Chinese delegation seeks business opportunities in Texas, U.S. - Xinhua News Agency

HOUSTON, July 10 (Xinhua) -- A visiting delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs attended a business seminar in the fourth largest U. S. city of Houston Tuesday to learn more about the U.S. market and seek business opportunities.

The delegation, organized by the Chinese Commerce Ministry, comprised chairmen of ten companies from the Chinese cities of Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing, and Hainan Province.

At a welcome luncheon Monday for the Chinese delegation, Sarah Davis, Texas' state representative, and Patricia R. Lykos, representative of Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, presented certificates of recognition to the Chinese delegation.

U.S. and Chinese businesses can learn a lot from each other, Lykos said in her welcome speech.

The Chinese entrepreneurs are generally interested in the real estate market in the U.S., said Xue Xiaoming, head of the Chinese delegation, adding that delegates are studying the feasibility of two real estate projects in Houston.

The U.S. real estate market is comparatively mature, which makes the country's real estate projects appealing to Chinese investors, according to Xue.

However, Xue said, for Chinese companies which have no experience in the U.S., they should at first learn about related laws and regulations and the procedures of doing businesses in the country.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry, which has been encouraging Chinese companies to go global in recent years, aims at broadening the Chinese entrepreneurs' vision through business tours of this kind, said Xue.

Business ties between China and Texas have grown in recent years. Texas' exports to China reached 8.91 billion U.S. dollars in 2009, ranking third in the 50 U.S. states and almost 10 times the volume of 900 million dollars in 1999.

In 2009, nearly 16 billion dollars worth of goods from China entered the U.S. through Texas ports.

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More Indian companies to explore business opportunities in northwest China - Xinhua News Agency

NEW DELHI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- More Indian companies will explore business opportunities in China, a senior official of Indian largest trade association said on Monday during a promoting campaign sponsored by Chinese Embassy and local government in northwest China.

The second session of China-Eurasia Expo, to be held in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China, will provide a platform to display the competitive products from China and Eurasian countries and their investment policies and tourism environment, said Chen Jing, deputy secretary-general of the government of Xinjiang at the press conference.

As a platform to introduce Chinese companies and products, the organizer invites several trade associations , business and their leaders to attend the promotion conference. During the meeting , some Indian officials and entrepreneurs express their interests in seeking cooperation with their Chinese counterparts.

Mahesh C Naithani, Senior Advisor of ASSOCHAM (the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India), one of the apex trade associations of India, said "the Expo is unique, as it provide an opportunity for countries along the Silk Road to unite and develop their economy. I believe we can also find more Chinese business partners to invest in India."

If we can find more high-quality Chinese enterprises invest in India, it will promote exports to China and improve our employment, thus gradually fill the trade gap, said Naithani.

Naithan aslo said his association will convey to member companies the information obtained at the conference. He'll bring more companies to attend the Expo.

Deshendra Renjen, senior advisor of Pabarpur Business centre Software Technology Incubator Park, told to Xinhua that it is a great opportunity to expand his software business in China, and he hope he can find his Chinese partners in the forthcoming Expo.

The China-Eurasia Expo is a new platform for economic and cultural exchanges and creates new opportunities to expand the mutual business. The first China-Eurasia attracted more than 20, 000 domestic business people and about 4,000 international purchasers, bagging a total value of 5.5 billion U.S. dollars.

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More Indian companies to explore business opportunities in northwest China - Xinhua News Agency

NEW DELHI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- More Indian companies will explore business opportunities in China, a senior official of Indian largest trade association said on Monday during a promoting campaign sponsored by Chinese Embassy and local government in northwest China.

The second session of China-Eurasia Expo, to be held in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of northwest China, will provide a platform to display the competitive products from China and Eurasian countries and their investment policies and tourism environment, said Chen Jing, deputy secretary-general of the government of Xinjiang at the press conference.

As a platform to introduce Chinese companies and products, the organizer invites several trade associations , business and their leaders to attend the promotion conference. During the meeting , some Indian officials and entrepreneurs express their interests in seeking cooperation with their Chinese counterparts.

