According to Beijing Statistics Bureau, as a result of stimulation by a series of domestic demand expanding and consumption promoting measures, Beijing's retail sales in the first quarter of 2009 reached CNY122.12 billion, an increase of 12.6% compared with the same period of last year.

The South Korean Lotte Group has signed a contract with Weihai Jiulong Real Estate to open a new Lotte Mart in the Weihai Economic and Technical Development Zone in Shandong.

Japanese retail giant Takashimaya and Gubei Group, a subsidiary of China Enterprise, have jointly announced that Takashimaya will open a new department store in Gubei, Shanghai.

Following the precept of Sir Jack Cohen, the founder of British retail colossus Tesco, Wal-Mart has announced massive price cuts for essential items in more than 100 of its retailing stores across China.

On the heels of concerns over product quality and melamine in Chinese milk, Nestle has opened a new research and development center in Beijing, which will focus on both basic research and product development.

According to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, the total retail sales in Hong Kong increased by 10.4% to HKD22.8 billion in August and the total retail sales value and the total retail sales volume in the first eight months of 2008 increased by 15% and 8.3% respectively.