State-owned manufacturing enterprises continued to play a leading role in the national economy in 2005, said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), when releasing China's top 500 manufacturing companies this August.

Listed by revenues from major business lines, the top 10 manufactures are Baosteel Group, China First Automobile Group Corp., Dongfeng Motor Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group, Haier Group Corp., Motorola (China) Electronics Ltd., Shougang Group, Anshan Iron and Steel Group Corp., Tangshan Iron and Steel Group Co. Ltd. and Wuhan Iron and Steel Corp.

Among them are five steel producers, two automakers and one electrical household appliance manufacturer, five of whom with revenues topping 100 billion yuan. According to the NBS, 220 manufacturers of the top 500 in China are state-owned and heavy-industry-prone.

More than 75 percent of the top 500 are located in east China, particularly concentrated in Jiangsu Province.  Insiders of the National Development and Reform Commission pointed out that China's top 500 still lag far behind world leading companies, as they lack innovation and core competence.

(China.org.cn)