Subject: China IMP/EXP News (CN940110)

From: [email-masked] (wangc)
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 94 22:09:22 CST

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 #                                                                    # 
 #       C H I N A     I M P O R T / E X P O R T     N E W S          #
 #       ---------     -------------------------     -------          # 
 #                                                                    #
 #           A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER FROM THE CHINA-LINK CLUB             #
 #                                                                    #
 #                      E-mail: [email-masked]                  #
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                      January 10, 1994 (CN940110)

CONTENTS                                                           LINES
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A) Goods Wanted (3 items).............................................14
B) Goods For Sale (5 items)...........................................55
D) China Market Watch (6 items)......................................256
========================================================================

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   &  NOTES: Contact information for goods wanted or for sale is   &
   &         available on the Fax-On Demand system. The document   & 
   &         number for this issue is 2.                           & 
   &                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^                           &
   &         The fax number for retrieving info by fax is:         &
   &                       (317) 743-5299                          &
   &                                                               &
   &         A help file on how to use the Fax-on-demand system    &
   &         is archived at IFCSS.ORG under the directory          &
   &                        org/cnlink                             &
   &         and can be obtained through anonymous ftp.            &
   &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

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A: Goods Wanted (3 items)...................................... 14 lines
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1) INEXPENSIVE TOYS (#B9401101)

	Water guns, cap guns, dolls, cars and trucks etc.

2) TIRES (#B9401102)

	165 X 70R13 or 175 X 70R13
	1400 pcs
 	Target price $13.00/ piece

3) POLAROID CAMERAS (#B9401103)

	Poloroid Modle 600
	1200 pcs/month

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B: Goods For Sale (5 items)............................................55 lines
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1) IBM XT COMPUTERS (#S9401101)

   SPECIFICATIONS:  M250001 New Computer, Built-In Monitor,
                    3.5 Floopy Drive, 10MHZ, 512K expandable
                    to 640K, No Hard Drive, 90 Day Warranty.
   PRICE:  $295 Per Computer  F.O.B. New York.
   PAYMENT METHOD:  Letter Of Credit.

2) 1ST QUALITY "A" RECYCLED JEANS (#S9401102)

   SPECIFICATIONS:  Manufacturer: Assorted Jeans; Grade "A" 1st
                    quality Recycled Men & Womens Jeans.  No frays,
                    rips or tears; Mens and Women's Sizes; Unlimited
                    quantity available.  Packed: 70 Lbs Bales;
                    Minimum Order:  200 each.
   PRICE:  200 pairs for $3.25 each;  500 pairs for $3.00 each;
           1000 pairs for $2.40 each; Container Load 40,000 pairs for
           $2.25 each.
   QUANITITY:  Unlimited Available.
   LOADING PLACE:  F.O.B. New Jersey.
   PAYMENT METHOD:  Letter Of Credit.

3) MINT CANDY (#S9401103)

   SPECIFICATIONS:  Little Red and White Mints.
   MANUFACTURER:    Star Lite.
   QUANTITY:   30 Lbs. Per Case.
   COST:  Cost for 30 Lbs. $18.
   MINIMUM ORDER:  300 Cases.
   UNLIMITED AVAILABLE.
   LOADING PLACE:  F.O.B.  New Jersey.
   PAYMENT METHOD:  Letter Of Credit.

4) SWEATERS- FACTORY SECONDS & LIKE NEW RECYCLED (#S9401104)

   SPECIFICATION:  These Sweaters are beautiful.  Most of them
                   sold for over $25 each.  WE ARE SELLING AT
                   $2.25 EACH.
   QUANTITY:   Only 1000 in inventory.
   LOADING PLACE:  F.O.B. New Jersey.
   PAYMENT METHOD:  Letter Of Credit.

5) CIGARATTES (American Cigarattes) (#S9401105)

   SPECIFICATIONS:  Can be exported from N. America and the price 25-30
                    cents per pack delivered.  Container load contains
                    approximate 500,000 packs.
   QUANITITY:  5 Containers Available for Immediate delivery.
   LOADING PLACE:  Somewhere from N. America.
   PAYMENT METHOD:  Letter Of credit.

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C: CHINA MARKET WATCH (6 items).......................................256 lines
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1) DEVALUATION PROMPTS GOLD RUSH IN SOME CITIES .......................65 lines

05-JAN-1994; 05-JAN-1994 by Qiu Qi, Liu Hong and Li Wen

MAJOR Chinese cities are seeing a new gold rush for rings, necklaces and other
certificates (FEC) last week.announcement of the phasing out of foreign exchange

The gold rush in Shanghai first surfaced at the city's Friendship Store on
December 29 after a local radio station broadcast a news report in the late
afternoon about the unification of the dual rate and the gradual withdrawal of
FEC.

