DHL sees growth in 2004
Bolstered by robust worldwide economic growth in 2004, express operator DHL Worldwide Express has seen double-digit growth in revenue this year, Michael Hsu (許一鳴), director of marketing at DHL Taiwan Corp, said yesterday. Hsu refused to reveal the specific figure.
As the world economy is expected to slow down next year, Hsu said the effect on the logistics industry is not yet known, as companies may launch aggressive marketing strategies during the economic downturn. But the business capacity in Taiwan is reaching a limit due to industry migration to China, forcing the company to come up with integrated service to customers doing business in the greater Chinese region, Hsu said.
One important boost to the industry was the liberalization of cross-strait transportation, which the company has proposed to the government in recent years, Hsu said.
Investment in China approved
The nation has approved 12 applications for China-bound investment totaling US$239.42 million, the Investment Commission said.
The commission also approved five inbound investment applications by foreign investors and overseas Chinese for a total of US$140.94 million, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
Of the applications for China-bound investment, electronics contract manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) was given approval to invest US$68 million in a unit in Yantai in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong.
Nan Ya Plastics Corp (南亞塑膠) was authorized to invest US$30 million in a unit in Kunshan in neighboring Jiangsu Province.
To many, Tatu City on the outskirts of Nairobi looks like a success. The first city entirely built by a private company to be operational in east Africa, with about 25,000 people living and working there, it accounts for about two-thirds of all foreign investment in Kenya. Its low-tax status has attracted more than 100 businesses including Heineken, coffee brand Dormans, and the biggest call-center and cold-chain transport firms in the region. However, to some local politicians, Tatu City has looked more like a target for extortion. A parade of governors have demanded land worth millions of dollars in exchange
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