Study: China, India's biofuel plans could cause water shortages

The China Post - China's and India's plans to produce more biofuels could cause shortages of water, which is needed for crops to feed their growing populations, according to study results released Thursday. Full Story

United States seeks World Trade Organization probe of Chinese curbs

The China Post - The United States will ask for a formal investigation of Chinese restrictions on the sale of American movies, music and books, which would be the fourth World Trade Organization case Washington has launched against Beijing in little over a year. Full Story

China censor's grip tightening on Internet

The China Post - Internet censors in China are becoming more systematic and sophisticated in how they monitor the Web and eradicate content deemed sensitive, according to a Chinese technician working for an Internet firm. Full Story

Google rules Net search world: study

The China Post - Google is king of Internet search worldwide but rivals in China and South Korea have become powerhouses in their respective countries, a comScore study revealed Tuesday. Full Story

China has 106 billionaires compared to 15 last year: report

The China Post - China now has 106 billionaires, seven times as many as last year, according to a list published Wednesday that underlined the rapidly growing economic muscle of the Asian giant. Full Story

China No. 2 in billionaires as assets boom: researcher

The China Post - China has more billionaires than any country except the United States, as soaring stock and property prices helped to boost wealth among the country's super-rich, researcher Rupert Hoogewerf said Wednesday. Full Story

Starbucks won't halt products made in China after recall

The China Post - Starbucks Corp., the world's largest coffee-shop chain, won't stop sourcing products from China after recalling children's cups with animal faces, some of which broke and caused choking. Full Story

Bureaucratic red tape thrives in India's boom

The China Post - When Ashok Kheny decided in 1995, after 15 years in the United States, to return to India and take up a US$700 million project to build a road and new townships, he dreamed of creating something unique. Full Story

China majors come home to tap markets

The China Post - A massive two-year boom in China's stock market has the country's blue-chip companies swooping home to cash in on a nation gripped by investment fever. Full Story

Child shareholders of China bank draw concern

The China Post - A Chinese bank has confirmed it had dozens of shareholders below the age of 18, including a 10-year-old, drawing questions and criticism from financial experts and Internet users, Chinese media reported Wednesday. Full Story

Hong Kong aims to become hub for Islamic finance

The China Post - Hong Kong's chief executive said Wednesday the city would look to emulate Malaysia and Singapore as a center for Islamic finance, in an effort to grab a slice of the thriving market. Full Story

European Union backs China plan in bid to avoid new 'Bra Wars'

The China Post - Looking to avoid a repeat of the "Bra Wars" debacle of 2005, the European Union on Tuesday backed a deal with China for tight checks on textiles imports when the bloc's quotas expire on Jan. 1. Full Story

European urges flexibility from China over exchange rates

The China Post - China came under European pressure on Tuesday to allow its currency to trade more freely on foreign exchange markets amid growing concerns that the Asian giant is destablizing the global economy. Full Story

Rare blue diamond smashes auction record

The China Post - A rare, flawless blue diamond has been snapped up at a Sotheby's sale here for US$7.98 million, making it the most expensive gemstone in the world per carat ever bought at auction. Full Story

Buffett cuts PetroChina stake for 6th time

The China Post - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. sold HK$2.8 billion (US$364 million) of PetroChina Co. shares, the biggest reduction in his stake since the U.S. billionaire first invested in China's largest oil producer. Full Story

Asia-Pacific on track to meet MDGs

The China Post - The Asia-Pacific region is on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include reducing poverty into half by 2015, according to a progress report released by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations on Monday. Full Story

Forbes says 26-year-old woman China's new richest person

The China Post - A 26-year-old woman worth US$16.2 billion (euro11.5 billion) is mainland China's richest person, the business magazine Forbes said Monday, topping a list of tycoons whose wealth has soared amid a boom in stock and property prices. Full Story

China closes coal plants to cut pollution, meets targets

The China Post - China closed 9,030 megawatts of small coal-fired power plants in the first nine months, meeting 90 percent of an annual target to eliminate inefficient, polluting energy facilities. Full Story

China may send team to Manila over food scandal

The China Post - China may send a team of food-safety experts abroad for the first time after Filipino children fell ill from eating Chinese-made milk candies, state media said Monday. Full Story

China offers surprise hope in climate change fight

The China Post - Teenager Zhu Xiaotong's home a few hours' drive outside Beijing is a world away from the acrid air and snarling traffic jams that have come to dominate China's energy hungry capital. Full Story

Chadians dream of better life — in China

The China Post - It was mid-morning in one of the poorest countries on earth, and the daily traffic of battered trucks, motorcycles and donkeys bounced along the lumpy sand streets of this hot desert town. Full Story

China's CNPC invests in oil refinery in Chad

The China Post - China's largest oil producer, China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), has agreed to invest in a joint venture oil refinery near the capital of Chad, state media reported Saturday. Full Story

China Shenhua to start trading in Shanghai

The China Post - China Shenhua Energy Co., the country's largest coal producer, will begin trading in Shanghai on Oct. 9, following the largest share sale worldwide this year. The Shanghai shares will have the ticker 601088. Full Story

China's oil imports up 18% in first 8 months

The China Post - China's net oil imports to fuel its booming economy rose 18.1 percent in the first eight months of this year, a state news agency reported Sunday. Full Story

Investors snap up China Digital shares on de

The China Post - China Digital TV Holding Co.'s shares spiked 75 percent in their first day of trading on Friday, as investors embraced the company's initial public offering on the promise of China's growing digital television market. Full Story

Tide turning in product safety: official

The China Post - China's crackdown on unsafe goods and food was showing results and international opinion over the problem was shifting in the nation's favor, a senior official said, while noting that enforcement remained "uneven." Full Story

Chinese cotton farmers clash with police

The China Post - Cotton farmers in China's far west clashed with police and paramilitary guards over alleged price-fixing by local authorities, injuring 40 people, witnesses and a Hong Kong media report said Friday. Full Story

Non-English Internet addresses expected to undergo live testing

The China Post - Sample addresses in nearly a dozen languages will be added to the Internet's central directories as early as next week, paving the way for Web surfers around the world to get online without knowing any English. Full Story

China's Alibaba.com wins HK IPO approval

The China Post - Alibaba.com, China's largest e-commerce company, has won approval from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange for a long-anticipated IPO expected to be worth roughly US$1 billion, sources familiar with the deal said. Full Story

ECB, Bank of England hold firm on interest rates

The China Post- The European Central Bank held its benchmark interest rate steady at 4 percent on Thursday, despite calls by some politicians for a cut in the face of a rising euro that they fear will hurt Europe's economies. Full Story

Google says it's closing the gap with rival Baidu in China

The China Post- Web search leader Google Inc. said Thursday it is closing the gap with rival Baidu in China, after years of trying to increase market share in the world's second-largest Internet arena. Full Story

China, United States launch first joint financial services firm

The China Post - The first U.S. financial services company to be co-owned by a Chinese firm was hailed Tuesday as an example of how the two nations can cooperate in a global economy. Full Story

Synnex bets on China to drive sales growth

The China Post - Taiwan's Synnex Technology, the world's No.3 electronics distributor, forecasts its annual sales will grow by a fifth in 2007 and 2008, a touch below market estimates, as it aims to sell more products in China's fast-growth market. Full Story

