General Electric (GE), a world giant in medical equipment manufacturing, announced in Beijing on December 27 that a GE joint venture in Beijing will become one of the most important global producers of helical CT scanners.

Chih Chen, President of GE Medical System, said at a news conference that the move indicated that GE has transferred its advanced CT scanner's research, development and manufacturing centers from the US and Japan to Beijing.

He said the GE joint venture plans to produce 500 CT ProSpeed Ai, or epochal slipring helical CT scanners, a new model of CT scanners, in Beijing in the coming year. The number accounts for one-fifth of the world's total.

David C. Wang, Chairman and CEO of GE (China) Ltd, said that this development proves GE's confidence in China's further development.

He said that 80 percent of the advanced CT scanners produced in Beijing will be exported to the US, Japan and European markets.

He said the move will enable China to rank among the world's top five CT manufacturers in 2000. The other four are the US, Japan, Germany and Israel.

He added that the joint venture -- GE Hangwei Medical Systems Co, Ltd -- will be located in the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Zone.

Medical experts here said the advanced CT scanner represents the mid-level CT scanners of the 21st century. Apart from raising the scanning speed and improving the efficiency of detection, the CT scanner can also minimize X-ray damage to patients.

Wang said that in addition to building the new plant in Beijing, GE has also started construction of a joint venture for making plastic products. The project will use 30 million US dollars of investment.

He said GE also announced it had built two joint ventures in Shanghai to make circuit breakers, switches and related products. (Xinhua)