China :: Business :: Deals

Apple, Environmental NGOs Discuss China Pollution Oriental Morning Post, 11/04/11 On October 31, Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPEA), a Chinese NGO, met with Linda Greer, director of the US National Resources Defense Council's (NRDC) public health program, and representatives of Apple's operations, government relations, and China supply chain management at Apple's Cupertino headquarters for a five-hour discussion. According to Ma, Apple representatives committed to increasing the transparency of their supply chain - a change from the company's tradition of not revealing its suppliers. On January 20 of this year, a group of Chinese environmental NGOs including the IPEA, Friends of Nature, and the Green Beagle Environmental Institute published a report entitled "The Other Side of Apple" highlighting pollution and environmental damage caused by Apple's supply chain. Apple did not respond to the allegations of criminal ...

Shanda Games Renews Operating Rights for Aion 17173.com, 11/03/11 Chinese online game developer and operator Shanda Games (Nasdaq: GAME), the online gaming subsidiary of Shanda Interactive (Nasdaq: SNDA), has announced that it has reached an agreement to renew its mainland China operating rights for Korean online game developer NCSoft's 3D fantasy MMORPG Aion. Shanda Games also announced that a new version of Aion, titled "Shen Zhi Jingjichang," will be released in the beginning of November, 2011.

Alibaba Group Invests RMB 1 Bln into ETao Search Engine DoNews, 11/02/11 Chinese e-commerce conglomerate Alibaba Group has announced plans to invest RMB 1 bln in its ETao e-commerce search engine. ETao will develop a single-login cross-platform account system enabling users to use their Taobao or Alipay accounts to log into ETao and directly purchase items from over 600 partner B2C sites, including Chinese home appliance and consumer electronics retailer Gome (0493.HK) and Chinese B2C clothing website Vancl. According to data released by ETao, as of the end of October the search engine covered over 5,000 online shopping sites and 600 group buy sites offering 1 bln products and 200 mln user comments in such areas as consumer electronics, home appliances, apparel, foodstuffs, and pharmaceuticals.

Hc360.com, 11/23/11 Chinese online video site LeTV (Leshi) (300104.SZ) has formed a strategic partnership with Infront Sports & Media China, official marketing partner of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), to jointly operate the CBA's IPTV copyright licensing for the next three years. Fans will be able to watch CBA games on smart TV sets from LeTV partners such as Hisense (600060.SH) as well as using LeTV's HD internet TV set-top box. LeTV will also engage in brand advertising on CBA basketball courts. LeTV also plans to bid for the broadcasting rights to other sporting events such as the NBA and the UEFA European Cup.

From the Vancouver Sun Chinese coin found in Yukon evidence of early east-west link By Randy Boswell, Postmedia News November 1, 2011 A 340-year-old coin from China has been unearthed by archeologists near a planned Yukon gold mine, shedding fresh light on historic trade links between 17th-century Chinese merchants, Russian fur traders and first nations in the northwest corner of North America. Great, now we have to worry we might hurt the feelings of the Chinese people by claiming Columbus discovered America. In related and more serious news. Word coming out of France is that Sarkozy is being pilloried by the opposition, as well as some of his supporters (however few are left) for turning to China for help with the debt crisis. This is a small tidbit all but buried in the news of the day but in my mind its an interesting peek in on how Europe and China may or may not get along in the coming years. So much focus is always (and rightfully) put on the questions surrounding US/China rel...

New Express, 11/22/11 The Dongguan Intermediate People's Court recently ruled in favor of Guangdong-based handset vendor Oppo Mobile Communication in a trademark suit the company filed against Shenzhen-based Xingbao Electronics, whose "CCPO" mobile handsets Oppo felt were designed to resemble its own. The court awarded Oppo RMB 2.6 mln in damages, rather than the RMB 3 mln it had sought. Oppo has reportedly filed more than 30 infringement suits in Dongguan alone, and is said to be fighting cases in other cities throughout the Pearl River Delta.