Hong Kong not keen to fund Disneyland expansion

The China Post - Hong Kong Disneyland is unlikely to receive more money from the local government to fund new attractions because of disappointing attendance at the theme park since it opened two years ago, a local newspaper reported Wednesday. Full Story

Greenspan defends subprimes, sees early signs of easing

The China Post - Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan defended the U.S. subprime mortgage market Monday, arguing that the securitization of home loans for people with poor credit -- not the loans themselves -- were to blame for the current global credit crisis. Full Story

Shanghai equities market has all the characteristics of a bubble, ex-Fed says

The China Post - The Shanghai stock market has all the hallmarks of a bubble, former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Monday. Full Story

United States firm recalls Chinese-made toy rockets

The China Post - Estes-Cox Corp, a Colorado-based importer of flying model rockets made in China, has recalled about 80,000 of its X-15 rocket because of a potential safety hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. Full Story

Shipment of frozen United States sardines fails China checks

The China Post - China has found poisonous bacteria in a shipment of frozen sardines prepared in the U.S. and shipped by a Japanese trading company, state media said on Tuesday. Full Story

Morgan Stanley raises US$1.5 billion for Asia fund

The China Post - Morgan Stanley, the second-largest securities firm, said it raised about US$1.5 billion for a dedicated Asia private equity fund. Full Story

China CLSA purchasing managers' index up to 55

The China Post - China's manufacturing activity expanded at a faster pace in September, according to a survey by CLSA Asia Pacific Markets. Full Story

PRC uses leading exporters as models

The China Post - First comes the "wind shower." Wearing overalls and rubber boots, employees at Fusheng Food Co. stand in a narrow room as air jets in the walls blow away any dust on them. They wade through ankle-deep disinfectant and don caps, gloves and surgical masks. Full Story

China's top panel urges quality efforts

The China Post - Officials must try harder to resolve China's product safety problems, especially at lower levels that oversee manufacturing, the chief of a special panel says. Full Story

Asia could win next 'Space Race,' United States scientists fear

The China Post - Fifty years after the launch of Sputnik left the United States scrambling to play catch-up in the first Space Race, U.S. scientists fear history may be repeating itself as Asia emerges as the rising force in space exploration. Full Story

Poor profits, globalization, insurgents play havoc with India's tea industry

The China Post - He's a genteel man, with a sprawling plantation house, courtly manners and an estate of carefully trimmed tea bushes that stretches across the gentle hills of Assam, blanketing the land as far as you can see. Full Story

China unleashes cautious giant onto world's financial markets

The China Post - There was no champagne, no music, and just a few young women in traditional dresses. The low-key ceremony that marked the launch of China Investment Corp. this weekend could reflect the cautious manner in which Beijing intends to unleash the largest fund in history onto the world's financial markets. Full Story

Central bank to push more corporate bonds

The China Post - China will encourage publicly traded companies to issue bonds as a way of diversifying their corporate borrowings, the central bank said. Full Story

Push-up bra, certain underwear ads banned

The China Post - China has banned TV and radio ads for push up bras and figure-enhancing underwear in the communist government's latest move to purge the nation's airwaves of what it calls social pollution. Full Story

French firm to pay US$44 million in patent case

The China Post - An eastern China court has ordered a French electrical company to pay 330 million yuan (US$44 million) for infringing the copyright of a Chinese enterprise, a company official and state press said Sunday. Full Story

Shenzhen couple may get millions for demolished home

The China Post - A Chinese couple may get up to 20 million yuan (US$2.7 million) in compensation from developers after agreeing to the demolition of their home in the southern boomtown of Shenzhen, Xinhua news agency said Sunday. Full Story

Ningbo Huaxiang eyes German acquisition

The China Post - Ningbo Huaxiang Electronic Co., a small but fast-growing Chinese automobile parts maker, said Saturday it was in preliminary talks to buy a German auto parts maker for between 1 billion and 1.5 billion yuan. Full Story

Grenada to destroy fake toothpaste from China

The China Post - Grenadian officials Friday said they will destroy thousands of tubes of counterfeit toothpaste they suspected may be toxic and other goods recently shipped from China. Full Story

ThyssenKrupp to double sales in China in 5 years

The China Post - German industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp aims to double its China sales to 2 billion euros (US$2.85 billion) in the next five years, its chief executive said Sunday. Full Story

VW might produce new Golf model in China

The China Post - Volkswagen might make China one of the production sites for its new Golf model due out next year, a leading manager at Europe's biggest carmaker was quoted as saying Saturday. Full Story

New Tokyo-Shanghai air route opens: officials

The China Post - Japanese and Chinese airlines began services between Tokyo's Haneda and Shanghai's Hongqiao airports Saturday, airport officials said. The new services marked the 35th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral diplomatic relations. Full Story

Foreign debt rises 1.5% to US$327.8 billion

The China Post - China's foreign debt rose 1.5 percent by June 30 from the end of 2006 to US$327.8 billion, the government said. Short-term debt climbed 0.7 percent to US$184.9 billion, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said on its Web site Saturday. Full Story

BHP Billiton: China, India to boost commodity prices

The China Post - BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's largest mining company, said economic growth in China and India will support demand for commodities, keeping prices high. Full Story

Bain Capital units to buy 3Com for US$2.2 billion

The China Post - 3Com Corp., a maker of networking hardware and software, will be sold to affiliates of private equity firm Bain Capital Partners LLC for US$2.2 billion and taken private, 3Com said Friday. Full Story

Nations urge Myanmar to end crackdown

The China Post - Myanmar's main political and economic allies, China and Japan, joined other nations around the world in urging the country to use peaceful means to restore stability. The United States called on "all civilized nations" to press Myanmar's leaders to end their crackdown on demonstrators. Full Story

Wayne Wang wins best film award at San Sebastian festival

The China Post - Hong Kong director Wayne Wang won the best picture award at the 55th annual San Sebastian film festival in Spain on Saturday for his latest movie "A Thousand Years of Good Prayers". Full Story

Envoys hammer out details of North Korea's nuke disarmament

The China Post - Talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions shifted focus Saturday to U.S. energy aid for the impoverished state as delegates considered a text of a proposed joint statement hopefully to be released Sunday. Full Story

China launches US$200 bil. investment fund

The China Post - China's government formally launched a company Saturday to invest US$200 billion (euro141 billion) from its vast foreign reserves, creating one of the world's richest investment funds at a time of rising scrutiny of such state-run entities. Full Story

China abandons search for bodies of 172 miners

The China Post - Officials have abandoned efforts to retrieve the bodies of 172 coal miners from a flooded mine in eastern China, family members said Saturday, deepening their anger at what they see as callous treatment by the government and mining company. Full Story

China mortgage interest rates for loans hiked

The China Post - China has raised mortgage interest rates and increased the down payment needed for loans to finance purchases of second homes in a move aimed at countering property speculation that is driving up prices. Full Story

China to let Nasdaq open Beijing office

The China Post - The U.S. stock market Nasdaq said Thursday it has received formal permission from the Chinese government to open a representative office in Beijing as more companies from China issue shares abroad. Full Story

China to launch US$1.3 trillion investment fund

The China Post - A government fund that is to invest part of China's US$1.3 trillion in foreign reserves is due to be officially launched Saturday, according to news reports. Full Story

