"Made-in-China" ad debuts on CNN Asia

A very special advertisement promoting the "Made-in-China" brand has already made its debut on CNN Asia, and it won't be long before it premieres in Europe and North America.

The 30-second ad uses only products that are "Made in China", from running shoes, high fashion, to even air planes. It will soon be aired to audiences in North America and Europe as part of a global campaign against common stereotypes about Chinese products.

Liu Libin, Director of China Advertising Association of Commerce said "We've had this idea for years, and we feel such an ad should improve the image of 'Made in China'. We've invested tens of million yuan on the whole process of filming and airing."

Brand study expert said "More countries have launched anti-dumping investigations since the beginning of this year. China's been through the most severe trade containment since entering the WTO."

The theme of the ad is "Made in China, made with the world". It aims to highlight how Chinese and overseas firms work together to produce high-quality goods. On show are products used in daily life involving cooperation between different firms. These include running shoes made with American sports technology, and an iPod player with software from Silicon valley, a French-designed fashion label and a European-designed refrigerator.

Freakish Design of Apparel in Beijing Fashion Week

It has become the the world's third-largest trading power, the biggest acquirer of foreign public debt and has been hailed the new super power marching its way to world domination.

But if the models marching down the catwalk in China are anything to go by, loss of economic control won't be the only domination the west will have to worry about.

Designers of the future showed off their collections at a graduation show during Fashion Week sporting the impractical, the hideous and the downright bizarre.

One thing is for sure though,the graduates of Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology have a vision - and although it doesn't necessarily include being able to see where you are going, it appears punctuality is paramount.

Sporting a clock-inspired all-in-one, you will never again be late for dinner, miss that all important meeting, or have to stop and ask for the time - because you will be wearing it.

Other designs at China Fashion Week in Beijing featured monochrome, geometric shapes and Darth Vader chic.

If you are unsure of what to do with a leftover Santa outfit this Christmas, the beard would make a good alternative to growing your locks.

The bi-annual fashion extravaganza showcases China's fashion houses and their latest collections to buyers all over the world.

New Opportunities for China Apparel Industry Growth

Rapid economic transformation and government efforts have made China a dominant player in the global textile and apparel trade. Chinese textile and apparel products now constitute an important segment of apparel and textile markets of various developed and developing economies. The country has gained a competitive edge on account of its favorable economic environment, government support, tariffs and tax incentives, SEZ culture, and low labor and raw material cost.

The changing retail industry landscape, coupled with rising purchasing power and increasing influence of Western culture, is also giving a new meaning to the domestic apparel market of China. The emergence of middle class, growing young population and rapid globalization of culture is fuelling the demand for branded apparel in the country. This is attracting the foreign and domestic players to tap the rising demand of branded (as well as mass) segment products.

The emergence of China as one of the largest consumer markets will spur the apparel consumption in coming years. Consumers will prefer more fashionable and branded products. Despite the rise in purchasing power and preference for branded products, mass segment products will continue dominating the apparel purchase in the country. Changing trends and rising consumption will give rise to a new era of apparel and textile industry in China, says “China Apparel Industry - New Opportunities for Growth”, a new research report by RNCOS. As per the report, global financial crisis of 2008 and changing market conditions worldwide will hardly affect China’s dominance in apparel and textile industry.

The research report critically evaluates the current and past performance of the industry and gives a detailed overview on it. It thoroughly discusses factors critical to the success of the apparel and textile industry in China. The report is aimed at offering clients a strategic insight into the concerned industry so that they can better analyze the opportunities which they can leverage to become the market leader.

China Biologic Products Revenue for 2008 increased 44.3%

China Biologic Products, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CBPO) ("China Biologic" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company which is one of the leading plasma-based pharmaceutical companies in China, has reported a net income of $11.98m, or $0.56 per diluted share, for 2008, an increase of 46.5%, compared to $8.18m, or $0.37 per diluted share, for 2007.

Commencing January of 2008, the SFDA implemented stricter pharmaceutical GMP inspection standards designed to intensify supervision of drug producers and ensure drug quality. The new inspection standards include 259 articles, up from 225 articles in the previous standards, covering areas such as the sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing processes, self-inspection processes at each stage of production and transportation.

The plasma-based industry has been immune from the impact of the ongoing global financial crisis as the demand for the products has out-paced supply. As a result, the Company's selling price, cost of revenue and operating expenses during 2008 were not impacted by the global financial turmoil.

Currently, China Biologic is the only approved manufacturer of plasma-based biopharmaceuticals in Shandong Province, which has a population of 93 million. China Biologic currently produces about 200 tons of plasma-based products per year and has 700 tons of annual production capacity. The Company is pursuing an aggressive acquisition strategy aimed at becoming the largest non-state-owned producer of plasma-based products in China.

Revenue for the full year 2008 increased 44.3% to $46.75m from $32.4m in 2007. The increase in revenues for 2008 is primarily attributable to a general increase in the price of plasma-based products which was partially offset by the sales volume decrease except for human immunoglobulin, and the foreign exchange translation, which accounted for 12.5% of the increase.

Chao Ming Zhao, CEO of China Biologic Products, said: "We are pleased to report strong revenue and net income results for 2008. We believe that our significant operating leverage demonstrates the success of the marketing strategies that we implemented in 2008. More recently, we were pleased to announce that our subsidiary, Shandong Taibang Biological Products, has completed the government approval process for the transfer of 35% equity interest in Xi'an Huitian Blood Products.

