New China Briefing Books Out Now

Jan. 22 – China Briefing just released two new titles on doing business in the country; expanding the Asia Briefing roster of invaluable resources for both the new and experienced foreign investor.

Human Resources in China

Due to the rapidly changing nature of the labor market and the laws that govern it in China, it can be very difficult for foreign investors and managers to understand how to manage human resources on the mainland. Produced in association with the human resource professionals at Direct HR, a specialist China recruitment firm, this technical guide is designed to cover the most important issues related to managing a Chinese workforce and details HR issues that both local managers in China and investors looking to establishing an office on the mainland should be aware about.

For more information on our guide to Human Resources in China, including a list of the topics covered, click here. Read the rest of this entry »

Digital TV Switch to Increase Cable Bills

SHANGHAI, Dec. 18 – Cable television service bills will start to increase next year as Shanghai and other provinces eventually switch from analog to digital broadcasting by 2015.

By 2011, monthly cable TV service bills for Shanghai residents will have increased by 77 percent according to the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission. Read the rest of this entry »

China to Invest RMB468.9 Billion for Western Region Development

Oct. 14 – China plans to invest RMB468.9 billion in projects to further improve the development of its western region this year according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

Xinhua reports that the money will fund 18 projects that include railways, expressways, hydropower stations, shipping hubs, water control projects and airports in the region.

Beijing’s strategy to develop its Western region has been ongoing since 2000 and aims to make the underdeveloped region more attractive to investment region by improving its infrastructure and offering preferential tax rates and policies. Since that time, 102 related projects have been launched amounting to RMB1.74 trillion worth of investment. Read the rest of this entry »

Hong Kong Nightlife Hub to Expand to Chengdu

Photo by Alfeewusy under the Wikipedia Commons license Sept. 15 – Hong Kong’s famous nightlife hub, Lan Kwai Fong, is set to expand to Chengdu by March 2010.

The Hong Kong-based billionaire property developer, Allan Zeman, has announced plans to open another version of his Lan Kwai Fong branded leisure area in Chengdu. Lan Kwai Fong is a popular destination in Hong Kong known for its more than 100 bar and dining choices.

The name is taken from the Cantonese name of a winding street in Central that runs through the bar area in Hong Kong and has long had cachet in China. Read the rest of this entry »

New Bank Department To Handle RMB Global Development

Sept. 8 – China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), will establish a Second Monetary Policy Unit to deal with a wide range of commercial issues concerning the use of the renminbi in international trade, investment, swaps and foreign aid.

The unit is will be led by current PBOC Vice-Governor, Hu Xiaolian. The aim is to seek a broader role and globalize the use of the renminbi as a currency unit. The new unit differs from the existing Monetary Policy Department, which is an advisory body focused on the currencies domestic use, proposing local monetary policy to the PBOC.

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Logistics Investment Plan to Boost Chongqing’s Infrastructure

Sept. 3 – The country’s top economic planner,The National Development and Reform Commission, recently gave the green light to Chongqing’s “Three Bases and Four Ports” logistic investment plan according to a report made by the Shanghai Securities News.

The bases will include a railway container terminal at Tuanjiecun, an airport logistic center at Jiangbei International Airport and a highway logistic base in Banan District. The four ports will consist of waterway terminals based at Cuntan, Guoyuan, Huangqian and the East.

Read the rest of this entry »

West, Central Regions Recession Proof as Auto Sales Surge

Aug. 20 – China’s Western and Central inland regions have reported a surge in auto sales with growth of 33 percent for the first half year over 2008 figures, according to a report from the global market research firm, Ipsos. The industry average for China this year has been 24 percent.

More than 2.73 million new license plates were issued in China in the first five months of the year, with Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Heilongjiang, Jiangxi and Sichuan all contributing 35 percent to national growth. Shaanxi reported a growth of 110 percent in issuing license plates, compared to a 12 percent drop in Guangdong.

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Tax Bureau Clarifies Investment Terms for Western Region

Aug. 19 – The State Administration of Tax has issued a circular to clarify the definitions set forth in the previous Caishui 202 regarding tax incentives for developments in China’s western regions, including Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Guangxi.

The SAT clarifies that the term “newly established transportation companies” mentioned refers to newly established companies set to “invest and operate” roadways, railways, aviation, ports and wharves, pipeline transportation systems, and which generate operating revenues from such activities.

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China Industry: Jul. 29

Jul. 29 – This is a regular series of relevant industry news from around China.

Solar power
Canadian Solar said it had received ISO/IEC17025 accreditation for its photovoltaic (PV) reliability testing center in Changshu, China. The center gained the accreditation from China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment, which is solely responsible for the accreditation of certification, laboratory and inspection organizations in the country.

Canadian Solar’s Changshu testing center has a total combined indoor and outdoor testing space of more than 2,000 square meters. It is equipped with test equipment, such as walk-in climate chambers, mechanical load and hail testers, pulse and continuous solar simulators, electroluminescence testers and infrared cameras to test every aspect of module quality and reliability. All tests are handled following the procedures and standards set out for IEC61215 and IEC61730-2.

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Uighurs Should Develop Tolerance in Chinese Lands

By Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Jul. 29 – China is a multi-faceted nation with some 55 officially recognized, non-Han minorities and banknotes that depict six separate languages so the potential for conflict is always simmering just beneath the surface. Nowhere is this more starkly demonstrated than in Tibet and Xinjiang. Yet Xinjiang is not really the sole reserve of the Uighur anymore than it is the Han Chinese.

Oft described as the indigenous inhabitants, a closer look at history and study of the background to the Silk Road reveal a far more complex background to Xinjiang than that of a Uighur people merely displaced by the Han. Comparisons between Tibetan and the Uighur people are flawed.

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