Asia rallies; Nikkei hits 6-week high

The China Post - Asian markets rallied Thursday, helped by gains overnight on Wall Street, as Japanese shares rose to a six-week high and the markets in Hong Kong hitting a new record. Full Story

Modest economic slowdown in store for Asia

The China Post - Against the backdrop of a slowing global economy, rising oil prices and prolonged turmoil in credit markets, the pace of economic growth in Asia is set to fall modestly this year and next, a Reuters quarterly poll shows. Full Story

United's nonstop bid to Shanghai hits turbulence

The China Post - United Airlines' attempt to start a nonstop service from Los Angeles International Airport to Shanghai hit major turbulence Tuesday after the U.S. Department of Transportation said it would recommend other U.S.-China routes proposed by competing airlines. Full Story

Food exports plummet as safety tightens

The China Post - Chinese exports of foods including garlic, honey and fish fell sharply this summer as Beijing officials tightened health and safety regulations. That has meant increased revenue for some American growers whose products are now in greater demand -- but also higher prices for U.S. consumers. Full Story

China Construction Bank jumps 33% on debut

The China Post - China Construction Bank, which raised 57.12 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion) in its initial public offering, saw its shares jump 33 percent in their debut in Shanghai on Tuesday. Full Story

564 food makers lose licenses over safety

The China Post - China's quality and safety watchdog canceled the licenses of 564 food makers, part of stepped-up efforts to crack down on unsafe food. Full Story

Four men jailed as the brains behind 'burning panda' virus

The China Post - China has jailed four men for writing or profiting from a computer virus dubbed the "joss-stick burning panda" which infected over a million computers, media reported on Tuesday. Full Story

United States to WTO: PRC controls export prices

The China Post - The United States has accused China of manipulating prices on the raw materials used to produce steel, chemicals, airplanes and automobiles, giving Chinese manufacturers a massive advantage over their American competitors. Full Story

WTO panel to investigate IP protection

The China Post - The World Trade Organization (WTO) created a panel on Tuesday, at the request of the United States, to investigate China's protection of intellectual property such as films and software. Full Story

More gas firms allowed to tie up with foreign firms

The China Post - More Chinese gas firms are now allowed to cooperate with foreign companies as Beijing seeks to boost clean energy use by encouraging funds and technology from abroad, state media said Tuesday. Full Story

9 of 10 Chinese are concerned about financing retirement: poll

The China Post - Nine out of 10 Chinese are concerned about how to finance their retirement, state media said Tuesday, highlighting challenges facing a rapidly ageing society. Full Story

Markets mixed as Japan rises, Hong Kong drags

The China Post - Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as stocks in Japan were led higher by metal and trading house shares, while Hong Kong's market fell after four straight record closes, hurt by a plunge in airline shares. Full Story

GM signs deal to export Buick Enclave SUVs to China

The China Post - General Motors Corp. signed a deal worth more than US$800 million (euro567 million) to export Buick Enclave sport utility vehicles to China over a four-year period beginning in 2008. Full Story

Hong Kong tops Asian governance chart: report

The China Post - Hong Kong has overtaken its regional rival Singapore as Asia's best center for company and corporate governance, a new survey released Tuesday said. Full Story

Cathay Pacific, Air China won't seek stake in China Eastern

The China Post - Cathay Pacific Airways and Air China pulled out of a bidding battle to gain a big share of China's third biggest carrier China Eastern, and the shares of all three airlines have plummeted in early trade Tuesday. Full Story

Cisco, Haier to cooperate, share expertise

The China Post - Cisco Systems Inc., the world's biggest network equipment maker, announced a deal Tuesday with China's largest appliance manufacturer to share expertise in constructing home network technology. Full Story

Following recalls, toy-testing firm works overtime to keep up

The China Post - Gone is the 40-hour work week at Specialized Technology Resources Inc. Boxes of toys are piling up in the middle of its testing lab, workers are coming in on weekends, and product testers who normally would check tools or candles are working on chess sets and plastic cars. Full Story

Asian spacefarers race for the moon

The China Post - Asian giants Japan, China and India are engaged in a race to map lunar resources and make the moon a platform to explore planets beyond, amid a renewed burst of global space activity. Full Story

Hong Kong and Chinese indexes hit record highs

The China Post - Asian markets were mostly higher Monday, as high commodity prices helped boost Chinese stocks in Shanghai to new records. Hong Kong shares broke through to new levels as well, with anticipation of new funds from China continuing to drive prices higher. Full Story

JPMorgan places bets on Brazil, China, India; but not tech-heavy Taiwan

The China Post - Emerging market stock investors are best off betting on Brazil, India, China and the Middle East, but should shy away from technology-heavy Taiwan, which may be hit by weak U.S. growth, a JPMorgan fund manager said. Full Story

China set to lift ban on Sino-foreign brokerages

The China Post - Foreign investment banks will be able to establish joint ventures with securities firms in China by the end of the year, the Financial Times reported Monday. The policy follows China's promise at the last round of strategic economic talks with the U.S. in May to implement the change amid foreign frustration at being effectively shut out of China's booming stock markets. Full Story

Credit Suisse cuts PRC stock to underweight

The China Post - Chinese stocks included in MSCI indices were cut to "underweight" at Credit Suisse Group after the country's banking regulator said it will limit the amount citizens can invest in Hong Kong shares. Full Story

China seizes Mattel apology to make case

The China Post - China highlighted Mattel's apology over its recall of huge numbers of toys Monday to press Beijing's claim that its exports are generally safe and foreign politicians and media have unfairly hyped quality scares. Full Story

Forget 'dog years' and welcome to the age of 'China years'

The China Post - In October 2001, George W. Bush stepped out of his limousine in Shanghai's Pudong district for the first time in 26 years and uttered a single word: "Wow." Full Story

Yip's Chemical says toy recalls may boost paint sales

The China Post - Yip's Chemical Holdings Ltd., a maker of solvents, paint and ink, said sales of toy paint may rise as much as 30 percent after product-safety concerns force toymakers to seek raw materials deemed to be of higher quality. Full Story

State-run banks told to invest more on green projects

The China Post - China's cash-rich state-run commercial banks should invest more in energy-saving and renewable projects, an academic and a government official said Sunday. Full Story

Ford starts production at China factory

The China Post - Ford Motor Co. said its newest joint-venture factory in China began operations Monday and will produce small cars under the Ford and Mazda brands for the fast-growing Chinese market. Full Story

Dell to sell PCs with China's largest electronics retailer

The China Post - Dell Inc. announced a deal Monday to launch a retail presence in China by selling computers through the country's biggest chain of electronics stores as it struggles to capture a bigger share of the booming market. Full Story

Cathay, Air China may team up

The China Post - Trade in Air China's Hong Kong-listed shares was suspended Monday amid reports the Chinese flagship carrier and partner Cathay Pacific Airways plan to try to block a bid by Singapore Airlines to take a stake in China Eastern Airlines. Full Story

China could become top wind market in three years: Vestas

The China Post - China could become the world's top wind power market in three to five years but will grow faster if it reforms its subsidy system, executives of major wind turbine maker Vestas said last week. Full Story

Forbidden City coffee shop replaces Starbucks

The China Post - A coffee shop has opened at the heart of the Forbidden City, the former Chinese imperial palace, replacing a controversial Starbucks cafe that was forced out by public protest. Full Story

