Tsingtao beer to enhance its presence in North China
        Qingdao-based Tsingtao Brewery Group (TBG) has bought the bankrupt Langfang Brewery for 4 million yuan (US$481,000) during the 17th Hebei Provincial Fair for Economic and Trade Co-operation. 
        Langfang is a city about 60 kilometres northwest of Tianjin. As the host of this provincial fair, Langfang attracted another US$ 51.3 million. 756 foreign enterprises from countries such as the United States, Germany and Denmark with more than US$2 billion investment had been drawn to Langfang by the end of last month because of its favorable environment and close proximity to Beijing and Tianjin. 
       Tsingtao Brewery Group (TBG), as the domestic leader in the beer industry, felt it could no longer neglect the north. Langfang is of strategic significance for Tsingtao beer to enhance its presence in North China, according to Peng Zuoyi, general manager of TBG. 
       Absorbing 150 million yuan (US$18 million) for refurbishment, the newly purchased Langfang brewery is expected to add 100,000 tons of beer to the present 2.5 million tons produced annually at TBG. 
       Peng indicated the company must grasp this opportunity to move ourselves into the top 10 breweries in the world by 2003.
      With the improvement of people's living standard, beer consumption is expected to swell and China may exceed the United States as the largest beer consumer in the world.. 

                             (China Daily)