Cao Derong, an official in the State Economic and Trade Commission, said on Monday at the Forum on Opening the Service Sector to Foreign Investors that foreign-invested commercial enterprises set up in China since 1992 have attracted more than three billion US dollars of foreign investment.

In April this year, 34 Chinese enterprises specializing in general merchandise production have become global partners of France-based Carrefour.

OBI Company, a well-known retailer of building materials, has signed supply agreements with five Chinese producers, and decided that its new shops in Russia would purchase all goods from China.

According to Cao, in the talks for WTO membership, China committed itself to open its wholesale and retail services, commission agency services, franchise operations and distribution channels over two to five years. So far, foreign investment has mainly been directed into developing large-scale general merchandise, warehouse and department stores.

(Xinhua News Agency September 10, 2002)