China smashes hotel's fake liquor racket

The China Post - Quality supervisors raided a hotel in far west China and made the biggest-ever seizure of fake Maotai, the fiery national liquor favored by Communist Party leaders at state banquets. Full Story

Hopes fade for eighteen trapped miners in China

The China Post - Rescuers held out little hope Monday for the survival of 18 trapped miners in a northern China mine, five days after the outbreak of a fire that has left three dead, an official said. Full Story

Brilliance China falls on earnings potential concerns

The China Post - Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd., the Chinese partner of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, fell the most in more than a month in Hong Kong trading on concern that the company had risen above its earnings potential. Full Story

China Construction Bank IPO raises 57.1 billion yuan

The China Post - China Construction Bank Corp. announced Monday it had raised 57.12 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion) from its initial public offering in Shanghai, the largest in mainland China. Full Story

China's own high-speed train due by year-end

The China Post - China's first domestically developed high-speed train, capable of reaching 300 kilometers (190 miles) per hour, will roll off production lines by the end of the year, state media reported Monday. Full Story

PetroChina, Sinopec parents regain oil sales licenses

The China Post - China National Petroleum Corp. and China Petrochemical Corp., the nation's two largest oil companies, regained licenses to sell and store crude oil, the government said. Full Story

China South Motor files for IPO approval

The China Post - China South Industries Motor Co. has applied for regulatory approval for an initial public offer of shares, general manager Xu Bin told Reuters Monday. Full Story

China Digital TV may raise US$156 million in New York

The China Post - China Digital TV Holding Co., the nation's largest supplier of smart cards for digital TV access, may raise as much as US$156 million from a New York Stock Exchange initial public offering, according to a regulatory filing. Full Story

Gindalbie to buy Sundance Resources for US$1.4 billion

The China Post - Gindalbie Metals Ltd., the Australian iron ore miner backed by China's third-largest steelmaker, agreed to buy Sundance Resources Ltd. for A$1.6 billion (US$1.4 billion) in stock to add projects in Africa. Full Story

Xinxin Mining may raise US$501 million in Hong Kong

The China Post - Xinjiang Xinxin Mining Industry Co., China's second-largest nickel producer, may raise as much as HK$3.9 billion ($501 million) in a Hong Kong initial public offering, two people with direct information on the sale said. Full Story

Chinese freight firm starts flights to German airport

The China Post - The Chinese freight company Link Global Logistics on Monday began regular flights between the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou and its newly purchased airport in northern Germany. Full Story

Cathay Pacific raises ticket surcharges

The China Post - Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Hong Kong's largest airline, will raise its ticket surcharges for the second time this year because of higher fuel prices. Full Story

Fed benchmark rate cut is a blessing and a curse for China

The China Post - As the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a point last week, it's doubtful much thought went into what it would mean for China. Full Story

Why Mattel has to apologize publicly

The China Post - The Chinese call it guanxi, and it refers to the relationships that are so crucial to doing business in their country. Full Story

Chinese warn Australian miners on iron ore pricing

The China Post - Chinese steelmakers Friday warned Australian mining companies against exploiting their position when iron ore price negotiations begin next month. Full Story

China's vehicle exports to rise 46%, official says

The China Post - Vehicle exports from China, the world's third-biggest producer, may increase at least 46 percent this year as carmakers manufacture more sedans and trucks. Full Story

Inspections intensified for United States cattle hide imports

The China Post - Inspectors in northeast China have stepped up checks on cattle hides imported from the United States after finding live flies in six shipments, state media said Sunday. Full Story

Citic Ltd. net rises 14% in first half on oil demand

The China Post - Citic Resources Holdings Ltd., a unit of China's fourth-largest oil producer, said profit rose 14 percent in the first half as the nation's demand for energy and resources increased. Full Story

United States paper maker hopes deal will help it compete against Chinese imports

The China Post - A privately owned company that supplies paper to magazine and catalog publishers is buying the North American operations of one of the world's largest makers of paper products for about US$2.1 billion (euro1.49 billion). Full Story

China coal mine fire on Wednesday traps 15 miners

The China Post - A fire at a coal mine in northern China has trapped 15 workers and has been burning since Wednesday, the official Xinhua news agency said. Rescuers at the mine in Shanxi province have already found three bodies, though 18 people managed to escape, the report on Sunday said. Full Story

China to limit Hong Kong stocks investments

The China Post - China will impose limits on the amount of money local investors can spend on Hong Kong stocks, an official said Friday, suggesting the city will not see the wave of funds originally expected. Full Story

California recalls lunch boxes over lead concern

The China Post - About 56,000 Chinese-made lunch boxes distributed by California in an effort to promote healthful eating may contain lead, and state officials urged consumers not to use them. Full Story

Mattel apologizes to China for toy recalls

The China Post - The world's largest toy maker, Mattel Inc, apologized on Friday for damaging China's reputation after recent massive recalls of its Chinese-made toys, admitting it targeted some goods that were actually up to scratch. Full Story

World Bank ex-chief says power heading east to India, China

The China Post - The former president of the World Bank said Friday that rich countries were ill-prepared to deal with the "tectonic shift" in economic power toward developing nations, in particular to India and China. Full Story

China's Sinopec, DuPont form chemical venture

The China Post - China Petroleum and Chemical Corp., or Sinopec, has formed a chemicals joint venture with a unit of U.S. company DuPont Co., it said Friday. Full Story

China's top lender gets nod for leasing unit

The China Post - The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the nation's top lender, said Friday it had received regulatory approval to set up a financial leasing company in a move to diversify its income sources. Full Story

Philippine fast-food giant acquires China chain

The China Post - Philippine fast-food giant Jollibee Foods Corp. said Friday it had acquired the Chinese restaurant chain Jollibee Foods Corp. for about US$50.5 million. Full Story

NBA to form new China operation

The China Post -- The U.S. National Basketball Association is launching a new subsidiary in China, in a sign of the sport's increasing popularity there, the league announced Wednesday. Full Story

China gov't freezes some prices in move to contain surge in inflation

The China Post -- China's government has ordered some prices frozen and told officials to closely monitor others in its most drastic step yet to contain a surge in inflation. Full Story

Berkshire cuts stake in PetroChina

The China Post -- U.S. investor Warren Buffett further cut his stake in the listed shares of PetroChina Co. to 8.93 percent from 9.07 percent, according to a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange Thursday. Full Story

Hong Kong shares surge to record after rate cut

The China Post - Hong Kong shares surged to a record close Wednesday, boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve's larger-than-expected rate cut. Property firms led the way as several local banks also cut their interest rates. Full Story

Microsoft's China chief defects to head NBA expansion in Greater China

The China Post - Microsoft Corp.'s top executive in China resigned to head the National Basketball Association's operations in the world's most populous country. Full Story

Standard Chartered to buy American Express' banking unit

The China Post - Standard Chartered Plc, the UK bank that derives most of its profit from Asia, agreed to buy the banking unit of American Express Co. for about US$860 million to gain branch licenses in India and Taiwan and add wealthy clients. Full Story

China Construction Bank raises US$7.7 billion in record-breaking IPO

The China Post - China Construction Bank Corp., the country's biggest property lender, has raised 58.05 billion (US$7.7 billion; euro5.6 billion) in mainland China's biggest initial public offering so far, state media reported Wednesday. Full Story