Gold sells for 132-to-138 yuan a gram, but costs only 90 FEC.

"The spending spree started around 6:30 pm that very afternoon," said a manager
in charge of the gold jewellery section at the Shanghai Friendship Store.

In the next three hours, sales amounted to 180,000 FEC, he said. The ordinary
daily sales volume is between 40,000 to 50,000 FEC.

The buying spree continued in Shanghai and echoed in other cities.

In fact, the gold rush in Beijing started even earlier.

At the Beijing Department Store all the gold jewellery was sold, with sales
volume hitting 220,000 FEC on December 30 and 430,000 FEC on December 31.

The Beijing Friendship Store reported an all-time high daily gold sales volume
of 300,000 FEC on December 31. The usual daily sales volume is only 5,000 FEC.

At the Shanghai Friendship Store, sales hit 200,000 FEC on December 30 and
610,000 FEC the next day.

The sales fever resulted in large crowds around gold jewellry counters. In
Shanghai, the crowds smashed some of the glass counters at the Friendship Store.
In Guangzhou, however, the gold market has been normal these days as most FEC
through their relatives or in Shenzhen as prices are cheaper and the qualityKong
higher there.

And people there have more Hong Kong dollars than FECs because employees at
joint ventures and foreign companies are often paid in the Hong Kong currency.

The gold-buying spree in Beijing and Shanghai has cooled down since January 1,
when the central bank said FEC can continue to be used for the time being. But
gold jewellery continued to be the best seller in the market.

Chinese people often buy gold to keep the value of their savings and avoid
inflation.

"Although the government said FEC can still be used, who knows when that will
change? The sooner I get rid of the FEC, the better," one middle-aged woman
customer said.

Another customer who bought a 380 FEC gold ring yesterday was very satisfied --
he only waited for 40 minutes. A three-hour wait was common a few days ago.

Yesterday at lunch, there were at least 30 people waiting in line to buy gold
jewellery at the Beijing Friendship Store under the supervision of the store's
security staff.

Du Baoxiang, an official of the Beijing Department Store, said the store's gold
supply can now meet the demand. END

2) MASTERCARD SAYS CHINA WILL SOON BE TOP BUSINESS....................38 lines

04-JAN-1994; 04-JAN-1994 by Xie Liangjun

CHINA is on its way to becoming the largest market for MasterCard International
Corporation of the United States.

This comment was made yesterday by MasterCard International President Alex W.
before too long."s quoted as saying that China "might well be our largest market

He said his Chinese associates have made outstanding advances in developing the
MasterCard franchise in China, adding the country now ranks first in the
of sales volume gene rated.ond only to the United States worldwide in the amount

Hart is now in Beijing to express his appreciation to MasterCard's Chinese
members for their help in making MasterCard the fastest-growing global credit
card in the world.

Sources from MasterCard's Beijing Representative Office estimated that by the
end of 1993 there were more than 3 million MasterCards in China, a 200-per-cent
rise over 1992.

At present, MasterCard has five member banks handling MasterCard business in
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Agricultural Bank of China and thee
Bank of Communic ations.

to promote its technical systems support.ional computers at Chinese member sites

It will also continue to offer training programmes to help the professional
staff of its Chinese members build and manage their MasterCard business. The
training programme, under the name of MasterCard University, is expected to
expand in 1994.

Headquartered in New York City, MasterCard International Incorporated is one of
the world's leading payment services franchises. In 1992, 187.5 million
MasterCard cards generated more than $258.9 billion in transaction volume at
10.6 million acceptance l ocations worldwide. END

3) INVESTORS FLOCK TO BOHAI BAY AREA..................................34 lines

03-JAN-1994; 03-JAN-1994

Foreign investment is increasing steadily in the economically booming Bohai Bay
area of North China.

Beijing and Tianjin cities. includes Liaoning, Hebei and Shandong provinces, and

It boasts a good location, rich natural resources and a skilled workforce.

The amount of overseas investment last year in the area was equal to the total
for the previous eight years; and this year's figure in the first nine months
matched last year's total.

The number of newly-approved foreign-funded companies this year surpassed
10,000, and the total amount of foreign funds hit 1 million yuan ($114,940),
according to statistics issued in September this year.

Observers say along with the fast growth in quantity, foreign investment in the
area is shifting to multifaceted manufacturing from the previous concentration
on processing only.

In addition, the scale of projects financed by foreign firms has also been
expanded.

Many transnational firms have located their headquarters and built factories
there.

