision is intended to harness the excess liquidity in the domestic economy. The special bonds is expected to have a positive impact on the nation's economic development.

The article reports on the decision of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) to start accepting bank card applications from overseas banks. According to the author, foreign incorporated banks qualified for renminbi retail business are allowed to issue renminbi bank cards in accordance with CBRC requirements and related operational and technical standards. Foreign banks will enjoy similar treatment with Chinese banks.

The article discusses the decision of China's State Council, presided by Premier Wen Jiabao on May 30, 2007, to reform the Central Government's management of state-owned enterprises (SOE) by requiring them to pay taxes and dividends as a sign of profitability. The decision entails that the government, as the controlling stockholder of SOE, will recoup an appropriate portion of their huge profits and use the dividends to benefit the public.