China Watch Blog

China Watch Blog has learnt that twenty-six per cent of survey respondents expect their business situation to improve in the first quarter compared with the last quarter, while 9% expect it to worsen.

These were the findings of the Census & Statistics Department’s latest Quarterly Business Tendency Survey released today. Respondents in almost all surveyed sectors had a favourable business outlook for the first quarter, particularly those in the retail, and financing and insurance sectors.

While the proportion of respondents with positive expectations fell to 26% from 28% in the previous survey, the prevalence of optimistic business expectations remained broadly unchanged, the department said.

In the information and communications sector, however, the proportion of respondents with a favourable business outlook was broadly the same as that with an unfavourable outlook.

Respondents in all surveyed sectors also expected a rise in business volume in this quarter over the last on balance, especially those in the retail, and financing and insurance sectors.

Respondents in all the surveyed sectors expect their employment to increase this quarter over last. The financing and insurance, retail, and information and communications sectors have significantly more respondents expecting their employment to increase, as against those expecting it to decrease.

The enumeration period for the survey was from December 7 to January 11.

The department will no longer print out these survey results, but they can be downloaded for free here.

China Watch Blog has learnt that a large China-made vessel, which is capable of defending against pirates and has a tonnage of 50,000, was handed over in southern China’s Guangzhou on Jan. 20.

The People’s Daily said the vessel, named Xiang Yun Kou, has special defenses against pirates, including bullet-proof shields and 5,500 automatic alarm points on board.

The vessel is the largest professional carrier for marine engineering equipment in Asia at present and one of the few ocean-going special ships that have anti-pirate functions in the world.

According to the buyer, the vessel was highly sought after on the international market at the time of construction.