Business Asia articles from September 2003

Business Asia archives from September 2003

Buffett's China win.(Frontline)
September 1, 2003... Warren Buffett, Sage of China? It may be time to add this to the list of nicknames by which the Sage of Omaha is known. That's because the world's second-richest man made a big--and, as we learned last month, profitable--bet on China this...

Indian PM wants trade with ASEAN to triple by 2007.(Update)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... India's Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee wants to triple trade with members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the next four years. "Trade and investment are the basic building blocks of the India-ASEAN...

Word of mouth.(Update)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... "The economies of the US, Europe and Japan are getting better, especially Japan. That will surely help Thailand." Wisudhi Srisuphan, director-general of the Thai Ministry of Finance's Policy Office. "Japan is still an export-driven...

Asia fact file.(Update)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ASIA FACT FILE This month's Fact File takes a look at Gross Domestic Product, or purchasing power parity, for countries in the Asia Pacific Region COUNTRY GDP US $ (2002 EST) Australia $528 billion China ...

China's biggest airport manager, Beijing Capital International Airport, said it received government approval for a 16.7 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) plan to expand facilities.(China)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... China's biggest airport manager, Beijing Capital International Airport, said it received government approval for a 16.7 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) plan to expand facilities. Beijing Capital Airport will invest about nine billion yuan in the...

Hong Kong's housing bureau is in talks to sell 25,000 unsold subsidised houses estimated at HK$20 billion ($3.9 billion) to China's biggest government-owned property developer, the South China Morning Post said.(Hong Kong)
September 1, 2003... Hong Kong's housing bureau is in talks to sell 25,000 unsold subsidised houses estimated at HK$20 billion ($3.9 billion) to China's biggest government-owned property developer, the South China Morning Post said. The housing bureau is in talks...

Japan has eased controls on liquor sales that protected family run businesses from competition.(Japan)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Japan has eased controls on liquor sales that protected family run businesses from competition. The news has prompted new license applications from convenience store chains that plan to use beer sales to lure more customers. Seven-Eleven Japan...

The US told North Korea it was willing to offer incentives, including addressing the country's security concerns, before North Korea completely and verifiably dismantled its nuclear arms program, a State Department official told reporters.(North Korea)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The US told North Korea it was willing to offer incentives, including addressing the country's security concerns, before North Korea completely and verifiably dismantled its nuclear arms program, a State Department official told reporters. The...

Singapore hospitals have increased precautions after a male patient tested positive for the SARS virus which killed 33 people in the city-state after the March outbreak.(Singapore)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Singapore hospitals have increased precautions after a male patient tested positive for the SARS virus which killed 33 people in the city-state after the March outbreak. The patient was moved to a hospital designated for SARS patients, from a...

Thailand's Finance Ministry plans to sell stocks in two major government-run companies to help raise 11.2 billion baht ($412 million) in funds to buy new shares in Thai Military Bank (TMB), a local newspaper has reported.(Thailand)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Thailand's Finance Ministry plans to sell stocks in two major government-run companies to help raise 11.2 billion baht ($412 million) in funds to buy new shares in Thai Military Bank (TMB), a local newspaper has reported. The Ministry will sell...

Terror: how real is the threat to business? The smiling face of Bali bomber Amrozi bin Nurhasyim, cheering as his own death penalty was handed down in a Denpasar court in early August, has been one of the most chilling images so far in Asia's war on terror.
September 1, 2003... Amrozi's capture and trial, along with fellow bombers Iman Samudra, Ali Imron and suspect Ali Ghufron, have kept terrorism in the news spotlight. Further threats from terror group Jemaah Islamiyah, plus various governments' continuing...

Business travelers are back Shangri-La.(Business Travel)
September 1, 2003... Shangri-La Asia, Asia's biggest luxury hotel group, said room rates at its Singapore flagship are expected to return to where they were before the SARS out break by early 2004. Singapore's room rates fell after tourists avoided the...

Last chance to vote in awards: readers have less than a month to go before voting closes for the 2003 Best Business Hotels in Asia Awards. Business Asia now profiles the rest of the hotel finalists for this year's Awards.(Best Business Hotels In Asia Awards)
September 1, 2003... SOUTH KOREA COEX Inter-Continental Seoul 159 Samseong-Dong Gangnam-Gu Seoul 135-975 South Korea www.ichotelsgroup.com Located in the Korean World Trade Centre Complex, the COEX Inter-Continental is only 400...

Chinese tourism boom for Hong Kong.(Hong Kong)
September 1, 2003... Zhao Yuexin, visiting Hong Kong from northeastern China's Liaoning province, bought two bags stuffed with Elizabeth Arden and Shiseido skin care products at Sa Sa International Holdings' Causeway Bay outlet. "What I am contributing to the...

Korea's regional hub aspirations: in a first of a series of articles focusing on South Korea, Denis McMahon * explores the challenges South Korea faces in its goal of becoming a regional hub.(South Korea In Focus)
September 1, 2003... Last year's accession of Roh Moo Hyun to the South Korean presidency created space on the political agenda for an idea that had been gaining currency, but had hitherto been lacking a political champion. Soon after his inauguration, Roh...

The Westin Shanghai--modern luxury at the Bund: Bund Center and The Westin Shanghai are proud to have hosted British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Shanghai.(Advertorial)
September 1, 2003... A breathtaking three-tiered cantilevered glass staircase, striking artwork, lush greenery and an airy spaciousness bathed in natural light, provide a welcoming ambience at The Westin Shanghai. Opened in October 2002, it is one of the city's...

Global leaders speak at APEC CEO Summit.(APEC CEO Summit)
September 1, 2003... Some of the world's most powerful political and business leaders will be on hand to address the APEC CEO Summit 2003, organising committee chairman and Thailand APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) member Dr Vachara Phanchet said. The...

Messages of success from SA.(Australian Export Awards)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... More than 140 of South Australia's leading business figures gathered at Adelaide's Stanford Plaza last month to hear the some of the State's most successful traders speak at a Top Exporters Panel Discussion Luncheon. The luncheon, which...

AUD up 21%--good news or bad news?(Sponsor's Message)
September 1, 2003... Here's some food for thought. The AUD moved flora USD 0.5600 at the start of 2003 to recent highs of USD 0.6850 in early July--a 21% increase, if you were an exporter without an effective currency risk management strategy in place the rise...

DHL throws Surf Life Saving Australia a major lifeline with new sponsorship.(Sponsor's Message)
September 1, 2003... DHL, the world's leading express freight and logistics company, recently announced a major sponsorship with Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA). The three-year sponsorship is the biggest financial sponsorship ever received by Surf Life Saving...

Export Finance and Insurance Corporation (EFIC).(Sponsor's Message)
September 1, 2003... As Australia's export credit agency, EFIC increases Australian exports and investments by providing internationally competitive finance and insurance services to Australian exporters and investors. EFIC's market expertise has been a...

Asia Netcom goes for enterprise.(Australian Export Awards)
September 1, 2003... Asia Netcom's strategy shift towards enterprise services has made good economic sense for the telco, after its major shareholder Global Crossing filed for Chapter 11 early last year. Formerly known as Asia Global Crossing, the...