The Weekly News Update is a weekly roundup of business news from around the Asia-Pacific region, covering Fusion Consulting's core industry practices: chemicals, consumer & retail, financial services, industrial & logistics, information & communication technology, life science and media & leisure. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.     China's water and wastewater treatment sector   Huge demand exists in China for clean water with ample opportunities for  investors, water companies or water technology suppliers in the municipal and  industrial water supply and wastewater treatment market. Market-oriented  regulatory changes have lowered pricing risk, and opened up the sector.    Find out what the needs, solutions and opportunities are.

Industrial & logistics

China - Logistics industry posts more than 20% growth Source: China View, 30 March 2008 China's logistics sector realised RMB1.7 trillion (US$241.2 billion) in added value in 2007, up 20.3% from 2006. According to the National Development and Reform Commission, the growth rate was 5.2 percentage points higher than the year-earlier level. The added value accounted for 17.6% of the total added value for the service industry at large, up 0.5 percentage points year-on-year, or made up 6.9% of China's GDP, up 0.2 percentage points. Last year saw the sector's gross business volume amount to RMB75.2 trillion (US$11 trillion), up 26.2%. The growth rate was 2.2 percentage points higher than 2006. The logistics sector's expenditure reached RMB4.5 trillion (US$640 billion) in 2007, up 18.2%. The growth rate was 4.7 percentage points higher. China - SembCorp in US$16 million China water venture Source: Business Times Singapore, 29 March 2008 Singapore conglomerate Sembcorp Industries has entered a RMB112 million (US$16 million) joint-venture with Zhangbao Industries to build and run an industrial water recycling facility in the Zhangjiagang Free Trade Zone in Jiangsu, China. The facility, which can process 40,000 cubic metres of industrial water a day, will be Sembcorp's third water management project in Zhangjiagang. Its first project is a 20,000 cu m per day wastewater treatment facility. Its second, a 15,000 cu m per day high-concentration industrial wastewater facility, is currently being built. This latest project brings SembCorp's investments in Zhangjiagang to RMB300 million (US$43 million). Vietnam - Japan's transport enterprises to expand operations  Source: Thai News Service, 28 March 2008 The Japanese transport and logistics enterprises are expanding their business activities in Vietnam and India after Japanese investors have shifted their production bases into these countries. A shipping firm intends to join road transport activities in Vietnam, China, Russia and India from 2008. Total transport revenue from these four countries is expected to reach US$400 million in 2010 from US$100 million in 2006. Japan's Nisshin will be the first foreign to engage in railway transport services in Vietnam in July 2008. It has set up a joint venture to provide the service of transporting Toyota vehicles from the north to the south, and electronics and car spare parts vice versa.     View an example of our experience in this industry. Back to list of articles.  Visit our website to sign up for free intelligence on Asian markets.

This Weekly News Update is a free newsletter, providing a round-up of the week's Asia-Pacific news from our core industry practices. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.

Fusion Consulting is a business intelligence consultancy providing clear strategic advice on Asia-Pacific markets. With offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and 400 industry consultants in 16 countries, we conduct custom research and consulting to help companies understand their markets, compete more effectively and grow into new areas of opportunity. Email more@fusionc.com or visit www.fusionc.com for more information.