BUSINESS IN ASIA TODAY - JULY 12, 2005.

(From Asia Pulse)

Business in Asia on July 12, 2005. A summary prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, market intelligence and business opportunities:

NSW GOV'T ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR US$1.49 BLN DESALINATION PLANT

SYDNEY - New South Wales Premier Bob Carr Monday announced plans to begin building a A$2 billion (US$1.49 billion) desalination plant at Kurnell in Sydney's south by mid-2006 to be ready for operation by 2008 if the current drought continues. Carr, who is in Dubai on a three-day visit, said the plant would be built within the Kurnell industrial zone near a Caltex oil refinery. It would convert sea water into 500 megalitres of drinkable fresh water each day, servicing up to 460,000 households in Sydney's eastern suburbs and inner west.

CHINA'S WUYANG STEEL TO BUILD US$724 MLN PRODUCTION BASE

ZHENGZHOU - Wuyang Steel, located in central China's Henan Province, plans to invest 6 billion yuan (US$724 million) to build a special steel production base in 2005. Of the amount, 4.5 billion will …