CANYONS TO HOST SESSION ON DOING BUSINESS WITH CHINA.

Byline: Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - College of the Canyons will present a conference in April on doing business with China, a country with nearly 1.3 billion people and a trillion-dollar economy.

``Exploring Business with China: Risks & Opportunities'' is an all-day conference to be held April 21 in the Hyatt Valencia's Santa Clarita Conference Center. Industry and trade officials from the United States and China will come together to brief participants on trade between the two countries.

The topics include: securing suppliers of materials and components; advantages and risks in setting up operations; market for U.S. goods, tools and machinery; exporting finished products and agriculture.

The conference is sponsored by the college's Center for Applied Competitive Technologies in conjunction with the Economic Development Division.

``Every business and industry leader who wants to expand their market in a dramatic way should make it a priority to attend this event,'' said Dena Maloney, the college's dean of economic development. ``Although the information to be shared will be extremely valuable, I can't stress enough the importance of the business contacts and relationships that can be developed through this event.''

A reception following the event will include Chinese government officials involved with trade and investments.

With the highest foreign direct investment in the world, the People's Republic of China is fast becoming a focal point for businesses and industries seeking to expand their markets and bolster their bottom lines. The country's gross domestic product was estimated to be close to $6 trillion in 2002.

While political control remains tight, China's economic controls have become more and more relaxed in recent years. The government gradually has introduced market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision-making over the past 25 years.

In 1978, China's leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, Soviet-style central economy to a more market-oriented system in which the economic influence of nonstate organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing, according to the U.S. government.

The country switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture instead of collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment.

The result has been a quadrupling of the gross domestic product since 1978. In 2003, China stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the United States.

Call [phone] for reservations and more information about the conference.