"We expect to close the Huitian acquisition, as well as the previously announced Qianfeng acquisition, in the near term. We expect that both of these acquisitions combined will transform China Biologic into the largest privately held plasma-based biopharmaceutical company in China."

China goods cheeper in Nepal due to truck fare decrease

Due to a drastic decrease in transportation fare along the Lhasa-Kathmandu route, Chinese goods are becoming cheaper. The Lhasa-Kathmandu route includes the world's longest downhill run--a drop of 4200m in just over 160kms of heart-stopping descent Tibet is still one of the most remote regions in the world and any visit will be an adventure.

Rajan Thapaliya's is a case in point. A few months ago, he used to pay the trucker up to Rs. 250,000 for each truckload of goods imported to Kathmandu from Lhasa in Tibet. On Wednesday, however, a truckload of goods cost him just Rs. 35,000 in transport fare. Thapaliya's imported blanket costs Rs. 1,800 instead of Rs. 2000.

Truckers have been competing to transport goods at the lowest possible rate after the Chinese administration decided to allow more Nepali containers to enter its territory a month ago, Hari Dahal, General Secretary of the Nepal Truck Container Professionals' Organisation, says.

“We began importing goods via the sea route as the fare through the Tatopani route rose to a staggering Rs. 300,000 per container,” said General Secretary of the Nepal Trans-Himalayan Commerce Association Keshav Rayamajhi.

According to him, around 60 percent of Chinese goods needed for the summer are being imported through the sea routes. “It costs around Rs. 200,000 to bring in a container full of goods by sea,” says Rayamajhi.

Earlier, truckers and importers fixed Rs. 60,000 as the fare for transportation of each truckload of goods from Khasa to Kathmandu, but the NTCPO could not enforce the same, importers complained. High transportation cost has always been a bone of contention between truckers and importers.

Rayamajhi says the price of Chinese goods may go down by 10-15 percent if the fare remains steady for sometime.

Officials at the Tatopani Customs Office, however, claim that their measures, aimed at controlling smuggling, have paid off. “Earlier, truckers used to charge exorbitant fares for transportation of smuggled goods,” according to Chudamani Devkota, Chief of the Tatopani Customs Office.

He says the fare has gone down also because transporters have relaxed their turn-based transportation system.

According to Krishna Gaire, an importer of readymade garments, the fare decreased also due to decline in demand for garments, which is quite normal during off-season.

China Boosts Car Makers through New Stimulus Plan

As the basic foundation for industrial and enterprise development, talent strategy is essential. At present, China is experiencing a critical period of auto industry development. In the scenario of global fierce competition, the shortage of talents has emerged as a "bottleneck" impeding rapid progress of the industry. Hence the key factor to sustainable development of automobile industry lies on talents.

China now has unveiled a wide-ranging stimulus plan to boost key industries as part of a series of measures designed to counter the effects of a global economic slowdown.

This package includes the halving of sales tax on small cars and subsidies designed to revive the country's car industry, one of the pillars of the world's third-largest economy.

For about 30 years of reform and opening up to the outside world, China's annual auto output increased to near 9 million from 150,000, together with ever-increased production scale. With the rapid development of auto industry, the talent force is continuously expanding.

On the 4th China Auto Human Resource Forum, the senior expert of the FAW Group Corporation said, with more highly skilled talents, we can promote industrial development and strive for automobile 'creative' big power from 'manufacturing' big power.

It is reported that more than 200 participants from different enterprises, colleges and universities, research institutions gathered at the forum and discussed the auto talent training and education, the cooperation mechanism among government, enterprise, college and university, research institutions.

More Recall of China-Made Cribs in U.S

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and a Taiwanese crib distributor have recalled 56,450 more Chinese-made cribs sold nationwide for posing danger to infants and toddlers. There were a total 19 reports of wooden crib slats breaking and the gap created can trap and strangle babies.

The CPSC and Jardine Enterprises made the joint announcement of the recall Tuesday after receiving a report of a 22-month-old child falling through the gap between the crib slats when a slat broke. The child was not injured.

A US firm has recalled almost 1.6 million cribs made in China, Indonesia and Taiwan after two babies died.New York-based Delta Enterprises refused to give further details but a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry urged consumers and producers to report faulty products.
The China National Furniture Association said it was not aware of the recall, but said Chinese companies may not be the ones to blame.

'It's possible that the safety risks lay in the designs or standards made by clients, while Chinese companies were just following up.'

The crib recall is one of the largest in U.S. history and follows another recall of 2,000 cribs, also made in China, which was issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday.
The CPSC warned consumers not to use three models of the products, namely Dark Pine Olympia Lifetime Crib, Antique Walnut Capri Single Crib and White Capri Lifetime Crib. The recalled cribs were manufactured and exported from 2004 to 2007 and are sold at KidsWorld, Geoffrey Stores, Toys "R" Us, and Babies "R" Us stores nationwide, and at babiesrus.com.
It comes about a year after a massive recall of Chinese toys tainted with lead and sold by toy firm Mattel.

In June 2008, the CPSC and Jardine also voluntarily recalled 320,000 cribs that pose similar hazards to babies.