New Automotive Opportunities Open in Hunan Province

Vice-Governor to Visit U.S.

BERKELEY, Calif., April 23 -- Foreign manufacturers seeking to enter the China automotive market, or to establish manufacturing in China for export markets, now have excellent opportunities in Hunan Province. Favorable policies and a sound infrastructure invite new investment and development.

China's Domestic Growth

PRCDirect CEO Jim Miller and COO Robert Wu recently made a fact-finding visit to Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. In meetings with Hunan Vice-Governor Yu Youjun and his economic development team, special licensing opportunities in Hunan for seven domestic automotive brands were discussed in detail.

"Hunan is positioned to be a first-rate environment and develop first-rate enterprises," noted Yu. "We are committed to help with careful planning with regard to China investment for the foreign investor."

Advantages of Hunan for Manufacturing

This area of south central China has an outstanding supply chain in place. In Hunan, power costs 40 percent less than in coastal areas. Labor costs are 50 to 60% less. A new airport, highways and rail links tie coastal and other areas of China to Changsha. Local technical universities supply automotive engineering talent. Land costs are half those of coastal provinces. Additional government incentives add to the economic advantages of this "near interior" province with excellent access to major China markets.

June Visit to U.S.

New land use and tax concessions are creating a unique environment for foreign companies who are considering manufacturing in China. "We have open arms and encourage foreign companies to visit," adds Yu. Vice Governor Yu will travel to the U.S. in June. Companies desiring to meet with him can make arrangements through PRCDirect.

PRCDirect, Ltd, is China's leading provider of local business intelligence. The company's two ISO 17799 operations centers, in Guangdong and Shandong, have 450 service representatives providing local market information, data acquisition, and marketing and sales services to Fortune 500 companies and PRC domestic enterprises. Full company information is available at www.prcdirect.com.

Companies interested in meeting with Vice-Governor Yu should contact Tina Bachemin at tina.bachemin@prcdirect.com or 510-843-0645.