The biofuels boom continues and its most recent beneficiary is UK-listed China New Energy, which has raised up to $20m of new funds via the issue of convertible bonds. China New Energy, based in Guangzhou, makes turnkey ethanol production equipment and the funds will be used to expand internationally..   more »

China's coal consumption for generating electricity soared nearly 18% in the first half of this year from a year ago despite rising concern about pollution and the government's much-vaunted desire to promote cleaner energy sources...   more »

The number of users of TD-SCDMA, China's home-grown 3G cellular network technology, could reach 28m by 2011 compared to 6.4m in 2008, forecasts US consultancy iSuppli. EngagingChina advises caution before reading too much into this forecast, not least because China has yet to commercially launch TD-SCDMA -- or any 3G service for that matter...   more »

Liberty Mutual Group, the US insurer, has won approval from regulators to incorporate locally in Chongqing, the megacity in western China. The firm launched its Chongqing branch in 2004, making it the first foreign insurer to expand non-life insurance business to China's relatively unexplored western region...   more »

Despite the much-vaunted opening of China's financial markets to foreign firms, London Asia Capital, the Asia-focussed investment bank, says the going has got much tougher. So much so that it has scrapped plans to build a merchant banking business on the mainland, citing increased regulations as the principal reason...   more »

If your company doesn't have a Chinese language website and ".cn" domain then get one soon. That's because China, which now has more than 162m internet users, will soon overtake the US as the world's largest internet market...   more »

Who says China's chemical industry is inefficient and outdated? US engineer Emerson has won a contract to digitally automate a BP chemicals plant in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, which potentially makes it the world's most efficient in its category, the company boasts...   more »

Israel's IDE Technologies has signed a $119m contract to supply a seawater desalination plant at the Beijiang Power Station, 200km northeast of Beijing. China is investing heavily in desalination technology to fend off severe water shortages predicted for the future, although environmentalists criticise desalination for its high energy consumption...   more »

Otis Elevator Company has opened what it claims is the world's first "green" elevator manufacturing facility in Tianjin. The facility incorporates the latest energy-saving technologies to reduce site energy usage by at least 25% and it was designed and constructed to meet the US Green Building Council's LEED standards...   more »

PMorgan is reportedly preparing to launch its first QDII fund to invest Chinese clients' money in overseas securities markets. Despite its poor uptake so far, China's government is keen for the QDII scheme, introduced last year, to succeed to help cool off its overheating economy...   more »