Conflicts between two camps in the container-manufacturing industry are likely to block any benefits the sector might have enjoyed from the mainland's World Trade Organisation entry, according to industry sources.
One group wants monthly production quotas for each factory, meaning a plant could not easily reduce unit costs.
The other group supports fixed prices for containers produced, meaning a factory could reduce its unit costs by selling more boxes.
A source said the mainland would not be moving towards free trade in the container industry, while the two groups 'continue to squabble over this matter'.
The industry's problems have been exacerbated during the past few years because of over-capacity and over-purchasing by the leasing sector from 1995 to 1996.
As a result, prices were pushed down from the US$2,000 per teu (20-foot equivalent unit) measure level three to four years ago, to $1,900 per box in 1996 to $1,800 in 1997, and continued to fall to $1,400 in 1998.