April 09, 2010
Beijing Ramps Up Heavy Industry Restructuring
The head of the policy department of the Ministry of Industry & Information Technology - one of Beijing's five "super" ministries - says a plan is underway to consolidate the power, coal, iron and steel, cement, nonferrous metal, coke, paper, leather and printing material industries. Specifically targeted is the iron and steel industry with the call to shut down furnaces less than 30 tons capacity. The plan also calls to eliminate outdated plants in the textile industry by the end of next year. The ministry warns it will take joint efforts of all government departments to achieve the aims.
The consolidation of China's massive but scattered and often inefficient heavy industrial plant is a long standing goal. It will be accomplished through corporatization of government-owned businesses and mergers and acquisitions leading to a handful of powerful industrial leaders. This is part of Beijing's overarching desire to see American style "big 3" players in all industrial sectors.
Economic restructuring is one of 5 key areas Beijing is channeling central government resources into in a bid to jump start a "third wave" in the Chinese economy. The other areas are agriculture, alternative energy, social services particularly education and health care, and "independent innovation"....
The consolidation of China's massive but scattered and often inefficient heavy industrial plant is a long standing goal. It will be accomplished through corporatization of government-owned businesses and mergers and acquisitions leading to a handful of powerful industrial leaders. This is part of Beijing's overarching desire to see American style "big 3" players in all industrial sectors.
Economic restructuring is one of 5 key areas Beijing is channeling central government resources into in a bid to jump start a "third wave" in the Chinese economy. The other areas are agriculture, alternative energy, social services particularly education and health care, and "independent innovation"....
Labels: alternative energy, clean tech, high-tech, investment, reform, steel
March 09, 2010
USA-China Venture Builds Largest Biologics Lab in Beijing
AutekBio, a Silicon Valley based biotech business with operations in China, will build Asia's largest biologic contract manufacturing organization (CMO) outside Beijing. The $100 million (US dollar) facility is financed by US and China venture capital firms. The labs will meet current US (FDA) and EU regulatory requirements and be able to handle multiple production lines for biopharmaceutical research and development....
Labels: free trade, high-tech
March 04, 2010
Chinese Scientists Decode Human Digestive System
Chinese scientist Wang Jun and a team of international researchers say the average human gut contains up to a thousand species of bacteria. Their findings are presented in the latest issue of the presitigious journal Nature. Wang's team sequenced the genes inside the human digestive system and according to Wang 99% of them are not of human origin. The discoveries may reveal causation between types of bacteria and certain diseases including cancer. Once identified drugs and other products could be created to interact with the various species. Research such as this are further evidence of China's growing lead in genomics....
Labels: foreign relations, high-tech
February 10, 2010
West China Opens High Speed Rail
Over the weekend the new Zhengzhou (capital of Henan Province) to Xi'An (capital of Shaanxi Province) high-speed rail opened cutting the the travel time between the cities to just 2 hours. Both cities are considered "Tier 2" cities, that is big developed urban cores with above average GDP and population growth rates but not yet at the "developed world" levels of China's "Tier 1" megalopolises such as Shanghai, Beijing, and the Pearl River delta. This year Beijing will invest around $100 billion (US dollars) on high speed railways delighting domestic suppliers and foreign partners Siemens, Alstom, and Bombardier. Already China has the world's second largest railroad system after the USA. By 2020, the Chinese high-speed rail network will link every province and region with 18,000 kilometers (over 11,000 miles) of railways.....
Labels: economic impact, high-tech, investment
February 02, 2010
Chinese Researchers Use Acupuncture for Cancer Detection
Chinese scientists at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, one of the most advanced super X-ray centers in the world, discovered evidence of the existence of acupuncture points - micro-vessels and mineral concentrations in several well known points used in acupuncture. Researchers used these points and micro-vessels in conjunction with super X-rays to detect cancer tumour cells overlooked by traditional scans. The Shanghai synchrotron opened last May and by 2030 will be one of the largest in the world allowing 1,000 scientists simultaneous access....
Labels: high-tech, technology
November 13, 2009
Chinese Scientists Uncover Mysteries of the Liver
Scientists at the China Human Liver Proteome Project (a program of Beijing's Ministry of Science and Technology) have succeeded in creating the world's largest database on the human liver uncovering thousands of previously uknown gene proteins and discovering proof that the liver directly affects the nervous system, a supposition long held in traditional Chinese medicine. Advances such as the Proteome Project may be one reason big pharma firm Novartis plans to invest up to $1 billion (US dollars) in China for research and development and why China may become the new offshore center for drug R&D over India....
