New adjustments to international accounting standards are in the works in order to help reduce overseas listing costs for mainland companies, and thus to bridge the gap between international and mainland accounting standards more generally.

Market sources report that, in March of this year, China plans to initiate preliminary construction of a TD-SCDMA infrastructure in major mainland cities, including the six cities hosting the Olympic Games--Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shenyang, and Qinghuangdao--as well as key coastal cities including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Xiamen, and Baoding.  With the upcoming 3G license and the Olympics stimulating demand for expanded communications capabilities, China's telecommunications sector is in need of industrial restructuring, and optimization of resources.

To ensure 3G services would be provided during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China has to make decisions on 3G license in the first quarter of 2007 by the latest. The distribution of TD-SCDMA license is among the most debatable issue particularly which firm would be responsible for constructing the 3G network and infrastructure that us based on TD-SCDMA standards.

Several small and mid-size broadband service providers such as Great Wall Broadband, Peking Founder and Bluewave Broadband Networks all believe that the cooperation between mid-size broadband services providers to optimize industry resources, reduce cost and provide better services. Does this mean that mid- and small-sized broadband firms will enjoy a stronger position in China’s broadband market?

China’s telecom operators have recently announced business expansion plans to strengthen their presence in rural communications market, characterized by the similar focus of combining communications with information. How will these firms operate in the vast rural parts of the country? Is the necessary infrastructure ready?

Although foreign operators have been actively providing value added services and other joint ventures in China’s telecommunications sector, they remain cautious in stepping in infrastructure development. How do the foreign telecom giants plan out their China strategies?

Companies in the Mainland are anxious to go global. Following China Mobile’s partial acquisition of Phoenix satellite TV, China Telecom has sought to quicken the pace at which it extends its global influence, especially in the recovering European market. What are China Telecom's strategies to expand into Europe? Oriental Morning Post reported.

BT Group PLC, an UK telecommunications company, aims to almost double annual revenue from its China operations, to $250 million, within the next three fiscal years, The Wall Street Journal reported.

China Netcom Group (CNCG) and China Netcom HK has completed the sale of its entire 100 percent ownership of Asia Netcom to an Investor Group led by Ashmore Investment Management Limited, Spinnaker Capital Limited and Clearwater Capital Partners, said the company in a statement.