China Insight

With his wire-rim glasses and sombre suits, Mr Zhu Min looks more like a low key academic than a hot-shot banker who has just been admitted into the inner circle of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In fact, a common reaction from those who meet the private unassuming Mr Zhu for the first time is: [...]

As China’s current account surplus cooled last year, did its ardour for US Treasurys? That is the headline story from the latest data on foreign ownership of US Government debt.  Mainland China’s holding fell to $755.4 billion at the end of December from a peak of $801.5 billion last May.  The country also shifted into [...]

When Mei Saichun hosts visitors to his handset factory, he has a surprise for them. After a tour of the decidely low-tech assembly lines, the general manager of Shenzhen Xinghuabao Electronics returns to his office and opens a door behind his desk. On the other side is a cleanroom where workers in white protective clothing [...]

A consortium including China Unicom yesterday bid $2.5 bn for a majority stake in Nitel, Nigeria’s former state telecoms monopoly, in what would be one of the largest privatisations in Africa and rank among China’s biggest investments on the continent. Officials in one of the world’s fastest-growing telecoms markets said the consortium, which also comprises [...]

A group of Chinese grey market handset makers is to consider manufacturing in India in an attempt to be recognised as legitimate suppliers in their most important export markets.  The decision also reflects the effects on business of India’s uneasy relationship with its eastern neighbour. The Shenzhen Mobile Communications Association intends to take a dozen [...]

In recent months Beijing has been cracking down at home and lashing out abroad.  China watchers are perplexed about the origins and implications of the new assertiveness.  Many believe a threshold has been breached and that China is going to become more difficult to deal with.  Others see merely the 30-year pattern of fang and [...]

“It is harmful to apreciate the RMB.” – Zhang Ming, general secretary of the Research Centre for International Finance, the Chinese Academy of Social Science, warns against the pressure developed countries are putting on China at the G20 summit to revalue the RMB. http://zhangming1977.blog.sohu.com/ “China does not need to follow Australia and raise interest rates.” [...]

Acquistions in Australia by Chinese companies are being met by continuing setbacks, the most high-profile of which was the iron ore miner Rio Tinto’s rejection of a USD 19.5 billion capital investment from Chinalco in February 2009. In fact, out of 11 major proposed acquisitions by Chinese companies in Australia between February and September 2009 [...]

Liaoning Hi-Tech Energy Group, a private new energy company listed on NASDAQ, has acquired a 100% stake in Evatech, a solar energy company in Japan, for USD 49.9 million. The Liaoning-based company will purchase Evatech’s research and development centres in Tokyo and Kyoto. The company also plans to move Evatech’s solar cell production line from [...]

Germany’s leading automaker, Volkswagen, plans to invest EUR 4 billion in China between 2009 and 2011, with the aim of posting high sales growth across the country. The investment will be used to expand output at its two factories in Nanjing and Chengdu, which will be increased to 300,000 and 350,000 units per year by [...]