With a population of 1.2 billion and nearly two decades of spectacular growth, China promises to become one of the world's largest economic powers and consumer markets in the next century. A salient feature of the contemporary Chinese economy is the significance of state intervention toward business in the form of 'preferential policies'. Thanks to these policies, a firm's location, ownership type and area of business largely determine whether it should receive privileges of disadvantages in the regulated business environment. The fast changing preferential policies have had great influence on a wide range of economic activities, including foreign direct investment. The extent, complexity and variety of these policies are bewildering to both investors and academics who study the Chinese economy.State Intervention and Business in China is a systematic study of China's preferential economic policies. Dr Lu and Dr Tang present these policies in three categories, namely, the investor-oriented, the region-oriented, and the industry-oriented policies. The authors give a clear account of policies including: preferential tax rates, state bank loans, trade protection and subsidies, and licensing schemes. The book provides the in-depth political economy analyses that reveal the sources and functions of these policies. By offering empirical observations on the impact of state intervention on regional development and economic structures, this book sheds new light on the prospects for China's economic policy making. State Intervention and Business in China will be indispensably for scholars and specialists who are interested in contemporary Chinese economy and society. It is also a valuable guide for doing business in China.

Before the 1990s, China's telecommunications sector was a lacklustre monopoly featured by poor-quality service and inadequate capacity. Today the country boasts a dynamic telecommunications industry with the world's largest communications network and user-base with over 460 million telephone subscribers. China's accession to the WTO in 2001 has opened this huge developing telecommunications market to foreign participation and investment. The authors examine the singularity of the Chinese experience in building up its extensive telecommunications network in merely a decade, by reviewing China's national industrial policies and institutional reforms within the industry. The reader will find in this volume a unique and in-depth analysis of the interplay between political and economic forces amidst the industry's structural overhaul and regulatory reforms. The accounts of industrial features and market conditions are enriched with up-to-date data, which are extremely useful for appreciating the development and prospects for this fast-growing market, set against the backdrop of China's accession to the WTO. Scholars of China or Asian studies and researchers of information-communications industry and Asian/China studies will find this work of great interest, as will governmental policymakers, both in China and beyond. For foreign business practitioners eyeing this market, this volume provides a helpful guide to understand China's various interests and public welfare considerations that motivate changes in policies towards foreign investment and participation.

As China rises to become the world's largest economy, half a billion rural villagers are expected to become urban residents in the coming decades. The great urbanization of the world's most populated country is sure to be one of the most far-reaching social-economic events in the 21st century. This book provides a clear and comprehensive review of this unfolding event. It presents not only the evolution of public policies and institutional reforms regarding urban development over the past decades, but also an up-to-date survey and in-depth analysis of contemporary social-economic forces that define and contribute to the process of urbanization. Individuals interested in understanding China's urban development will find this book useful, informative, and fascinating.

As China rises to become the world's largest economy, it is expected to alleviate half-a-billion people from being rural villagers to urban residents in the coming decades. The great urbanization of the world's most populated country is sure to be one of the most remarkable social-economic events in the 21st century. This book aims to give the reader a clear and comprehensive review of this unfolding event. It not only presents a historical review of the evolution of public policies and institutional reforms regarding urban development, but also an up-to-date survey and in-depth analysis of various social-economic forces that define and contribute to the process of urbanization. The target audiences include students of modern China and professionals interested in China's urban development. The general public as well as scholars may also find the book informative and fascinating.

This title was first published in 2003. This book represents one of the recent internationally coordinated initiatives to access the rich and still unfolding implications of China's participation in economic globalization in the context of the nation's accession to the World Trade Organization.

This title was first published in 2003. This book represents one of the recent internationally coordinated initiatives to access the rich and still unfolding implications of China's participation in economic globalization in the context of the nation's accession to the World Trade Organization.