IN BRIEF (Page 18)

FTA with South Korea starts next year

The bilateral free trade agreement between China and South Korea will be effective in the second half of 2015, even as steps are underway to fast-track the proposed China-South Korea-Japan FTA, a top government official said on Monday.

Africa continues to shine for investors from China

Africa continues to be the beacon for China's outbound investment, with companies committing to cumulative investments of about $150.4 billion in the Sub-Saharan region from 2006 to July 2014, despite the marginal slowdown in actual investment to the region, according to a new report.

Trade deal to singe domestic coal firms

The long-awaited free trade agreement finalized between China and Australia on Monday in Canberra will significantly boost Australia's commodities market, especially its coal industry.

Apple teams up with UnionPay

Apple Inc is trying to get more paying customers from China for its various applications, rather than just for hardware products like iPhones and iPads.

Yuan's footprint expanding quickly in Africa

Uganda State Minister for Industry James Mutende recently converted about 4.4 million Ugandan shillings to 10,000 yuan ($1,630) at a Stanbic Bank office in the capital of Kampala. At the same counter, Zhao Yali, Chinese ambassador to Kampala, exchanged 500 yuan into the local currency.

What's news

SAIC, Daqin Rail gain as investors pursue dividends

Duty Free Group enters Cambodia

China Duty Free Group Co Ltd, a subsidiary of China International Travel Service Group Co Ltd, will open its first foreign duty-free shop in December, the group said on Monday.

Bayer acquires OTC drug firm Dihon for $586 million

Germany-based drugmaker Bayer AG said it has completed the acquisition of privately held Dihon Pharmaceutical Group Co Ltd in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, for 3.6 billion yuan ($586 million), which will help it become the world's largest non-prescription medicine group.

Themed success

At the age of four, Xiong Zimi has traveled to the Universal Studio in Japan and the Disney resort in Los Angeles in the United States.

Internet banking a game changer

The Internet is transforming the way people do banking in China, according to a senior official from the People's Bank of China, the central bank.

China's chip industry awaits boom despite challenges

While China is known as the "world's factory", seemingly capable of making everything, semiconductor chips have been conspicuously absent on the "Made in China" list.