China's Muslim Uighur minority, call for Olympic boycott... not just Tibet

XFML - Xinhua Media Finance - Chinese Advertising Industry

Still hopeful on this Chinese equity (XFML). I may not have visited China since late 2006, but print media and the potential for a explosion in the general advertising industry / sector was noted by me and my collegues.

I chose this security months ago for diversification reasons and regretted it for some time. However, see for yourself.... things do seem to be improving in the sector, Freddy Bush the headline making--attention grabbing CEO has improved her position in the company and with the legal problems she had, the company has Beijing Olympic deals lined up and is generally moving in the right direction. Check out some of these articles I've recently been reading on the sector and Xinhua finance in general.

Recent company releases -->

May 9 (XFML) - Xinhua Far East Releases Rating Report on China Securities Industry; CITIC Securities and Guotai Junan Securities Lead in Domestic Firms

May 8 (XFML) - Xinhua Finance Limited (TSE: 9399) to release financial results for the first quarter of 2008 on Thursday, May 29, 2008


China's online advertising market near 11 bln yuan. Xinhua 08-02-24 - China's market in online advertising surged by 75 percent to 10.6 billion yuan (1.48 billion U.S. dollars) in 2007, according to a report by Internet consultant iResearch Inc. The surge was largely driven by a boom in search engine advertising, or keyword advertising, which experienced an annual growth rate of 108.6 percent, said the report. Search engine advertising accounted for 27.3 percent of the market in terms of value, up 4.3 percentage points over the previous year, and it was predicted to hit 30 percent this year, the report said. Online brand advertising jumped 65.3 percent to 4.86 billion yuan in 2007 and was expected to reach 23.7 billion yuan by 2011, said the report. Advertising embedded in games, software and video clips would also become the major driving forces for online advertising, it said. The firm forecast that China's online advertising market would hit 17.2 billion yuan this year and 37 billion yuan in 2011. China had 210 million Internet users at the end of 2007, the world's second largest online population and only five million fewer than the United States, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. However, the United States reported more than 22.5 billion U.S. dollars in online advertising last year, about 15 times that of China.
Read rest of the story here - XInhua New

Maybe Xinhua XFML - is not very active in the online advertising community, but the point should not less be noted. Afterall comparing it to its "peers" is a rediculous idea.. Observe data from www.morningstar.com

How on earth can it compete with such competitors, and why on earth would you relate it to US giants like Comcast.

Watch this company-- a intelligent investor would at this point. We've already been through a year of rather... well lets just say it... hell.

Fundamentals have improved, China's correction will begin to fix soon (although) not sure for how long with olympics looming, but now would be the time to enter this security that's been so horribly neglected by the international investment community.

Fundamentals for (XFML)--> provided by Morningstar

Stock	Mkt Cap $Mil	Sales $Mil		Growth	Profit- ability	Financial Health
Xinhua Finance Media, Ltd.	163.0	59		---	---	---
Industry Average	16,600	7,873		B-	C+	C
Liberty Entertainment Group	72,407	9,423		---	B	C
Comcast Corporation	65,288	31,896		B	D	C-
Comcast Corporation	64,045	31,896		B	D	C-
The DIRECTV Group, Inc.	31,396	17,929		B	B	B
Time Warner Cable, Inc.	29,201	16,264		B	D	C
Rogers Communications, Inc.	28,276	7,782		---	---	---
British Sky Broadcasting Group	18,120	8,788		---	---	---
DISH Network Corporation Class A	13,888	11,090		B	---	---
Liberty Global, Inc.	11,575	9,508		---	---	D
Liberty Global, Inc.	11,345	9,508		---	---	D
Liberty Global, Inc.	10,957	9,508		---	---	D
Liberty Capital	10,224	1,621		---	B	C
Liberty Capital	10,146	1,621		---	B	C
Shaw Communications, Inc.	9,226	2,482		---	---	---
Virgin Media, Inc.	4,932	8,144		---	---	D
Net Communications Services Inc.	3,939	901		---	---	---
Corus Entertainment, Inc.	1,691	688		---	---	---
Charter Communications, Inc.	550	6,002		D	---	---
Mediacom Communications Corporation	500	1,293		C	---	---
I-Cable Communications	308	328		---	---	---
LodgeNet Interactive Corporation	129	486		C	---	---

Latino Vote! Hillary Clinton! For all that is holy

Greetings fellow Latino's, my name is Bennett Reiss Iberico, I am a Peruvian American with dual citizenship who would like to speak to all Latino's around the world and especially those of us in the United States with voting rights. The importance of the 2008 elections for President of the USA range far beyond immigration, promises of social help and empowerment of Latino businesses and workers.

