China's business class believes the government's handling of the SARS crisis earlier this year actually improved the country's image, a survey of the nation's elite found.

They also believe the local media kept them fully informed on the outbreak, the survey of attitudes and tastes of China's wealthy for the Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review newsweekly found.

The poll of 1,091 movers and shakers in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou found most thought the Chinese government handled the crisis well, even though it was globally censured for initially covering up the extent of the outbreak.

Responses varied nationally, however, with 83 percent of respondents in Shanghai, where SARS hardly made a dent, approving of the government's response, and 73 percent in SARS hot-spots Beijing and Guangzhou agreeing.

Similarly, 85 percent of respondents in Shanghai believed the local media had kept them up to speed on developments, while the figures for Beijing were 80 percent, and Guangzhou 65 percent.

More than eight out of 10 respondents believed the SARS crisis had improved management-worker communications in their businesses. In Guangzhou, that figure was as high as 91 per cent.

"With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that there were certain benefits to the visitation by SARS," the survey's author, commentator Nuri LVittachi, says in a report.

Globally, SARS struck down more than 8,000 people and left more than 800 dead in 32 countries. China was worst hit, accounting for 349 fatalities and 5,327 infections.

While most were confident the virus would not return and that the nation was ready to deal with a resurgence, individual reactions illustrate the fear the crisis produced.

In Guangzhou, 85 percent of respondents said they bought health insurance as a result of SARS and 93 per cent in Beijing bought more medical items.

Nationwide, nine out of every 10 people in the monied classes cut back on spending during the crisis and as many cancelled holidays. Similarly, eight out of 10 companies cut business trips in favour of conference calls.

The wide-ranging survey, published in the magazine's November 20 edition, also found that rich men in China are at least 12 per cent richer than their female counterparts and win larger salary rises.

"Women in the monied class earn less than men of the same age and background, men enjoy bigger pay rises and put their careers before family," said Vittachi in a preface to the report.

Interestingly, it found that rich Chinese men are more label-conscious than women, with about 63 percent preferring familiar brands, compared to 50 percent among women.

Beijingers are more likely to own cars and computers, Shanghai citizens like to have hand-held gadgets like mobile phones and Guangzhou's elites prefer jewellery and motorbikes.

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