Mahesh C Naithani, Senior Advisor of ASSOCHAM (the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India), one of the apex trade associations of India, said "the Expo is unique, as it provide an opportunity for countries along the Silk Road to unite and develop their economy. I believe we can also find more Chinese business partners to invest in India."

If we can find more high-quality Chinese enterprises invest in India, it will promote exports to China and improve our employment, thus gradually fill the trade gap, said Naithani.

Naithan aslo said his association will convey to member companies the information obtained at the conference. He'll bring more companies to attend the Expo.

Deshendra Renjen, senior advisor of Pabarpur Business centre Software Technology Incubator Park, told to Xinhua that it is a great opportunity to expand his software business in China, and he hope he can find his Chinese partners in the forthcoming Expo.

The China-Eurasia Expo is a new platform for economic and cultural exchanges and creates new opportunities to expand the mutual business. The first China-Eurasia attracted more than 20, 000 domestic business people and about 4,000 international purchasers, bagging a total value of 5.5 billion U.S. dollars.

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Nearly 1,000 companies look for business opportunities at Algiers International Fair - Xinhua News Agency

ALGIERS, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Algiers International Fair (FIA) opened Wednesday at the Exhibition Hall of Pins Maritimes in the east of Algiers, as nearly 1,000 participants, including 600 foreign companies and 370 local ones, are taking part in this fair.

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika attended the opening ceremony of the International Fair with the theme of "50 years of construction," local APS news agency reported.

Running until June 5, the 45th Algiers International Fair covers an area of 47,160 square meters, hosting enterprises from nine countries of Europe, eight of the Arab world, six of North and South America, four of Asia and one of Africa.

As guest of honor, Egypt sent 61 companies, in textile, chemical industry and processing industry, to attend this fair.

The 370 local companies, of which 80 percent are small and medium-sized enterprises, operate in the sectors of construction, public works, water resources, energy, agriculture, electronics and mechanical engineering.

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Singapore's SMEs to seek business opportunities in Central China - Xinhua News Agency

SINGAPORE, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck will be in China to help pave the way for Singapore's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish a stronger economic presence in the Central China region.

He will meet Chinese officials and key business leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the overall development of Central China, local TV Channel NewsAsia reported on Tuesday.

"Central China is entering an exciting phase where the economy is undergoing rapid transformation. There will be a lot of opportunities for Singapore's small and medium enterprises as the region opens up to more foreign investment," Mr Teo was quoted as saying.

Last year, Singapore's bilateral trade with Hunan province increased by 47.1 percent, to reach 197 million U.S. dollars. Singapore companies had invested in 177 projects in Hunan as of the end of last year.

Mr Teo will explore opportunities for SMEs when he attends the Central China Expo (CCE) on May 16-18 in Changsha, Hunan Province.

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry said on Tuesday that the CCE, in its seventh year, is an annual platform approved by China's State Council to promote economic and trade cooperation as part of China's strategy to spur the economic growth of the six central provinces in China.

This year's expo is themed "Opening and Rise, Green Development ".

Mr Teo will also visit the Ya'an Bifengxia Conservation Base in Sichuan province, where the two pandas on a 10-year loan to Singapore currently reside.

The panda loan, a key bilateral initiative, was signed during Chinese president Hu Jintao's state visit to Singapore in 2009. Singapore is the ninth country to receive this loan after the United States, Germany, Japan, Austria, Thailand, Australia, the United Kingdom and France.

"The Singapore government deeply appreciates the panda loan from China. Singaporeans are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of Kai Kai and Jia Jia. They are both a visible symbol of our strong and growing diplomatic ties with China, and we will continue to engage our Chinese counterparts to enhance our trade and diplomatic relations," said Mr Teo.

Kai Kai and Jia Jia are scheduled to arrive in Singapore later this year, as part of a joint collaboration between Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

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Singapore's SMEs to seek business opportunities in Central China - Xinhua News Agency

SINGAPORE, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck will be in China to help pave the way for Singapore's small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish a stronger economic presence in the Central China region.

He will meet Chinese officials and key business leaders to gain a deeper understanding of the overall development of Central China, local TV Channel NewsAsia reported on Tuesday.

"Central China is entering an exciting phase where the economy is undergoing rapid transformation. There will be a lot of opportunities for Singapore's small and medium enterprises as the region opens up to more foreign investment," Mr Teo was quoted as saying.