Tianjin has a dozen world-renowned electronics companies who have built their
headquarters or manufacturing there, and more than 20 international groups have
approached Tianjin about co-operation.  (Xinhua) END

4) COMPUTER SALES SOAR ON DOMESTIC MARKET.............................65 lines

04-JAN-1994; 04-JAN-1994 by Pei Jianfeng

Domestic computer sales will continue to swell in the next few years as China
modernizes, experts predict.

The number of computers in China has expanded by more than 30 per cent annually
in the past several years.

"This growth rate will not drop in the next few years," said Zhou Muchang,
Director of Centre for Computer and Microelectronics Industry Development
(CCID).

of 40 per cent over 1992. Prices of personal computers range from 3,000 yuanease
($350) to 30,000 yuan ($3,500) on the Chinese market at present.

The demand will increase drastically in the country as computers quickly enter
various industries and people's lives, Zhou said.

Government is now taking steps to set up three national information networks
for public information, foreign trade information and financial and commercial
information.

"The three huge projects will surely promote the proliferation of computers in
the country's finance, commerce, foreign trade, tourism and information
sectors," Zhou said.

Foreign computer companies are being lured to the country by the vast market
potential.

China to grab their share of the computer market.ates, more than 50 have entered

In the coming year, China will open its computer market wider to foreign
companies, according to officials from the Ministry of Electronics.

They revealed that China will further lower its tariffs on imported computers
and abolish the import license system.

However, some people are worried that opening the domestic market wider will be
a disaster for the country's fledgling computer industry, which is now squeezed
by imported products.

But Zhou said he is optimistic about the development of China's domestic
computer industry, adding the impact of opening the market will be much less
than expected.

Currently, although the government imposes import licenses, foreign products
have flocked to the country through informal and sometimes illegal channels.

It is estimated that more than 200,000 computers were brought into the country
last year without import licenses.

Lowering tariffs will block the informal import channels and put domestic
manufacturers in a position to compete with foreign companies on an equal
footing, Zhou said.

"The more open the market, the more quickly domestic industries will develop,"
Zhou said.

During the first 10 months of 1993, the Chinese computer industry earned $1.088
billion from exports, outstripping its imports of $1.05 billion, according to
the General Administration of Customs. END

5) STOCK INFORMATION..................................................37 lines

08-JAN-1994; 08-JAN-1994

SHANGHAI -- Share prices closed higher yesterday as the composite index rose
10.4 points to close at 879.64.

Turnover reached 1.75 billion yuan as 1.68 million lots of shares changed hands.
performance list.eutical improved 0.6 yuan, or 9.38 per cent, to top the A share

or 6.45 per cent.e of Shanghai, on the other hand, suffered a loss of 0.81 yuan,

Analysts attributed the recent rise of the Shanghai stock prices to improving
investor confidence following successful listing of large chips in the new year.
The B-share index eased 1.82 points to close at 101.65.

Yaohua Pilkington Glass and Tyre & Rubber went down 6 and 5 cents
respectively.   (Guotai Securities)

SHENZHEN -- Share prices fell yesterday as the composite index dropped 3.02
points to 238.12.

The A-share index was 3.28 points lower than Thursday, closing at 245.37.

The B-share index declined 0.22 points to close at 142.63.

Of the B shares, Vanke gained 30 Hong Kong cents, Yili and Lionda 10 cents and
Fiyta 5 cents.

On the other hand, China Bicycle and China Southern Glass dropped 10 cents to
close at HK$9 and HK$14.4 respectively. China Merchant Wharf and Teli lost 5
cents.

Seven B shares were unchanged. And Petrochemical, Victor Onward, Huafa
Electronics and Lizhu did no trade yesterday.   (CD - Zhonghui) END

6) SWAP MARKET........................................................17 lines

08-JAN-1994; 08-JAN-1994

The US dollar closed at a low of 8.61 yuan yesterday at Hubei Foreign Exchange
Swap Market, the lowest of the day across the country.

In Tianjin, however, the dollar was traded at 8.725 yuan at the closing of the
local Forex Swap Market. The closing prices was 8.721 yuan in Hainan Province,
8.705 yuan in Beijing National, 8.703 yuan in Zhejiang Province, 8.7 yuan in
Xiamen, 8.72 yuan i n Wuhan, 8.71 yuan in Jiangsu Province.

The dollar closed at 8.693 yuan in Shanghai, 8.698 yuan in Shenzhen, 8.699 yuan
in Qingdao, 8.69 yuan in Chongqing and 8.696 yuan in Dalian.

The Hong Kong dollar closed at 1.125 yuan in Hainan and 1.121 yuan in
Shenzhen.       (CD - Zhonghui) END

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