Smell China

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec Corp., is one of the major petroleum companies in China. Sinopec’s business includes oil and gas exploration, refining, and marketing; production and sales of petrochemicals, chemical fibers, chemical fertilizers, and other chemical products; storage and pipeline transportation of crude oil and natural gas; import, export and import/export agency business of crude oil, natural gas, refined oil products, petrochemicals, and other chemicals. In 2009, it was ranked 9th by Fortune Global 500 becoming the first Chinese corporation to make the top ten. In 2007, it ranked first in the Top 500 Enterprises of China ranking.

Sinopec Corporation is a partner in Petrodar Operating Company Ltd., a consortium whose partners also include China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC, the 90 per cent owner of PetroChina) and Sudapet (the Sudanese state-owned oil company), among others. In August, 2005, Petrodar commenced production of oil in blocks 3 and 7 in South-east Sudan. In December, 2005, Petrodar announced that its first shipment of crude oil would be shipped from Sudan in January, 2006. Petrodar’s operations represent a major increase in overall Sudanese oil production.

In November 2005, Sinopec Group announced plans to partner with CNPC to purchase an oil field in Sudan, and has reportedly indicated an interest in expanding its business in Sudan.

From 2004 until 2008, Sinopec had also been the title sponsors of China’s largest sporting event, the Formula One Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix

In early 2007 Sinopec opened China’s first drive-thru petrol station and fast-food restaurant, in the Changping district of Beijing.

China Mobile Limited provides mobile voice and multimedia services through the nationwide mobile telecommunications network it operates in China, the largest of its kind in the world. It is a state-owned enterprise, but is listed on the NYSE and the Hong Kong stock exchange. China Mobile has the world’s largest mobile network and the world’s largest mobile subscriber base.

China Mobile has historically held a greater share of the rural market than competitors. By 2006 it had expanded its network so that 97% of the Chinese population lived in an area that received reception and has since seen a sustained stream of new, rural mobile customers. China Mobile also offers information services targeted at the rural market, chief among these being the Agricultural Information Service, which allows a variety of activities to take place through the use of mobile phones and the internet. These include the sale and purchase of agricultural products, access to market prices for agricultural products, connecting potential employees with employers looking to hire, dissemination of information by local government, wire transfers, bank withdrawals and payments, etc.

China Mobile expanded overseas in 2007, with the purchase of Paktel in Pakistan, and launched the ZoNG brand there a year later.

In May 2008 the company took over China Tietong, a fixed-line teleco and the third largest broadband ISP in China, thus adding internet services to its core business of mobile services.

China Mobile offers mobile services in Mainland China under several brands.

* Easyown is a basic prepaid service and is more heavily marketed in rural areas. Low-cost monthly plans are also available and these may provide only a specific add-on such as free incoming calls. Some of China Mobile’s value-added features are not available with Easyown, however. Use of Easyown requires purchase of a SIM card and to recharge minutes, an airtime card, both available at local newsstands and variety stores. To access discounted international long-distance when calling with an Easyown phone, simply put the numeric prefix 12593 before the number you are calling.
* GoTone is the flagship brand. Its traditional, monthly plans allow international roaming and start at 100 RMB per month.
* M-zone is the premium prepaid service, targeting the youth demographic and offering many value-added features including mobile internet and voice mail. M-zone is popular among students, but its popularity lags behind other China Mobile brands in secondary and third-tier cities. Use of M-zone requires purchase of a SIM card and to recharge minutes, an airtime card, both available at local newsstands and variety stores. Low-cost monthly plans are also available and these may provide only a specific add-on such as lower-cost SMS or free incoming calls.