An armchair ride

2013-01-18 09:07

China has been going through its coldest winter in nearly 30 years, and many furniture makers, going through a chilly period of their own, may have been consoled in that at least they are not alone. And then there is Foshan Hong Qiao Furniture, a company whose name means rainbow, and whose summers never seem to end.

Total recall

2013-01-18 09:07

In the race to become the world's biggest auto market, Chinese carmakers have suffered much fewer setbacks than those in other countries caused by vehicle recalls due to safety defects.

Easy on the eye

2013-01-18 09:07

Ivy Zhong's New Year gift was a healthy set of financial figures. Three months after the purchase of the Hollywood effects company Digital Domain, which produced the visual effects for Titanic (1999) and many other Hollywood blockbusters, Zhong, vice-chairman of Beijing Galloping Horse Media Group, says that the visual effects company is in great shape.

Drink king's new tonic: luxury on tap

2013-01-18 09:07

Can this really be the man who had an early business venture selling something as simple as Popsicles, who went on to make a mint flogging soft drinks and who has a reputation for leading a life of austerity?

Gaining trust on a global scale

2013-01-18 09:07

Cyril Camus is the fifth generation of his family to run what is considered one of the world's great spirit brands.

The secret is out

2013-01-11 09:43

Rene Pieter Bulthuis recently went hunting for razors and blades in Shanghai, despite being freshly shaven and couth. He spent all day in and out of stores, including Wal-Mart, Lotte Mart and Tesco, but couldn't find what he was looking for. Amid the fleet of Gillettes and big name brands, he was searching for something cheaper - that elusive private label.

Local ventures seek more partnerships

2013-01-11 09:43

Li Daomo, the food development manager of China Heli Mart, from Southeast China's Guizhou province, has been assigned to Shanghai to find development opportunities for the retailer's private label products.

Quotable

2013-01-11 09:43

"Chinese companies are more likely to buy firms in the United States to acquire their technological know-how, while they buy European companies to secure brand names."

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

2013-01-11 09:43

Breaking through

2013-01-11 09:43

Times are tough for Typhoo Tea Ltd, the London-based tea brand. Sales in Europe have dropped because of the recession. Costs are rising.

Fitness first

2013-01-11 09:43

Many people know Xiamen for its exotic foods, great architecture and mild climate. In the past decade, it has been ranked as China's "most suitable" city to live in and as its most romantic. But under this relaxed, leisurely charm on the surface beats a strong industrial pulse, pumping its way to economic success.

Fair gives Xiamen a healthy spotlight

2013-01-11 09:43

New platform aims to connect chinese firms with overseas customers

The world's fat burns, and a city cheers

2013-01-11 09:43

It's the chair that promises to turn your acres of ugly fat into kilos of prime muscle and give you a million-dollar look. All it takes, the television advertisement will tell you, is a few minutes a day in the AB Lounge, and you too will have the kind of abdomen and sexy muscle lines that will leave others breathless.

Mining fortunes may lie in London

2013-01-11 09:43

China's search for mining resources in Africa is increasingly extending to companies listed on the London Stock Exchange, financial and legal advisers in London say.

Tasty meals on wheels

2013-01-11 09:43

The Chinese auto market last year may have failed to bounce back to the record highs of a few years ago, but it has performed well enough to provide the bread and butter for foreign car manufacturers struggling in Europe.

Paperwork puts Britain behind

2013-01-11 09:43

Growing numbers of Chinese tourists are visiting Britain, but the country has been slow in moving to simplify its visa procedure and encouraging more.

Wheel of fortune

2013-01-04 09:44

For a city that was named after Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhongshan in pinyin), the leader of the 1911 Revolution that ended imperial rule in China, Zhongshan has really come of age in the investment sweepstakes. Much like the revolutionary leader who played a key role in the development of modern China, Zhongshan is also providing the right growth impetus for the booming gaming and entertainment industry in China.

Gaming firms have eye on overseas markets

2013-01-04 09:44

Zhongshan charts ambitious plan to become a global design and manufacturing hub

Changing the game

2013-01-04 09:44

Though casual and social gaming is stealing a march over video games in the console gaming market, some companies are still betting big on the popularity of their flagship products in emerging markets.

Quotable.

2013-01-04 09:44

"China's top leaders have highlighted the importance of urbanization, and the growth in the service sector reflects that, with foreign investors realizing the potential."