IN BRIEF (Page 10)

Hebei highways

By 2010, 97 percent of the counties in Hebei province will be within a 30-minute drive of connecting expressways, according to Jiao Yanlong, head of the Hebei Communication Bureau.

The length of highways in the province has reached 4,594 km in the past five years, and all 11 cities in the province are now connected to highways.

Shenyang pay hikes

Salaries for migrant workers in Shenyang increased 200 yuan after the Spring Festival, according to Shenyang workers' association.

For example, in early 2007, it previously only cost 700 yuan a month to recruit a waitress while it now costs more than 900 yuan.

Migrant workers with skills can be paid higher salaries. A bench worker named Huang Ming from Shandong province with a middle-level certificate earns 2,700 yuan a month.

Power restored

Electric power lines hit by heavy snowfall around Zhejiang coastal areas were all restored last week.

It took thousands of workers 28 days to restore the largest 500 kilovolt line in Zhejiang, between Ningbo and Wenzhou cities. It has a total length of 265.6 km and passes through 10 counties and cities.

Hi-tech support

Tianjin will set aside 200 million yuan each year in the next five years to support hi-tech enterprises at which green energy business accounts for more than 80 percent of the total revenue.

These enterprises are also required to have independent intellectual property rights with registered capital of over 10 million yuan.

Chongqing outsourcing

Chongqing municipality has applied to the central government for the status of a nationl outsourcing service base. The request is expected to be approved in March, according to the Chongqing trade service association.

If the application is granted, Chongqing will open green channels for outsourcing companies going abroad. Chongqing will also help foreign staff employed at outsourcing companies to get expert certificates and work permits.

HSBC help

HSBC Bank China is offering a range of new banking services that target small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Zhejiang province engaged in cross-border business leveraging the company's international network and trade expertise.

HSBC Bank China has set up a team of about 150 people to handle financial solutions and banking services including international banking center access in order to meet the cross-border financial needs of SMEs in Zhejiang.

Foreign influx

Foreigners in Guangzhou are buying a significant amount of second-hand property.

The tax revenue of second-hand property concerning foreign parties has reached 2.26 billion yuan, accounting for 42 percent of total tax revenue concerning foreign parties.

The total tax revenue concerning foreign parties was 10.5 billion yuan last year, 24.7 percent up from the previous year.

Hotel boom

Jilin province is expected to have eight to 10 five-star hotels and 40 to 50 four-star hotels by 2010 in order to enhance the development of its tourism industry, according to a recent document issued by Jilin government.

At the moment, Jilin has five five-star hotels, one in Jilin city, four in Changchun city, and 34 four-star hotels.

(China Daily 03/03/2008 page10)