Last year, Singapore's bilateral trade with Hunan province increased by 47.1 percent, to reach 197 million U.S. dollars. Singapore companies had invested in 177 projects in Hunan as of the end of last year.

Mr Teo will explore opportunities for SMEs when he attends the Central China Expo (CCE) on May 16-18 in Changsha, Hunan Province.

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry said on Tuesday that the CCE, in its seventh year, is an annual platform approved by China's State Council to promote economic and trade cooperation as part of China's strategy to spur the economic growth of the six central provinces in China.

This year's expo is themed "Opening and Rise, Green Development ".

Mr Teo will also visit the Ya'an Bifengxia Conservation Base in Sichuan province, where the two pandas on a 10-year loan to Singapore currently reside.

The panda loan, a key bilateral initiative, was signed during Chinese president Hu Jintao's state visit to Singapore in 2009. Singapore is the ninth country to receive this loan after the United States, Germany, Japan, Austria, Thailand, Australia, the United Kingdom and France.

"The Singapore government deeply appreciates the panda loan from China. Singaporeans are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of Kai Kai and Jia Jia. They are both a visible symbol of our strong and growing diplomatic ties with China, and we will continue to engage our Chinese counterparts to enhance our trade and diplomatic relations," said Mr Teo.

Kai Kai and Jia Jia are scheduled to arrive in Singapore later this year, as part of a joint collaboration between Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

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Singapore's student group to visit Middle East for business opportunities - Xinhua News Agency

SINGAPORE, May 5 (Xinhua) -- In an encouraging sign of growing interest in the Middle East markets, the Singapore Management University (SMU) will be sending its largest ever group of undergraduates to the Middle East on the bi-annual Business Study Mission (BSM) to the Middle East, which is in its fifth year.

The delegation of 68 students will travel from May 7 to May 20, shuttling between United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman. At the close of the study mission, 28 students will embark on their 11- week internships in Middle Eastern companies as well as Singapore companies with business interests in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, according to SMU's press release on Saturday.

The large size of the student delegation indicates a growing interest to explore emerging markets, such as the Middle East, for business opportunities. The fervent passion towards the GCC region was underscored by the fact that the entire BSM was a student-run initiative. Interestingly, the logistical demands that come with a ground-breaking delegation size of 68 did not deter the undergraduates every single one of them took ownership of the planning and execution of the programme.

Sofia Moiz Tyebally, a second year business student said: "With the Middle East becoming increasingly significant on the global stage, it is no surprise that my classmates and I relish this opportunity to understand the intricacies of Arabian culture and more significantly, the importance of building relationships through our networking sessions with executives based in the Middle East."

During this overseas field trip, the 68 SMU student participants from various degree programs will be studying the rapidly changing business structures in the member-nations of the GCC. As the concluding component of the 14-week "Business Study Mission", the trip to the Middle East comes after an intensive curriculum of company case studies, student projects and guest lectures.

Additionally, the 14-day itinerary, initiated by the SMU undergraduates themselves with facilitation from industry players and government agencies, includes meetings and networking dinners with government officials, diplomats, and the movers and shakers of the Middle Eastern business world.

Feeling glad for the exposure BSM has given him, second year business student Pierre Peh finds the forthcoming BSM an excellent conclusion to a semester of fruitful learning. "BSM Middle East has been an enriching experience overall due to the multiple facets of learning opportunities provided. It is definitely a stepping stone in my pursuit to work in an oil company in the GCC region," he said.

Official site visits include trips to established institutions such as the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development and Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and commercial sites such as Lusail City and Capitala. Beyond the plethora of onsite activities planned, the SMU students will also be given the opportunity to interact with Singaporean entrepreneurs and business executives based in the member-nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

At the same time, this BSM is also visiting some of the universities in the Middle East such as Sultan Qaboos University and Dubai Women College to foster ties with their counterparts.

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Chinese, Turkish companies seek business opportunities in Tunisia - Xinhua News Agency

TUNIS, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A major Chinese railway company is seeking business opportunities in Tunisia, notably under the framework of a cooperation deal with a Turkish partner, the head of the company said on Wednesday.