For the past 8 years, the administration of this country has ignored, shunned and paid little attention to Latin America. I beg anyone watching this video, especially Latino's in the US and around the world to lend me at most five minutes of your attention.

If the next administration continues its current international policies in the America's, it risks alienating hundreds of millions of people. Much like the United States, Latin American countries evolved into their own culture by mixing native, European and other cultures to create new national identities. This election is about more than voting for the candidate who promises to deliver in issues you are concerned about, it is a opportunity for Latino's to exert their position in the America's, if not Latino's in the U.S. will face continued hardship and be considered second class citizens and Central and South America will remain hidden from world attention while the economic giants of China and India grab the spot light.

Instead of looking down on the people and countries of Latin America, people in the U.S. they should take pride in the history of these beautiful countries, it is a piece of their own culture and history as an individual living on the American continent. What politician in the United States will be able to achieve this? Have politicians and leaders in the U.S even made efforts recently? A few have, I’ll give you a hint, it definitely wasn’t anyone in the Bush family, sad, especially considering there are a few people in the Bush family who are half Latino.

The reality is the US does not consider a priority, they havn’t since the soviet missle crises, and only recently starting paying attention again when immigration and Chavez became issues for the media to feed of. With the Latino vote being of such great importance this election and estimates that Latino's will comprise 25% of the population in the U.S. by the year 2050 Latin Americans, the 1st generation Latino's in the U.S. and US citizens of Central and South American ancestry are in a position to gain great bargaining power. The U.S. more than ever needs to pay attention to the Latino’s living here and also the development of Latin America as a whole because soon Chinese and Indian investment and cooperation will begin to compete with that of the US and Europe. And following economic competition will come political influence, something we should welcome and also offer them competition. But how can we compete with two countries that have suffered at the hands of the West just like Latin America largely believes the US has caused them suffering? We need an image change, and Hillary Clinton more than anyone will help us move in the right direction!

Of all the candidates, Hillary Clinton is the obvious leader who will move us in the right direction, and who knows, because of past Latino support for the Clinton's and the prospects of being Hillary’s trump card in her candidacy for the democratic bid for presidency Latino’s might really garner world and domestic attention. Hillary, as my senator from New York rarely disappoints the people she represents, and I believe after filtering out the rhetoric of Barak Obama who does indeed speak so passionately he reminds me of Latin American populists who promise to change everything and end up delivering nothing.

A speech is meant to impress. If you look at the political records and pasts of both candidates you would realize Hilary Clinton as senator provided many social programs for the Hispanic communities of New York City, she votes in favor of free trade agreements with Latin American countries while Obama does not, she was at center stage at the creation of NAFTA, and can look back on that experience to provide better trade deals with Latin America.

While most democrats oppose free trade and would like to see unions regain the prestige of the past—which would create great barriers to entering the legal work force for Latinos, Hilary Clinton has shown to understand the American economy and supports efforts to liberalize the work force and regulations. It is widely accepted she is the most immigration friendly candidate.

To all those Latino's out there, who have come to the U.S. because of instability, dangers, lack of employment, political persecution, poverty or whatever your reason for coming to the US was, or that of your parents, please think about the populists who gain power time and time again in our countries. Promises are made, change is promised and whether its left wing, right wing or a mix, change never manifests into something sustainable or encounters so much opposition never succeeds. Listen to Barak Obama speak, it will sound eerily familiar. This is of course my opinion, and I’m only a Peruvian-American whose been following Latin American politics for about 8 years and can only know the populists of the past from history text books.

It is ironic I feel, Hillary Rodman Clinton is an experienced stateswoman in my opinion most closely resembled what Latino’s call “un caudillo,” a "strong man" as we call it in Latin America. She may be a woman but when she takes a position and a stance she does so forcefully, acting in line with the facts and delivering. The key difference between Latin American caudillos and Hillary is simply she takes law and responsibility into account.

