Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 27, 2003
IT Products Continue to Shine: Official
Investment-orientated products, especially computers and telecom equipment, proved the bright stars of China's information industry during the first two months of 2003, said an official with the Ministry of Information Industry Wednesday (MII).
Investment-orientated products, especially computers and telecom equipment, proved the bright stars of China's information industry during the first two months of 2003, said an official with the Ministry of Information Industry Wednesday (MII).
"Different from the situation of last year, investment-orientated products increased sharply in the first two months," said Lin Yuanfang, a senior official with the Department of Economic System Reform and Operation under MII.
He made the comments yesterday in Beijing at the 2003 China Electronic and Information Industry Trend Seminar held by his department and domestic research house CCID Consulting Co Ltd.
Lin revealed that the growth of computers and telecom equipment rose by 46 per cent and 36 per cent in the first two months of this year.
China produced 2.95 million computers in January and February and sold 2.97 million units, both up about 85 per cent year-on-year.
The production of handsets reached 24.1 million units with about 92 per cent of them sold, a rise of 86 per cent and 72 per cent respectively.
Last year, consumer-orientated products represented by colour TV sets, were the major driving force.
According to statistics from the MII, the industrial output of the electronic and information industry reached 290 billion yuan (US$35 billion) in the first two months of 2003, a 31 per cent year-on-year rise.
"Further good news is that the profits of businesses in the industry have also greatly improved," Lin pointed out.
They made 7.51 billion yuan (US$907 million) in profits during the period, up 60 per cent.
Lin said State-owned enterprises recorded a 36 per cent growth rate, compared with 31 per cent from foreign-invested companies.
Computers and telecommunications equipment are also the biggest stimuli for China's rapid growth of foreign trade in January and February.
The exports of two categories of products both increased by more than 60 per cent year-on-year and accounted for about 58 per cent of the country's total exports of electronic and information technology products, while home appliances only contributed to 17.8 per cent of growth in the period.