Bai Zhongren, the head of China's Railway Company made remark during his visit to the North African country.

Bai, quoted by TAP press agency, said his company is looking for potential deals to manufacture train cars for Tunisian railways and to invest in railway infrastructure projects in the country.

Mehmet Nazif Gunal, chairman of Turkish group MNG, on his part, said he welcomes Tunisia's opening up after last year's unrest, which promoted his group to invest in the country as well as to recruit Tunisian manpower for its operation in the Gulf region and in Africa.

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Young entrepreneur finds niche opportunities in vertical e-tailing - Xinhua News Agency

by Xinhua writers Du Jie, Ma Di

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- While Amazon- or eBay-styled online retailers have boomed in China, a young entrepreneur has found a business opportunity in niche e-commerce by selling military-inspired casual wear and other related goods online. His success reflects the rise of specialty e-tailers in the world's most populous country.

Jiang Lei, 27-year-old CEO of Beijing Tiexue Technology, operator of China's largest military affairs e-community site Tiexue.net, saw entrepreneurial opportunities in the specialization trend of e-commerce.

"We offer highly specialized and vertical services. Compared with other mass e-tailers, this is our biggest advantage," said the young multimillionaire, who climbed onto Forbes China' s list of the "Top 30 Chinese Entrepreneurs Under 30" in March.

Jiang built a B2C (Business To Customer) e-commerce platform as part of his Tiexue e-community in 2007. By then, he already had one of China's most popular online communities for military novels and news of world military affairs, but still he had trouble finding a profitable business model.

Before getting into e-commerce, he tried to sell ads on his site. He also tried charging people to read online content, but both attempts failed. Later the entrepreneur shifted his focus to social e-commerce based on his popular e-community, which had an average of 30 million daily hits last year.

"We already have a large membership base in our e-community and the members are potentially interested in military-inspired casual wear, including jackets, shirts, pants and footwear," Jiang Lei said.

"If we manage to attract them to our online shop, then we' ll nail it," he said.

Last year, the company had sales of over 100 million yuan (about 15.9 million U.S. dollars) and Jiang said sales are still growing.

Jiang isn't the only one to develop e-commerce based on virtual communities. Nowadays in China, other virtual communities, such as those related to pets, cosmetics or automobiles, are also developing social e-commerce.

Jiang said every time he promotes a new product, he first introduces it in his e-community. Through viral marketing, people get to know the product even before it goes on sale.

However, specialty e-tailing through virtual communities faces challenges from mass e-tailers, which enjoy a competitive edge based on their scale and venture capital.

To combat the problem, Jiang said it's crucial to "go upstream," by developing close relationships with manufacturers. "Vertical e-tailers need to build strong cooperation with renowned brands in their spheres and help promote and improve the brands and provide value-added service," he said.

He also stressed the importance of a wide variety of items for sale online. He said, "In a supermarket, we are presented with a variety of goods, but within one specific category there might be only two or three selections. However, in an online specialty shop we offer hundreds of options."

Improved online payment systems have also advanced e-commerce in China. As early as 2004, Jiang had considered doing e-commerce. But because there was no efficient online payment system, he gave up.

"Back then, many customers had to go to the post office to remit payment, and it was troublesome. For the others who did pay online, they paid a 15-percent surcharge, as far as I remember," Jiang said.

In recent years, with the rise of third-party online payment platforms like Alipay, China has seen an e-commerce boom. The Internet economy in China accounted for 5.5 per cent of the country' s GDP in 2010, ranking third in the world after the U.K. and the Republic of Korea, said a report in March by the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm.

Forbes China's coverage has turned Jiang into a celebrity entrepreneur. He went to Tsinghua University, one of China's most prestigious universities, at the age of 16 and established the Tiexue e-community only a year later. Since his business was growing rapidly, he gave up his doctorate in Tsinghua University in 2006.

"For two years, I didn't tell my parents my decision. I moved out of school and lived in a nine-square-meter room with my colleague. Sometimes it got so humid that there was moss on the bed," he said.

In five years, Jiang Lei has grown from a nobody to the owner of a company of over 200 employees.

"The Internet has spawned a myriad of opportunities for young entrepreneurs. But to succeed, you need to think outside the box and work hard," Jiang said.

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