Potentials of exporting Sarawak sawn timber to the People's Republic of China (PRC) / Eda Edan

Within the Asian region, China is slowly emerging as a formidable economic power. The country with a population of 1.3 billion people in the year 2000, offers the single biggest market place in the world. In this context, it is not surprising to note that potential in its infant stage. Foreign direct investment (FDI), which is a measure of investor confidence and interest in a particular country, provides ample evidence of these positive attitudes towards China. China, which has just gained membership into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in December 2001, offers tremendous potential for all investors, as she provides several distinct advantages. Firstly, she has a large domestic market with an increasing spending power. Secondly, her rapidly growing industrial sector stands out as a producer of all types of products, which are bound for export markets around the world. Thirdly, China has the potential to change the direction of global trade patterns, as she is the seventh leading exporter and eight largest importer of merchandise in the world. It is therefore obvious that China will remain highly attractive to investors for many more years to come.