Steinway tries to hit the right notes

2013-08-02 08:56

German luxury piano maker Steinway & Sons is banking on the close links between music and urban entertainment to hit the high notes in China.

Solar panel industry weighs the future

2013-08-02 08:56

The European Union has announced that it has reached an amicable solution with China in the trade dispute over solar panels. The feud had dragged on for a year, affecting solar panel exports from China to the bloc worth 21 billion euros ($28 billion) a year.

Right time for investment

2013-08-02 08:56

Slower growth in China and rigid regulations in India have not deterred businesses from both sides exploring investment opportunities in each other's markets, say experts.

Gathering of the brands

2013-08-02 08:56

Though recent government austerity measures have dampened the expansion plans of several foreign luxury brands in China, it has not led to a decline in the demand for such products. Lower prices for the recognized brands are proving to be an irresistible draw for Chinese shoppers.

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

2013-07-26 11:07

Quotable

2013-07-26 11:07

"The country will soon use scientific methods to record enterprises' carbon emissions in major industries and find ways to allocate emissions quotas appropriately, in preparation for a nationwide carbon emissions trading market."

All change in textile city

2013-07-26 09:07

The once-prosperous textile makers of Suzhou may be at a tipping point. As is happening in other industries and cities in China, they are on the cusp of a major shift from being an export-driven, inexpensive, mass-production industry to becoming a more innovative, competitive and better quality.

Choosing the silk road for success

2013-07-26 09:07

By introducing time-honored Song brocade to the outside world, the Saint Joy brand can see itself becoming the Hermes of the Chinese silk industry.

Industry cuts cloth to measure up

2013-07-26 09:07

Challenges always present opportunities and the impetus for companies to improve or transform, believes Zhang Ziyan, the president of Jiangsu Guotai International Group, a major Chinese trading enterprise.

Realities of urban development

2013-07-26 09:07

Urbanization, with all its advantages, has also created challenges for policymakers, and prominent among them is the resettlement of people from areas that are earmarked for redevelopment.

Mixing things up a little

2013-07-26 09:07

Looking at the new urban complex that is poised to redefine the Shenzhen skyline, it is hard to imagine that it stands on what was once flower and bird markets.

So much to choose from

2013-07-26 09:07

Increasing sophistication is walking hand in hand with urbanization to retail counters all around China. As well as creating millions more consumers with rising incomes, rapid urban expansion is also creating far more demanding and discriminating consumers, and in the process, creating new opportunities for foreign brands.

Big moves for small peddlers

2013-07-26 09:07

Britain's folding bike, the Brompton, has embarked on a sturdy little trail across China hoping to provide a convenient commuting and recreation option for the country's upwardly mobile urban population.

Getting it right on site

2013-07-26 09:07

"Location, location, location", the mantra of homebuyers and sellers, is equally paramount when it comes to setting up shop - and is especially so as China's urbanization drive continues to present retailers with various opportunities for expansion and development.

Quotable

2013-07-19 09:17

"Education is one of the most important investments within a family, particularly for mid- and high-income customers who expect high returns for sending their children overseas. We've created the index to show that colleges ranking at the top do not necessarily guarantee a handsome payback. Other factors such as tuition fees, living costs and employment prospects have to be considered as well."

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

2013-07-19 09:17

Hope of solar solution brightens horizon

2013-07-19 09:17

Beijing and Brussels are expected to reach a compromise this week on the price of China's solar panel exports to Europe after two rounds of tough negotiations.

Economic slowdown 'due to rebalancing'

2013-07-19 09:17

China's economy grew by 7.6 percent year-on-year in the first half, a marked slowdown in comparison with near double-digit growth recorded two years ago.

Investment falters as industrial activity flags

2013-07-19 09:17

China's investment growth decelerated further in the second quarter amid flagging industrial activity, and it may remain at a low ebb, economists say, as a massive stimulus is not on the cards.

Turning point on labor

2013-07-19 09:17

The road to sustainable urbanization in China depends largely on the structural shift from manufacturing-fueled growth to the development of a knowledge economy, for which education and training plays a central role.