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Compaq cashes in on China

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ELEVEN months ago, Compaq Computer chief executive Eckhard Pfeiffer made his first visit to Beijing, to assess the much-talked-about potential of the Chinese personal computer market.

The focus of that visit was the opening of the US$1 million Compaq-Tsinghua training centre. The funds for the centre were donated by Compaq, ensuring the company's access to mainland customers.

The visit also marked the start of Compaq's intensified focus on China, which culminated in the opening, 10 days ago, of a Compaq office in Beijing. A few weeks before this, a joint-venture manufacturing operation was signed with the Stone Group.

Mr Pfeiffer, who considers himself a ''global manager'' of an increasingly global company, said the opportunities in China had grown considerably since his last mainland visit in November.

This was despite the nation's austerity drive and despite the difficulties inherent in doing business on the mainland.

Compaq has set itself the global target of becoming the biggest PC company in the world - by any measure, whether it be units sold or revenue generated - by 1996.

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