Hong Kong Monetary Authority cuts key interest rate

The China Post - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority cut its benchmark base interest rate half a percentage point to 6.25 percent Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate by the same amount. Full Story

China to delay approval of investment deals to cool growth

The China Post - China will delay approval of some local government investment projects in its fastest growing regions to cool the economy and reduce the risk of overheating. Full Story

Malaysia places China exporters on a watch-list

The China Post - Malaysia placed 14 Chinese exporters on a watch-list after their food shipments were found to be tainted with high levels of preservatives, pesticides and heavy metals this year, a senior official said. Full Story

Bullish China IPOs push share higher

The China Post - For oil giant PetroChina, a share listing in Shanghai will raise money for a new pipeline and refinery, among other projects. For coal miner China Shenhua Energy, it means cash for possible mine acquisitions abroad. Full Story

China steps up scrutiny of United States food and delays shipments

The China Post - China has sharply increased inspections of imported U.S. food, escalating its spat with Washington over product safety and leaving American beef piling up in warehouses and delaying shipments of black pepper and other goods. Full Story

PRC's top firms face increased risks: Standard and Poor

The China Post - China's top companies will see a slowdown in breakneck growth over the next 18 months, under pressure from the U.S. economy and concerns over the "Made in China" tag, Standard & Poor's said Tuesday. Full Story

AirAsia X to fly China, Australia with first A330

The China Post - Malaysia's long-haul budget carrier AirAsia X said Tuesday it will launch inaugural flights to China and Australia in October with the arrival of its first A330 aircraft. Full Story

China to buy 3,400 new airplanes by 2026: Boeing

The China Post - China, the world's fastest growing aviation market, will need 3,400 new airplanes worth about US$340 billion over the next 20 years, U.S. aircraft maker Boeing said Tuesday. The forecast marks a dramatic increase from an earlier prediction by Boeing of 2,900 aircraft in the period from 2005 to 2025. Full Story

EU official urges China to make yuan more flexible

The China Post - China needs to make its currency more flexible, said Joaquin Almunia, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs. "A more flexible exchange-rate policy would allow the central bank to raise interest rates and curb investment," Almunia said in a speech given at Tsinghua University in Beijing today. Full Story

China securities regulator tightens takeover rules

The China Post - China's securities regulator tightened rules on takeovers to tackle insider trading in a market where the benchmark index has almost tripled this year. The China Securities Regulatory Commission last night announced on its Web site increased scrutiny of private share placements and tighter rules on disclosure of market-moving news amid a suspected rise in market malfeasance. Full Story

Most Asian markets lower on global credit jitters

The China Post - Most Asian market fell Tuesday, with Tokyo's main index losing 2 percent amid renewed concern over global credit markets and Hong Kong shares down on profit-taking. Full Story

ADB raises forecast for developing Asia

The China Post - Exceptional growth in China and India prompted the Asian Development Bank on Monday to raise its economic growth forecast for developing Asia this year to a collective 8.3 percent from 7.6 percent. Full Story

Growing parts, components trade helps East Asia forex

The China Post - The growing trade in manufactured parts and components is helping East Asia weather the strengthening of regional currencies while inducing greater economic integration, an Asian Development Bank report said Monday. Full Story

Pressure building for China to allow yuan to rise: ADB

The China Post - China will come under increasing pressure to let the yuan rise further against the dollar to deflate the bubble formed by its massive current account surpluses, the chief economist of the Asian Development Bank said Monday. Full Story

China set to add 27 new int'l routes to Europe, United States

The China Post - China's civil aviation regulator said it plans to add 27 international routes to Europe and America over the next two years, state media reported. Full Story

China raises special bond offering to US$4.2 billion

The China Post - China's Finance Ministry sold 31.97 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion; euro3 billion) of 15-year debt Monday in its first sale of special bonds directly to the market. Full Story

China stock buying in Hong Kong limited to some residents

The China Post - A Chinese plan to allow private investors to buy directly into the Hong Kong stock market will be limited to residents of cities where the scheme will undergo trial runs, state media said Monday. Full Story

Oil Search shares surge on China bid report

The China Post - The Australia-listed shares of Oil Search Ltd. rose as much as 19.5 percent Monday on a media report that China's CNPC Exploration is considering a US$5 billion (euro3.6 billion) takeover bid for the Papua New Guinea-based company. Full Story

Galaxy Entertainment's first-half loss narrows

The China Post - Casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd., one of Macau's six casino license holders, said Monday its first-half net loss narrowed as increased contributions from its casino operations offset costs associated with the amortization of its casino license. Full Story

Chinese stocks hit record, defying rate hike

The China Post - Asian markets were mostly lower Monday, with Japan closed for a holiday and traders in most other markets cautious ahead of Tuesday's meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve to decide on interest rates. Full Story

Beijing seeks advice to spin crisis

The China Post - Tainted pet food. Unsafe toys. Brown skies and orange lakes. Slave labor scandals. Collapsed bridges and coal mining disasters. Full Story

China needs more rate increases to curb inflation: analysts

The China Post - China will need to follow the fifth interest rate increase this year with further tightening to curb the fastest inflation since 1996 and damp speculation in stocks and real estate, economists and analysts said. Full Story

China rejects United States, Canada pork imports

The China Post - China has rejected shipments of pork kidney from the United States and of spare ribs from Canada after finding traces of a banned growth agent in them, in the latest volley of cross-border accusations over product quality. Full Story

China raises interest rates 0.27 percent

The China Post - China raised interest rates on Friday for the fifth time this year, the latest of a series of tightening steps to cap inflation and prevent the world's fourth largest economy from overheating. Full Story

As real estate prices soar, Shanghai's skyline gets new-inspired landmark

The China Post - These may be jittery times for the real estate business elsewhere -- but not in China's financial center, judging from the reception to the country's newest, tallest building. Full Story

Asian 'tigers' rise to post-industrial stage

The China Post - Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are maturing toward post-industrial status as manufacturing investments in Asia move to China, said an Asian Development Bank report released Friday. Full Story

China's first stock-type QDII fund likely to invest abroad

The China Post - China's first overseas stock-type mutual fund may invest 30 billion yuan (US$4 billion) after it was oversubscribed in the first day of its launch, signaling investors' demand to buy shares in Hong Kong and other regions. Full Story

China's urban fixed asset investment up 26.7%

The China Post - China's urban fixed asset investment rose 26.7 percent in the first eight months of 2007 compared with a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. Full Story

ICBC, Malaysian CIMB vie for stake in Thai bank

The China Post - China's top bank Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and Malaysian investment bank CIMB are considering buying a stake in Thailand's ACL Bank, the Thai finance minister said Friday. Full Story

United States lawmakers to tighten laws on China toys

The China Post- U.S. lawmakers vowed Wednesday to enact stricter legislation to prevent potentially dangerous Chinese made toys from being sold in America, as leading toy firms said safety checks were being boosted. Full Story

Violence flares again in Chinese village

The China Post- Violence has erupted again in a northern Chinese village where authorities were last year severely punished for hiring armed thugs to force farmers off their lands, residents said. Full Story

China steps up efforts against pig disease

The China Post- China is stepping up efforts against an outbreak of deadly pig disease that has spread through much of the vast nation and sent pork prices skyrocketing, the Agriculture Ministry said Thursday. Full Story