Labels: foreign investment, high-tech
November 09, 2009
Chinese Fighter Jets to Have Stealth Capability
Dressed in a crisp but drab army green Mao jacket, Chinese President Hu Jintao observed the 60th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Air Force on Sunday. Hu called for a new era in Chinese fighter jet technology. He Weirong, Lieutenant General of the PLA Air Force said on Chinese television the air force would have stealth capability within 8 to 10 years. China continues to develop the J-10 its indegenous fighter jet that is considered similar but inferior to the American F-16. China exports the J-10 and has a joint venture with Pakistan to build an updated version, the J-10B. Even with new capabilities Chinese fighter planes are well behind the USA and Russia. Only the USA has a so-called fifth generation fighter in service, the F22 Raptor, produced for the Pentagon by perennial military-industrial-complex suppliers Lockheed-Martin and Boeing. The USA is further ahead with developing the F-22 Lightning II while Russia is placing its hopes on the T-50 tactical fighter....
Labels: aircraft, high-tech, military-industrial complex, technology
November 02, 2009
China Second to USA in Research
According to a Thomson Reuters report that tracks scholarly and research journals around the world, China published 112,000 research papers in 2008 second only the USA. Research in physical sciences including medical sciences and agriculture are leading to innovation breakthroughs by Chinese scientists. And China and America are growing closer in research collaboration with nearly 9% or 39,000 papers involving Chinese and American researchers. The increase in research may be a reflection of the many thousands of Chinese who received doctoral degress in physical and biological sciences in the USA during the '80s and '90s....
Labels: foreign relations, high-tech, technology
October 30, 2009
China Supercomputer Petaflops
Technicians at China's National University of Defense Technology have built a supercomputer that achieves a petaflop - 1 quadrillion calculations per second. The supercomputer named Tianhe or Milky Way would be the 4th fastest in the world by last year's ranking data. The supercomputer uses Intel and AMD chips. It will be moved to a location in Tianjin and further enhanced. According to Xinhua Tianhe will be used for bio-medical, oil exploration, and aerospace research....
Labels: high-tech, technology
October 19, 2009
Chinese EV Buses on DC streets
This Wednesday (October 21) a US-China joint venture will shuttle passengers around American University in Washington, DC, on ultracapacitor buses. Ultracapacitor batteries hold only a fraction of the energy of lithium-ion batteries but charge rapidly. Buses on inner city routes that stop frequently and often wait at bus stops regularly if briefly can use ultracapacitor technology effectively. A route in Shanghai has used ultracapacitor electric buses now for the past 3 years using bus stops as recharge stations. The demonstration is conducted by Sinautec Automobile Technologies and Shanghai Aowei Technology Development. The buses produced to date are actually made in Tennessee by Foton America Bus Company, a Chinese venture....
Labels: chinese autos, free trade, green energy, high-tech
October 16, 2009
China Stem Cell Research Center Comes to San Francisco
The City of San Francisco signed a memorandum of understanding with Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, to bring a biotech research and development office to the City By The Bay. Taizhou is home to China Medical City, founded in 2005, a state level high-tech parmaceutical industrial park that contains Asia's largest stem cell bank and international facilities for testing and research. Taizhou has also signed similar intent with the so-called Research Triangle area in North Carolina. China Medical City has joint programs with the University of Texas Health Science Center along with numerous other biomedical cooperations. Incidentally, Taizhou is the birthplace of Chinese President Hu Jintao....
Labels: foreign exhange, foreign investment, high-tech
October 14, 2009
China Leads World in Gene Therapy for Cancer
The USA and Europe are falling behind China in new alternative treatments for cancer particularly gene therapy. In gene therapy a patient's own genes are manipulated and reinserted directly into cancerous tumors as a completely different type of treatment less invasive and debilitating than surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
A Chinese company Shenzhen SiBiono GeneTech was the first to develop a gene therapy medicine called Gendicine back in 2003. The company is part of the Benda Pharmaceutical group out of Wuhan. Shares of the company trade on the Over The Counter bulletin board (BPMA:OB). The chart at left (click to enlarge) shows the top Chinese biopharma companies.....
A Chinese company Shenzhen SiBiono GeneTech was the first to develop a gene therapy medicine called Gendicine back in 2003. The company is part of the Benda Pharmaceutical group out of Wuhan. Shares of the company trade on the Over The Counter bulletin board (BPMA:OB). The chart at left (click to enlarge) shows the top Chinese biopharma companies.....
