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IN BRIEF
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11/30/2001
Mobile phone city Half of all citizens in Shanghai, China's largest business and financial centre, now own mobile phones, soaring above the national average. Latest statistics show that by the end of October, mobile phone users in Shanghai had exceeded 5.8 million, 4.4 million of whom are subscribers of Shanghai Mobile, a branch under China Mobile, one of China's telecommunications giants. During the first 10 months of this year, Shanghai reported 1.5 million new mobile phone users. According to the Ministry of Information, China Mobile is expected to be the world's largest telecommunication operator by the end of this year. Subscribers have crossed 100 million. Convenient life A convenience store will be available to every 5,000 Shanghai citizens within a year, providing as many services as a Japanese store. By the end of last month Shanghai had more than 1,800 convenience stores and 1,000 more are to be added, according to recent statistics. To grasp the biggest market share as soon as possible, stores have launched a batch of convenient services, including laundry, film developing, ticket ordering and collecting public utility fees. Foreign currency exchange is expected to be available next year. Fruitful industry fair The Third Shanghai International Industry Fair (SIF) concluded on Tuesday. Deals valued about 31.3 billion yuan (US$3.77 billion) were inked during the six-day event, jumping 26 per cent over last year. With a total exhibition area of 50,000 square metres, the event attracted some 500,000 visitors, including 12,000 foreign spectators. Highlighting the annual event, a total of 22 exhibits, including five from big-name foreign firms and Sino-foreign companies, were for the first time awarded prizes as recognition of their technology level, innovation and market potential. Park gets certification Caohejing High-tech Park has become China's first of its kind to be awarded the prestigious ISO 9001 certificate. A park official said it will join with the software park in Xuhui District and Withub of Jiaotong University to expand into a local, and eventually world-renowned information industry pillar. It plans to enlarge space from the current 6 square kilometres to eight, so that more research and development centres can be set up. Huge chip maker A large and state-of-the-art chip maker started trial operation recently in Shanghai. The multi-billion US dollar chip plant, officially known as Zhongxin International Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Co, is located in the Pudong New Area. The first phase project of the company involves an investment of US$1.5 billion, and mass production will begin in the first quarter of next year. During its earlier operation, the company will produce chips for digital TV sets, video/digital compact players and mobile phone sets and intelligence cards. Insurance seminar Shanghai will hold an international insurance seminar next month to discuss the development strategy of China's financial and insurance market after China's accession to the World Trade Organization. Senior officials from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission will deliver a speech. The four-day seminar will be accompanied by the city's second international insurance exhibition to be held at Shanghai International Convention Centre. Trade advisors Shanghai has appointed at least eight former and in-service senior officials of the WTO as its advisors for WTO affairs. Director-general-elect Supachai Panitchpakdi and former director-general Arthur Dunkel are among the advisors who received their credentials from Shanghai Mayor Xu Kuangdi on Saturday. They are Wang Daohan, president of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits on the mainland side, Tong Zhiguang and Li Daoyu, both members of the National People's Congress Standing Committee. Active industrial zone Twenty-five projects valued at US$263 million will be launched in Qingpu Industrial Zone. A zone spokesman said a leading US-based computer company will set up a factory. The zone, in the west of Shanghai, specializes in textiles and IT products. It ranked third in exports among the city's industrial zones last year. The first two were Zhangjiang and Jiading industrial zones. China Daily news
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