It would effectively save costs and even make profits to divide the current CRC system into several regional companies with a proper shareholding structure to optimize the country's railway service resources and networks."

Luo Renjian, researcher at the Institute of Transport Research at the National Development and Reform Commission. Mounting debts at state-owned China Railway Corp Group have sparked calls to split up the country's main railway service provider. Total liabilities of the CRC stood at 4.14 trillion yuan ($637 billion; 557 billion euros) by the first quarter of this year.

"When we talk about e-commerce, we don't think about it only from a sales perspective. For me, it is also a part of digital and social media strategy. Digital and social power is incredible everywhere, and even more so in China."

Yann Bozec, chief executive officer - Greater China for Coach, the global leather goods and accessories major, which is targeting $610 million in revenue this year from the local unit. Of all luxury brands in China, Coach boasts the greatest number of followers on WeChat, the mobile messaging app.

"We think an estimated 20 to 30 percent of the (pension) funds will be allocated to stock-related assets at the initial stage."

Li Lifeng, an analyst at Sinolink Securities Co. China has moved a step closer toward allowing the country's massive pension funds to play the stock market. On May 1, the national guideline to regulate the management of pension funds took effect. The guideline will allow the country's pension funds to invest in riskier products, including stocks and private equity funds.

(China Daily European Weekly 05/13/2016 page24)