Labels: chinese stocks, high-tech
October 05, 2009
BEIDOU (COMPASS) Set to Join Ranks of GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO
China's global navigational satellite system Beidou-2 is on target for a 2012 start with 12 satellites. The complete system is expected by 2020 with 30 space vehicles in geostationary, inclined and middle earth orbits. Beidou or COMPASS is a Chinese answer to GPS and the older GLONASS navigational systems controlled by the militaries of the USA (GPS) and Russia (GLONASS). Most of the world relies on the American GPS system but the EU is far along with the development of GALILEO. The addition of a Chinese alternative will significantly impact the commercial environment for all the applications of navigational satellite technology. Expect a lot of changes and opportunity in telecom and other related industries over the medium to long term....
Labels: high-tech, satellite, Telcom
September 25, 2009
China to Build Sustainable Skyscrapers and Cities
Danish architectural firm BIG will design a sustainable skyscraper for the Shenzhen Energy Group (SHE: 000027) that will feature thermal solar panel curtain walls and many innovations. Meanwhile Gale International and Hunan Province will break ground next month on Meixi Lake Town, a state of the art eco city with integrated transport and high tech development zones on the outskirsts of Hunan's capital, Changsha....
Labels: foreign investment, green energy, high-tech
September 02, 2009
China's Rare Earth Monopoly
China mines 90% of the rare earth elements in the world and 75% of China's reserves of rare earth products are found in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. A number of reports are speculating on a recent decision by Beijing to limit exports of rare earth metals. Some believe China is hoarding the elements which are vital for many high tech industries. Neodymium, for example, is essential to the batteries used in the Toyota Prius and other hybrid vehicles. But Beijing is also guiding Inner Mongolia to consolidate the industry and shore up rare earth prices. There are many mining businesses and rare earth producers but one company is singled out as the new dominant firm: Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Rare-Earth Hi-Tech Company, Ltd., or IMBREHT. The firm was established in 1960 and is listed on the Shanghai Securities Exhange as a domestic A share (SS:600111). Its earnings are down considerably for the first half of 2009. Consolidation around IMBREHT will form a virtual monopoly on rare earth elements and make the company a force to be accepted in the medium to long term....
August 21, 2009
China-Denmark Scientists' Nano-Chips Could Replace Silicon
Chinese and Danish chemists in a collaboration between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Nano-Science Centre of the University of Copenhagen have created "nano-chips" that use nano wires created from organic and inorganic materials. The new material is a replacement for silicon and the nano-chips appear to be an improvement upon silicon-based microchips. China is fast emerging as a major global innovator in nano technologies....
Labels: high-tech, technology
June 11, 2009
IBM Opens New Innovation Center in Beijing
IBM, one of many American multinationals banking on Chinese economic growth to fuel future earnings, opened a Global Railway Innovation Center in Beijing to collaborate on high speed rail and other rail technologies. Railway building is a major component of Beijing's stimulus plans and 70 railways are planned for 2009 with over 5,000 km of track. Alsthom of France and the German firm Siemens - both leaders in rail technology - are active in China and parties to several joint ventures....
Labels: high-tech, investment, technology
April 13, 2009
Chinese Scientists Break Biological Clock
Researchers at Shanghai's Jiao Tong University created stem cells and eggs in lab rats in tests an American researcher of reproductive medicine at Cornell University termed "dramatic." This is another example where China continues its advance in areas of medical research outlawed by the former Bush administration...
Labels: high-tech
January 16, 2009
Sino-US Scientists Achieve Invisiblity Cloak
In a positive display of USA-China cooperation in high tech, Duke University researchers say they are close to creating a type of "invisibility cloak". The research is financed by the USA Air Force and the Chinese National Science Foundation. The new technology has potential in many fields from wireless telecom to defense...
January 09, 2009
Pearl River Delta 2020
In contrast to Obama's banal American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, Beijing's powerful National Reform and Development Commission revealed this week its 2008-2020 national plan on the development of the Pearl River Delta region (the triangle region punctuated by Guangzhou (Canton), Hong Kong, and Macau). The aim is for complete economic integration of the area by 2020.
The Pearl River Delta has roughly as many people as and an economy equal in size to a big West European country and some of the highest income levels in China. The goal is increase per capital income to 1st world standards within 12 years and urbanization to 80% or more. The region will be connected by mass transit systems already under construction or planned including the new Hong Kong-Macu-Zhuhai bridge discussed earlier on the Sinomania! blog.
The development plan is to turn the region from light manufacturing of toys, electronics, and textiles, to an 'innovation hub' focused on automobiles, petrochemicals, high tech, and services. Some clues as to where investment will be centered: the plan calls for the creation of 2-3 big auto makers in the region, the creation of 10 Chinese global multinational brands, and equipment manufacturing around nuclear power, ocean equipment, wind power, power plants, high-tech machine tools, along with financial, retail, and personnel services.
The programs will be accomplished under the aegis of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) first enacted in 2003.
Labels: alternative energy, chinese autos, high-tech, investment
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