PetroChina shares fall after Buffett cuts stake

The China Post- Shares of PetroChina Co. fell as much as 2.1 percent in morning trading in Hong Kong a day after U.S. investor Warren Buffett further reduced his company's stake in China's biggest oil and gas producer. Full Story

China to boost strategic oil reserves to 12 million tons

The China Post- China plans to boost its strategic oil reserves from the current 2 million to 3 million tons (15.8 million to 23.7 million barrels) to 12 million tons (94.8 million barrels) by 2010, a state-run newspaper said Thursday, citing a senior economic planning official. Full Story

FDI in China up 12.8 percent in January-August period

The China Post- Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China rose 12.8 percent to US$42 billion in the first eight months of this year, the Commerce Ministry said Thursday, despite new limits on investment in real estate and acquisitions of Chinese companies. Full Story

United States, China promise parents lead-free toys

The China Post - U.S. and Chinese officials agreed on Tuesday to take immediate steps to stop the use of lead paint in toys made in China following toy recalls that have scared American parents ahead of holiday shopping. Full Story

Head of product safety in China promises safe toys for Christmas

The China Post - The Chinese-made toys children will receive for Christmas this year will be safe, the head of China's product safety agency said Wednesday, pledging that problems over the use of dangerous lead paint will be resolved in time for holiday exports. Full Story

European Union consumer chief faces European Union assembly on unsafe goods

The China Post - The European Union's consumer chief will seek the backing of the European Parliament on Wednesday to try to force EU countries to act against companies which import unsafe goods into the bloc. Full Story

McDonald's tries wooing rival customer base in China

The China Post - For nearly two decades in China, the KFC logo has enticed the hungry with the promise of juicy, crispy chicken. Full Story

World Bank raises China '07 growth forecast to 11.3%

The China Post - The World Bank on Wednesday raised its growth forecast for China's sizzling economy this year to 11.3 percent from an earlier 10.4 percent and said it appears well-placed to deal with recent global financial turmoil. Full Story

China retail sales up 17.1 percent in August

The China Post - Chinese retail sales, a key gauge of consumer spending, rose 17.1 percent in August compared with a year earlier, government data showed Wednesday. Full Story

China to let banks trade corporate debt, CSRC says

The China Post - China will let banks trade corporate bonds of publicly traded companies on both the interbank market and the securities exchange, the regulator said. Full Story

Bank of China to sell yuan-denominated bonds

The China Post - Bank of China Ltd., one of the country's big four state lenders, said it plans to sell yuan-denominated bonds worth 3 billion yuan (US$399 million; euro289 million) in Hong Kong from Thursday. Full Story

China inflation quickens to 10-year-high 6.5 percent

The China Post - China's inflation rate surged to a 10-year high and the trade surplus widened, adding pressure on the central bank to raise borrowing costs for a fifth time since March. Full Story

China's Citic Securities, CICC plan private equity

The China Post - Two major Chinese brokerages, Citic Securities Co. and China International Capital Corp. have gotten government approval to launch private equity businesses, the state-run China Securities Journal reported Tuesday. Full Story

China's efforts to curb money supply to delay bond rebound

The China Post - China's efforts to control accelerating inflation will limit a rebound in the nation's government bonds, according to Citic Securities Co., the country's most profitable brokerage. Full Story

Study: Design flaws cause of 76 percent of toy recalls

The China Post - A majority of recalls of Chinese-made toys were the result of design problems rather than manufacturing defects, a Canadian professor found after analyzing two decades of data. Full Story

Beiqi Foton, Cummins win approval for China venture

The China Post - Beiqi Foton Motor Co., China's biggest commercial-vehicle maker, won approval to form an engine venture with Cummins Inc. to tap rising truck sales in the world's second-largest auto market. Full Story

Chinese official executed for bribe taking, embezzlement

The China Post - A former official with the Agriculture Bank of China was executed Tuesday for taking bribes and embezzling bank funds worth about 15 million yuan (US$2 million; euro1.45 million), a newspaper reported. Wen Mengjie, 50, had been in charge of information technology at the bank's Beijing office from February, 1999 to February, 2004. Full Story

China delays curbs on exporters to ease costs

The China Post - China will delay further curbs on exporters of processed materials until 2008, giving manufacturers breathing room amid rising costs, said a trade ministry official. Full Story

China to launch investment agency this week: report

The China Post - China is expected to formally launch a long-awaited state investment agency to manage part of its massive foreign exchange reserves -- which surpassed US$1.33 trillion at the end of June -- this week, state press reported Monday. Full Story

Blackstone buys BlueStar stake for US$600 million

The China Post - United States private equity giant Blackstone announced Monday its first foray into mainland China in a deal to buy a 20 percent stake in a major Chinese chemical firm for up to US$600 million. Full Story

China to stop granting new brokerage approvals

The China Post - China is likely to hold back on granting licenses for new brokerages the next few years as the industry consolidates, a state-run newspaper said Monday. Full Story

Following Mattel recalls, Disney announces tests

The China Post - Following three high-profile recalls by Mattel Inc. this summer involving millions of Chinese-made, lead-tainted toys, The Walt Disney Company will begin independently testing toys featuring its characters, company officials said. Full Story

Chinese exports to United States to cost more

The China Post - Get ready for a new Chinese export: higher prices. For years, American consumers have enjoyed falling prices for goods made in China thanks to relentless cost-cutting by retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target. Full Story

Expectations modest for U.S.-China safety meeting

The China Post - U.S. and Chinese officials meeting this week after months of recalls of lead-tainted Chinese toys, defective tires and other unsafe products are unlikely to make a breakthrough, experts say. Full Story

Hong Kong should be wary of approaching 'stock train'

The China Post - China's plan to allow mainland investors to buy Hong Kong stocks for the first time may further boost the territory's market, but analysts fear it could create a dangerous bubble. Full Story

Eco-city construction to begin in new year in fight against pollution

The China Post - China will start building the country's first eco-city in the new year and plans four other radical new urban developments as it seeks to tackle pollution, the head of the firm designing the projects said Saturday. Full Story

Banks should buy overseas stakes: Zhou

The China Post - China's commercial banks should buy or take stakes in foreign financial institutions to help the nation's overseas investment drive, central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said Saturday. Full Story

China Coal approves US$3.1 billion Shanghai offer

The China Post - Coal Energy Co got the go ahead from shareholders to list its shares in Shanghai, the Shanghai Securities News said Saturday, in an initial public offering that could raise as much as US$3.1 billion. Full Story

Guangdong Dapeng starts LNG tank as coast demand rises

The China Post - Guangdong Dapeng LNG, operator of China's first import terminal for the fuel, said Saturday it has started a new tank to store super-cooled natural gas, as demand for the clean fuel rises on the booming Chinese coast. Full Story

China pledges loans to raise investment in the Caribbean

The China Post - China will provide about 4 billion yuan (US$530 million) in favorable loans over three years to Chinese companies investing in the Caribbean, the China Daily said Saturday, citing vice premier Wu Yi. Full Story

Overcapacity 'growing serious'

The China Post - Overcapacity in China's automobile industry is getting more serious and investment is growing excessively, state media reported Sunday. Full Story

Overcapacity 'growing serious'

The China Post - Overcapacity in China's automobile industry is getting more serious and investment is growing excessively, state media reported Sunday. Full Story

