Chinese market research agency SARS procedures: Market research is an essentially social activity when it requires primary data collection among consumers. While much publicity on the effects of SARS in China has been focused on the airline, health-care, tourism, and restaurant industries, secondary effects are wide ranging.

Asia Pacific IT professionals to outnumber other regions by 2006: It was only a matter of time before the center of the IT and computer programming world moved towards Asia. A new IDC report estimates that the Asia Pacific will house more computer programmers than any other region including North America and Europe by 2006.

Cautions on China: The worst assumption to make is that China is already a free market-driven economy with all the associated assumptions of free demand and supply. China as a whole remains very much a developing nation with all the associated risks.

WPP Expands into Chinese Advertising Market: WPP, the world's leading advertising, market research and branding communications group announced today that it had acquired 25% of the well established Shanghai Advertising - one of China's pioneer advertising groups.

China October Retail Sales Up: While consumers in the rest of the world remain listless, there seems to be no stop to consumer growth in China. During the Asian financial crisis, China was the only Asian nation to display strong growth, and now during a time when analysts are talking of a "double dip" recession in the US and murmuring under their breath of 1929 and 1987, China continues to play the role of the recalcitrant.

China to become the factory of the world: China will become the "factory of the world", according to international economics guru, Professor of Economics at Columbia University New York and Nobel Lareate Robert Mundell.

Toyota enters China auto market as a laggard: Japan's Toyota entered the Chinese auto industry late, but in the end the potential of the domestic market, softening of Chinese policies towards foreign companies and low cost manufacturing advantages made the decision inevitable.

Chinese home ownership soars - an increasingly sophisticated market segment: Chinese home ownership is soaring, and with it the emergence of a market for related products and services that is growing fast in sophistication.

China a new pillar of the world economy - McKinsey: Well, the speaker after all was the head of McKinsey's China biz, but Pan Wangpo's recent comment that China is 'a new pillar of the world economy' makes practical sense and reminds us that International Business will never be the same.

China sees mad cows in leading foreign cosmetic brands: Despite stringent testing in Europe, China seems to be banning several cosmetic products from leading European brand manufacturers as they may contain ingredients that cause Mad Cow disease.

China economy - What can we believe?: Researchers are frequently frustrated at the problem of accessing or purchasing valid up-to-date data on Asian economies. China, as the economy in which there is the most interest, amplifies the problem.

Electronic brands relocating to China: Japanese companies like Toshiba are part of the move that is making China a top electronics manufacturing centre, providing unwelcome competition to other low cost centres in South East Asia, and as the labour market matures, other East Asian countries should have cause for concern as well.

Chinese yuppies set to slurp Ugandan coffee: While the up-market coffee shop trend is showing signs of stagnation in Europe, US and the more mature Asian economies of Hong Kong and Singapore, the new yuppies of Beijing are warming to the idea of paying more than 10 times the price of a street corner coffee for the privilege of consuming it in 'exclusive' trendy hangouts.

China to become the world's biggest beer market soon: The extent of the China consumer market is being reinforced by coporate power plays and brewers rushing in to gret their share.

China's Top of the Pops: Interested in celebrity endorsements or a recognizable ditty for that advertising campaign? China has their own 'Top 40' or 'Top of the Pops'. Get down and groovy with what turns on China's tennyboppers...

Labor unrest rises in China: A broad working class consumer market segment in China ala US, will be slow to develop, underlined by increasing reports of labour unrest in China. The attention and targeting to a small economically advantaged upper middle class and usually young market sector is very sensible for the immediate and medium term future.

China's widening income gap: The day when China can boast a broad-based middle-ground consumer similar to that achieved in the USA is much further away than most think.

A luxury brand for China: Of course China's upper middle class (who would think we would ever say that!) will spring for luxury brands. Just the same as their expatriate bretheren...

China's foreign investment catalogue: The Xinhua news agency has released a catalogue detailing areas in which foreign investment is encouraged and those in which it is barred

Is the Chinese dream any different?: At night falls, when in the security of their own room, are a Chinese consumer's dreams much different from those of say a North American? Or indeed, are they even more so?

China to overtake Japan as Intel's biggest customer this year or next: Intel's Chief Executive Craig Barrett says China will overtake Japan as their biggest customer in 2002 or 2003

The Golden Arches come crashing down - McDonalds told to remove the Big M in China: Recognizable logos and symbols are one of the more valuable assets of a brand. They raise brand recognition and recall, and can trigger positive feelings. However Beijing has a negative feeling about McDonalds' Golden Arches..

China second largest Asian Ad market: Market Research company AC Nielsen today reported that China was the largest advertising market in Asia outside Japan last year

China's tourism industry in growth mode: China's tourism industry is set to grow with 2001 tourism revenue increasing 10% over the previous year.

Global brands charge into China: The Americans here are selling not just products but a culture....

3G Research in China: Motorola and China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC), China's largest mobile phone network operator, today announced the signing of a cooperative agreement to begin a 3G business service dimensioning research project in China.

China second largest economy by 2030 - Lehman: Further confidence in Chinese economic growth potential was provided this week by Lehman Brothers - the investment bank based in the US.

China's chip industry: Some useful statistics from the Taipei Times on the Chinese and Taiwanese semi-conductor industries.

Japanese cars dominate Chinese car import market: While US auto makers have been targeting China for several years, Japanese imports continue to dominate Chinese car sales, according to Japan Today. Expect that to continue while the Yen remains low, and Japan continues to manufacture moderately priced products for the middle class.