French-based Sofitel has announced that it has signed three new contracts for hotels in the eastern and southeastern regions of China. These new Sofitel properties are already under construction and are scheduled to begin opening from the end of 2010.

Wal-Mart China is said to have begun a program to optimize the structure of its middle level management.

Convenience Retail Asia, a member of the Li & Fung Retailing Group, has announced that the company will acquire an additional 25% equity interest of Convenience Retail Southern China for CNY15 million, increasing its holdings of Convenience Retail Southern China from the current 73.5% to 98.5%.

According to a report in Taiwanese local media, Gao Konglian, secretary general and vice chairman of the board of directors for the Straits Exchange Foundation, said that to assist Taiwanese businessmen to enter into the Chinese mainland market, the Straits Exchange Foundation planned to cooperate with Taiwan-based department stores which run business on the mainland [...]

After the entry of Hongcheng Building and Hongkelong, another large department store brand Rainbow Department Store will open a new outlet in Nanchang's Honggu Beach.

Courier service provider TNT has announced that the company will open eight new branches in China before the end of the year, increasing the number of its outlets in China to 34.