Intel breaks ground on China chip plant

The China Post - Intel Corp. held a groundbreaking ceremony Saturday for its first chip factory in China, expanding its presence in the booming Chinese computer industry and boosting Beijing's campaign to lure foreign high-tech investment. Full Story

Wall Street group visits Shanghai, lobbies China on financial reforms

The China Post - A Wall Street delegation led by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans visited China's business hub of Shanghai on Friday, part of American financial industries' campaign for greater access to the potentially huge market. Full Story

China stock market value exceeds economy

The China Post - China's domestic stock market valuations have ballooned with spiraling share prices to the point that they now exceed the value of the entire economy, state media said Friday. Full Story

Shanghai to change overseas firm listing rules

The China Post - The Shanghai Stock Exchange may change its listing rules to make it easier for overseas companies to sell shares, in a move to enhance the quality of publicly traded companies, said the bourse's vice president. Full Story

China's steel prices may cool down on export curbs

The China Post - China's steel prices, which rose 15 percent in August from a year ago, won't gain "significantly" this and next quarter as the nation will further curb exports and cool investment, the nation's top planner said. Full Story

China gives green light for Construction Bank IPO

The China Post - China's securities regulator said Friday it has approved an application by China Construction Bank, the country's biggest mortgage lender, to issue shares in what could be the country's biggest initial public offering yet. Full Story

Bank of America Corp., China bank to create JV

The China Post - Bank of America Corp. and China Construction Bank said they will create a leasing business aimed at Chinese power-generators and railroads. Full Story

Former GM China chief leaves SAIC for Chrysler

The China Post - Phil Murtaugh, former chief of General Motors' China operations, has resigned as vice president of GM's joint venture partner SAIC Motor Corp. to take up a post at Chrysler, SAIC said Friday. Murtaugh, who joined SAIC in June 2006, said he had "accepted an offer from Chrysler Corp. that I think will be a tremendous opportunity for me. At this stage of my career, it is an offer I just cannot turn down." Full Story

Room with 360-degree ocean view: US$40 million

The China Post - Promoters of the "world's most prestigious waterside address" are hoping to catch a wave of interest in luxury apartments aboard an ocean-going liner costing up to US$40 million each. Full Story

Beijing to pull down petitioner's village that is home to thousands

The China Post - Wrongly imprisoned for seven months, Ma Xuecheng came to China's capital seeking reparation and settled in a slum that is home to thousands of fellow petitioners. Full Story

China curbs bank lending to cool economy, inflation

The China Post - China ordered banks to put aside more money as reserves for the seventh time this year to cool lending and investment after inflation accelerated to a 10-year high. Full Story

China's Hu assures Bush on currency

The China Post - Chinese President Hu Jintao assured U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday that China would continue to reform its currency exchange system and "let the market play an increasing role", the White House said. Full Story

Cyberattacks cause damage, embarrassment

The China Post - Alleged Chinese cyberattacks on U.S. and German government computers are part of an espionage strategy aimed not just at gaining intelligence but causing disruption and embarrassment, Western officials and experts say. Full Story

Mattel recalls another 800,000 toys

The China Post - Mattel Inc.'s reputation took another hit after the world's largest toy maker announced a third major recall of Chinese-made toys in little more than a month because of excessive amounts of lead paint. Full Story

Asian trading partners tangle with China on quality and safety

The China Post - After hearing about dangerous Chinese products elsewhere, Indonesia this summer began testing popular Chinese-made items on its own store shelves. What it found has added to the list of horrors: mercury-laced makeup that turns skin black, dried fruit spiked with industrial chemicals, carcinogenic children's candy. Full Story

Rich Asians set for big 'luxury spending'

The China Post - The affluent young and elderly in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to account for 83 percent of spending on luxury goods and services by 2016, a report said Wednesday. Full Story

Bush says floating yuan would help balance trade

The China Post - U.S. President George W. Bush said Wednesday China could help reduce trade imbalances by floating its currency, and a White House aide said Bush may discuss the thorny issue in a meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Full Story

China may allow HK stock buying in two months

The China Post - China may launch a trial program allowing individual investors to buy Hong Kong-traded stocks within two months, a state-run newspaper reported Wednesday. The report by the China Securities Journal, citing unnamed sources, came amid speculation over when the program would begin. Full Story

Does China's rise boost global economy?

The China Post - The argument that China is stealing jobs from the West is lost on French entrepreneur Jean-Louis Desjoyaux. He is focused on meeting orders piling up from wealthy Chinese for his made-in-France swimming pools. Full Story

China defends its battered toy industry

The China Post - Stung by global recalls, China opened toy factories and a toy-testing lab to foreign media Tuesday, showing off workers in white lab coats scraping paint off plastic toys and twisting the legs and arms of action-figure dolls. Full Story

Bombardier expects strong Chinese demand

The China Post - Executives from plane maker Bombardier said Tuesday they expect strong demand from China as domestic air and business travel grows and the need for smaller-sized aircraft rises. Full Story

China's plan for stock-buying in Hong Kong faces further delays

The China Post - China's plan to allow individual investors to buy Hong Kong stocks faces further delays as top officials were concerned over a possible slump in mainland shares, a report said Tuesday. Full Story

China consumers key to ending reliance: WEF

The China Post - China's booming export-driven economy remains vulnerable to any changes in Western consumption patterns but its burgeoning domestic market could lessen this risk, the World Economic Forum said on Monday. Full Story

China's forex not invested in subprimes

The China Post - None of China's US$1.3 trillion in foreign reserves are invested in the U.S. subprime mortgage industry which in recent weeks has bruised global markets, state press reported Tuesday. Full Story

Mideast-China investment seen 'hampered by culture' at confab

The China Post - Greater investment between the Middle East and China is being hampered by a lack of understanding between the two cultures, a conference in the United Arab Emirates heard on Monday. Full Story

China, India airports struggle to meet air travel boom

The China Post - China and India's air infrastructure is creaking under the soaring demand for air travel and huge investment is needed to satisfy the boom, officials said Tuesday. Full Story

China Construction Bank's IPO plan to be reviewed

The China Post - China's securities regulator will this week review state lender China Construction Bank Corp.'s plan to issue shares in Shanghai in what could be the country's biggest initial public offering so far. Full Story

Shell, PetroChina sign conditional LNG deal

The China Post - Royal Dutch Shell PLC signed a conditional agreement with PetroChina Co. to sell 1 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas a year from the Gorgon project off the coast of Western Australia. Full Story

China: United States, Mexico's WTO complaint driven by politics

The China Post - China said a complaint by the United States and Mexico over Chinese tax breaks that led to a World Trade Organisation investigation was based on a "huge misunderstanding" and political agendas. Full Story

Qatar fund says looking to invest further into Asia

The China Post - State-owned Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which is reportedly interested in buying almost a third of the London Stock Exchange, said Tuesday it was considering expanding in Asia. Full Story

MSN's China partner wants out of JV

The China Post - The state-owned Chinese partner of MSN, Microsoft's online services group, wants to sell its holdings in the China-based joint venture, state press reported Tuesday. Full Story

China's pork prices to continue until next year

The China Post - China's pork prices, which have helped push inflation to a 10-year high, won't come down significantly until the second quarter of next year, an official said Tuesday. Prices of pork, China's favorite meat, have been driven up in part by an outbreak of blue ear pig disease, which sometimes kills pigs and causes sows to miscarry. Full Story