Another four years of neglect is not what any Latin American or person descended of Latin American heritage should desire. I ask, how is Barak Obama with his promises of change to virtually all segments of US society going to delegate time. Hillary already supports and helps the Hispanic communities in this country and has encouraged the expansion of ties, economic and political in Latin America. Obama has little experience in this region and would be coming in as a fresh face. Where on the other hand many people in Latin America fondly remember the administration of the Clintons. With the already existing lack of trust Latin Americans have with the U.S. would you not prefer a president who is remembered fondly as the first lady of one of the greatest presidents in recent years in the eyes of Latino? And do you not respect a lot like the Kircher’s in Argentina that her own political record and career make her more than her husbands protégé? Hillary is not only a incredibly intelligent individual but her record as Senator is something she can be far more proud of than her own husbands record as Governor of Arkansas.

So please, I appeal especially to Texan voters and all other eligible voters out there in states yet to have their primaries, for the greater good of this country and Latin America, vote for Hillary Clinton, once you more thoroughly examine the facts and record you'll see she understands the region and domestic issues that will arise from continued immigration and Latino population growth, and the growth of the countries in Latin America

And please for all that is holy, once she wins the democratic nomination for presidency, get out and vote for her!

I have always been politically apathetic, but I take pride in my ancestry and in the Americas, north and south. I've think I’ve become relatively good at seeing through propaganda, not to say that all candidates don’t have a certain degree of it in their campaigns but that aside after all this, my opinion and analysis lead me to believe the greatest hope for the US and the region is Hilary Rodman Clinton. I implore everyone out there to at least consider my words, and think for yourselves, not with the media.


- Bennett A. Reiss

China 3c Group - CHCG:OTB -- Will Chinese management and company leadership finally wake up and learn how to communicate with foreign investors?

China 3c Group first came into my scope sometime last year in April or May. By the summer, it was being reported on in Barron's and it seemed investors where quite bullish. As someone who has lived in China and done a substantial amount of research on this company, I decided to buy it despite being near its 52 week high, and despite the lack of communication and a outdated website and information, I concluded this was a typical Chinese company learning to adapt.

China 3C group (CHCG:OTC), is a Chinese company that both distributes and sells products ranging from cell phones, home telephones, IT technologies, fax machines and other electronic equipment. China, despite the news remains substantially poor in a material sense, CHCG not only maintains a 15% market share in the 3 wealthiest provinces of China, but also has plans to expand their operations by opening and cooperating with global retail giants such as the French version of Wallmart-- Carrefore and Loutour.

Moving on CHCG was recently described in the Wall Street Journal as being a company that has not been able to effectively communicate with its investors that CHCG is growing via cooperation with new partners and new store openings, its current operations have increasing revenues, and lastly it has no debt and is liquid with a fair amount of cash and working capital. Sadly it that has suffered from a global fall in equities which prevented it from obtaining a listing on the NASDAQ this January, the communication issue and the pulling out of short-term speculative investors.

Almost a year later, I find myself with 1000's of shares at an average share price of $4.50 and the stock trading at $2.70 with at least another 3 months until a NASDAQ listing is possible. The past months have taught me a great deal about investing in up and coming Chinese companies that promise a U.S. listing and grandiose expansion plans. But, it has also taught me patience, lessons that would have been valuable in my past Chinese investments in CEA, CTRP, NTES and XFML.

Minus XFML, all these stocks eventually came of age and I sold out too early. This time things are different-- CHCG as mentioned not only is getting more recognition in mainstream financial media, but this time its far from speculative. People are not speculating anymore in the wake of the sub prime mortgage crisis, a falling US dollar, and general worries about the economic outlook for the next few years to come.

At $2.70 my friends this is a great buy. Not only when considering the actual value of the company but also considering the upcoming Beijing, Olympics. The recent downturn is a result of yes the bad communication but also the fact that the lunar near fell this year at a time when China suffered its worst snow storms in 50 years and the hundreds of millions (I do mean over 400 million at least), became stranded with their months of earnings they were meaning to bring home and spend... spend as Westerns do in December during the holiday season. So not only did we have economic losses in the billions in China, we had plummeting global equities, and lastly a Chinese spending surge on par with our own during Christmas and New Years suddenly did not happen.

All this being taken into account, one must surely after conducting their own research in the context of a Chinese investment, come to a similar conclusion that now, more than any other time is the ideal moment to purchase this up and coming company.