IN BRIEF (Page 13)

IBM institute officially opens

IBM's Institute for Electronic Government in Beijing became officially operational on Wednesday, the second such institute founded by the US-based technology company after the one in Washington.

The institute, which was established in December 2009, provides solutions for governments and public institutions in fields such as transportation, healthcare and customs services. It also hosts lectures, seminars and demonstrations to present best practices in electronic solutions of government affairs.

Big investment deals expected

An estimated 700 billion yuan ($105 billion) worth of projects are expected to be signed at the 11th Western China International Fair in Chengdu, Sichuan province, from Oct 22 to Oct 26, the provincial government said on Monday.

The amount is more than twice that of last year's fair, at which more than 300 billion yuan worth of investment deals were made.

China Daily

(China Daily 10/14/2010 page13)