Flawed tests used on chemical in China clothes

The China Post - A TV consumer program in New Zealand used flawed tests that erroneously showed excessive levels of the chemical formaldehyde in children's clothes imported from China, New Zealand's retailers' association said Tuesday. Full Story

Truss says Chinese imports into Australia are safe

The China Post - Chinese food and other imports into Australia are safe, Australian Trade Minister Warren Truss said Tuesday, according to China's official Xinhua news agency. Full Story

Climate change trickier than trade for APEC

The China Post - Pacific Rim nations bickered Monday over a proposal to curb global warming, with host Australia saying a modest agreement on climate change would be a success. Full Story

China's massive footprint on Africa means commerce, wariness

The China Post - In the sweaty afternoon air of a West African market, shoe-seller Ousman Ka owes his job to China -- or, more precisely, to Lu Hui, the wrinkle-faced Chinese man in the blue sweater vest sitting behind him. Full Story

Carrefour vows to root out graft amid China kickback probe

The China Post - French retail giant Carrefour confirmed in a statement seen Monday that eight Chinese managers are being held by police in a kickback probe and vowed to root out such practices. Full Story

Major expansion of oil refineries planned

The China Post - China is planning a major expansion of its oil refineries to help reduce reliance on imports and keep up with demand, a state-run newspaper reported over the weekend. Full Story

Sinopec still No. 1 on China's top 500 companies list

The China Post - Sinopec, Asia's largest oil refiner, remains China's highest-grossing company, according to an annual list of the country's top 500 firms seen Monday. Full Story

China, European Union: Forex stockpile safe amid subprime fallout

The China Post - China said Monday none of its massive foreign exchange stockpile was invested in the teetering U.S. subprime mortgage sector, while a top EU official predicted the crisis would not choke off economic recovery. Full Story

Use of child labor in China is increasing: report

The China Post - Child labor is growing in China, a monitoring group said Monday, underscoring long-standing concerns voiced by human rights groups and even the International Olympic Committee. Full Story

China vows to clean up toxins amid food scares

The China Post - China will clamp down on foods tainted with illegal and excessive chemicals as it seeks to quell domestic and foreign alarm about toxins in meat, seafood and vegetables, the country's top agriculture official said. Full Story

Australia bans three brands of China toothpaste

The China Post - An Australian state has banned imports of three brands of Chinese toothpaste, saying they contain potentially lethal levels of a toxic chemical. Full Story

Security tightened in Sydney as officials start Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit

The China Post - Police tightened security Sunday ahead of a summit of Pacific Rim leaders that Australia's prime minister said should focus on finding a new path to combat climate change. Full Story

Beijing launches product safety drive

The China Post - Beijing, host of the 2008 Olympic Games, has vowed to shut down unlicensed restaurants and prevent harmful materials from tainting the food supply as part of a nationwide campaign to shore up food and product safety. Full Story

AmCham: Hong Kong pollution woes deterring expats

The China Post - Hong Kong's air pollution is making it more difficult for companies to attract foreign staff to the territory, a survey released on Sunday by the city's American Chamber of Commerce shows. Full Story

China's economic influence now extends from Australia to Africa

The China Post - For nearly three decades, Chinese peasants have left their villages for crowded dormitories and sweaty assembly lines, churning out goods for world markets. Now, China is turning the tables. Full Story

China's leaders launch public energy campaign

The China Post - China's leaders have called on ordinary people to help tackle the "urgent" problem of booming energy demand and massive pollution, which they warn threatens growth, launching a huge propaganda campaign Saturday. Full Story

China begins recall systems for food, toys

The China Post - China's first nationwide recall systems for unsafe food and toys came into effect Friday in one of the strongest steps taken by Beijing to clean up the country's scandal-hit manufacturing industry. Full Story

United States 'substandard' goods found in China

The China Post - China has found microscopic worms in wooden packaging from the United States and uncovered substandard U.S. vitamin pills and fish oil for children, Chinese media said on Friday, in the latest volley of cross border accusations. Full Story

The World Trade Organisation sets up panel to probe China tax regime

The China Post - The World Trade Organisation (WTO) on Friday launched a panel to investigate Chinese tax exemptions and refunds that the United States and Mexico allege give China's businesses an unfair advantage, diplomats said. Full Story

China overtakes Japan in Aussie trade

The China Post - China has overtaken Japan as Australia's number one trading partner, according to official figures released Friday. Full Story

Toys 'R' Us recalls China-made cases due to packaging that contains lead

The China Post - Toys "R" Us has recalled 27,000 crayon and paint sets made in China because the packaging of the wooden box contains lead, as does some of the watercolor paint within, company and government officials said Thursday. Full Story

China legislature passes anti-monopoly law

The China Post - China's legislature passed an anti-monopoly law Thursday that will require purchases of Chinese companies by foreign firms to go through a national security check, state media said. Full Story

Beijing to allow foreign banks to distribute funds: sources

The China Post - China plans to allow foreign banks to distribute products for domestic fund houses, opening up a new revenue source for overseas lenders in the fast-growing economy, sources close to the situation said Thursday. Full Story

Inflation may exceed 3% target: China banker

The China Post - China's inflation rate this year is likely to exceed the government's 3 percent target, a central bank deputy governor said Wednesday. Full Story

China sells US$79 billion in bonds to fund investment agency

The China Post - China began selling 600 billion yuan (US$79 billion; euro57.8 billion) of bonds Wednesday to finance a state body that will invest the country's foreign currency reserves, Xinhua News Agency reported. Full Story

China investment interest in Thailand rises 888%

The China Post - Chinese investment interest in Thailand soared 888 percent during the first 10 months of this fiscal year, media reports said Wednesday. Full Story

Daimler, BMW threaten China rivals over IPR

The China Post - German car makers DaimlerChrysler and BMW have threatened legal action against Chinese rivals which they accuse of making copies of their own models, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Full Story

Lower crude prices cuts CNOOC first half profits

The China Post - CNOOC, the country's top offshore oil producer, said Wednesday its first-half net profit fell 10.6 percent to 14.55 billion yuan (US$1.92 billion) due to lower crude prices and windfall tax. Full Story

Suzhou is best city to invest in China

The China Post - A survey by Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturer's Association (TEEMA) showed yesterday that cities Suzhou, Kunshan, Langfang, Nanjing, Jiangming, Nanchang and the Suzhou Gongye region are highly recommended by businessmen in China as the best places to invest. Full Story

U.S. recalls 300,000 Chinese-made Sponge Bob and Thomas Train toys

The China Post - Two US toy companies on Wednesday recalled more than 300,000 Chinese-made toys, saying they contained potentially dangerous levels of lead. The alert comes eight days after a massive global recall by US toy giant Mattel Inc., of 18 million toys that were made in China, and is the fourth recall this month of toys imported to the US from China. Full Story

China campaigns to restore consumer confidence at home and abroad

The China Post - Vice Premier Wu Yi announced that standards of food, drug, agricultural and other products, including those for exports, have to markedly improve before year's end. Full Story

High China pork prices prompt farm murders

The China Post-A husband and wife team of pig farmers have been stabbed to death by awould-be thief, the first casualties of a sharp rise in Chinese pork price, the Beijing News reported on Wednesday. Full Story