Voices & Focus

Voices

Say “No” to Microsoft: Ni Guangnan

Ni Guangnan, academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has written an article urging that the Chinese International Standard Organization (ISO) vote against the Microsoft Office Open XML (OOXML). Ni points out that Microsoft makes huge profits by virtue of defining the standard document format. This achieves a captive market for Microsoft in which its competitors are forced to comply. Ni proposes that from now on, all manufacturers, Microsoft included, abide by an international standard rather than one set by one company, such as Microsoft. Ni makes the additional point that Microsoft compatibility remains a big problem for domestic producers. Matters have progressed over the past five to six years,but the problem will continue to crop up whenever Microsoft upgrades its system. Ni Guangnan believes that China, in contrast to five years ago, can now say “no” to Microsoft.

Crisis Management for “China Company”: Luo Qingqi

If China were a big company, or known as China Company, its product or brand should be named “Made in China,” says Luo Qingqi, respected Chinese brand analyst. In a hypothetical trade war with X Country Company, China Company should focus not only on the price of trade or products, but also on market research and public relations with overseas customers, because people, not governments, are the target customer. Crisis management is crucial, especially when “made in China” faces a credibility crisis. Luo suggests that China Company assume responsibility when crisis breaks out, as the interests of public and customers come first.

Focus

Thirty Chinese Companies in the Fortune 500

Sinocpec ranks 17th on the Fortune 500 2007, six places up from last year.

Thirty Chinese companies are listed in the Fortune 500 2007 -- six more than in 2006. Apart from two Hong Kong companies and six Taiwan based companies, all 22 other companies are from the Chinese mainland. Sinopec, or China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, with an annual operation revenue of US $131.636 billion, ranks 17th - up six places from last year. It is the highest-listed Chinese company, and among the top Asian enterprises, second only to Toyota. The US retail empire Wal Mart, with its annual operation revenue of US $351.139 billion, retains poll position.

Zhejiang Leads in Private Economy

Zhejiang Province is number one in terms of private economy, according to the Zhejiang Private Economy Report published by the Zhejiang Provincial Government. Zhejiang occupies 203 seats in the top 500 private enterprises in China, the report says. Its private enterprises lead the whole country in an array of indexes, such as gross output value, gross sales, total retail sales of consumer goods and export sales. Thus far, there are more than 400,000 private enterprises in Zhejiang Province, among which 1,500-strong companies boast gross assets of over RMB 100 million.

Yantai International Wine Festival Opens

The first Yantai International Wine Festival will open between September 23 and October 7, 2007, along with the Ninth International Fruits and Vegetable Fair. Dubbed the “seventh wine coast”, Yantai City of Shandong Province boasts 10,000 hectares of vineyard. More than 150 of its wine companies, including 110-year-old Changyu, well-known domestic Great Wall and 20-odd joint and foreign enterprises, produce 200,000 tons of wine every year. Yantai has attracted investment from nine countries and regions including the US, Canada, Holland, the Philippines, the British Virgin Islands and Hong Kong.

Diglycol Is a No-No Toothpaste Ingredient

China bans diglycol in toothpaste.

The sales in China of toothpaste containing diglycol have steeply declined since it was rejected from overseas markets. The Chinese Ministry of Public Health recently made an announcement that diglycol would not be used as a raw material after July 2007, and that toothpaste containing diglycol would neither be exported nor imported. The Ministry of Public Health has pledged to formulate a new toothpaste standard as soon as possible.

Northeast Asia High-Tech Fair 2007

The three-day Northeast Asia High-Tech Fair will kick off in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province, on September 20, 2007. The fair’s participants include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Mongolia, Russia and other Northeast Asian countries. It consists of five exhibitions, including the International Technology Cooperation and High-Tech Exhibition, Domestic and International Software Exhibition and Cartoon Development Exhibition. A series of forums, such as the Northeast Asian Economic Development and Cooperation Summit Forum and the China Venture Investment Summit Forum, will also be held. The Northeast Asia High-Tech Fair has successfully promoted over 800 technological cooperations involving more than US $500 million since it was first held in 2004.

China Focuses on Carbon Dioxide Absorption

A green comaign is underway every year around March 12, the Tree-planting Festival.

In the last 26 years since the start of national compulsory tree-planting activities, 10.4 billion Chinese have planted more than 49.2 billion trees. China has also made great achievements in protecting forest and natural resources. Its 2,349 nature reserves make up 15.2 percent of Chinese territory. Forest coverage is expected to reach 20 percent in 2010 and to increase to 26 percent in 2050 when the carbon dioxide absorption capability reaches 90.4 percent over 1990.

Hotel Nikko Tianjin Opens

The five-star Hotel Nikko Tianjin, operated by Japan Airline Hotels Co., Ltd., opened on June 29, 2007. The 25-storey hotel is conveniently located in downtown Tianjin, providing easy access to government offices, shopping centers and leisure facilities. The Nikko’s 373 guestrooms in various styles and with high-quality amenities are designed for comfort. Restaurants offer various cuisines that will satisfy patrons from all over the world. The 1,100 sq m banqueting and meeting hall, with comprehensive facilities, caters to a wide range of activities.