Bankcard
News
• China
Merchants Bank has issued over 400,000
international debit cards
By the end of 2004, China Merchant Bank
has a total issuance of 400,000 its
international debit cards ("Yikatong"
gold card and "Gold Sunflower Card")
of Visa and Mastercard brands. According
to the responsible spokesman, among
the cardholders of its international
debit cards, the major parts of them
are the middle and senior executives
of the reputable companies that will
become the main and stable clients to
support the further growth of the retailing
business of this bank.
The "Yikatong" gold card -
the first financing international card
with comprehensive financing card in
China and the Gold Sunflower card -
the first platinum financing card in
the Asia Pacific region, are targeting
the middle and senior clients who have
the assets over RMB50,000 and RMB500,000.
Hence, this Bank has built up its service
system of different layers for individual
banking services: "Yikatong"
ordinary card, "Yikatong"
Gold card and Gold Sunflower card which
have established the products and service
systems for individual banking businesses
ranging from mass customers, middle
to the senior clients.
• Shangdong
witnesses its bankcard transaction
value over 100 million Yuan in 2004
According to the statistics of China
Unionpay Jinan Branch, Shangdong Province
(excluding Qindao) has a total of
46.32 million transactions with transaction
values over RMB15.99 billion for ATM
and POS terminals. Among ATM 33.17
million transactions, there is an
increase of 60% against the previous
year, and POS consumption value over
RMB10 billion with an increase of
174.7% against the previous year.
From the report, China Unionpay Shandong
Branch has expanded its network coverage
ranging from cities of the registries
and municipal levels to the county-level
cities. With the positive efforts
and cooperation with China Unionpay
Jinan Branch, the relevant merchant
banks and the related industrial sectors,
Sino-Chem, China UniCom, China Mobile
and China NetCom have signed the cooperative
agreements with China Unionpay to
install more POS terminals in the
Province. This Province has a total
of 6,003 merchants that joined China
Unionpay with 11,912 POS terminals
installed and 3,853 ATM machines connected
to the China Unionpay. The fast growth
of installed equipment and stable
operation provide the handy services
to the cardholders to consume and
draw cashes. The Unionpay Card has
become the handy payment tool for
the citizens in the Province.
• The
first Dragon card of China UniCom
issued in Suzhou
On January 10, China UniCom Suzhou
Branch and CBC Bank Suzhou Branch
announced to issue the first telecom
branded credit card - China UniCom
Dragon card in Jiangsu province. This
is the tailor-made credit card integrating
payment and telecom services based
on the membership club members for
China UniCom between China Construction
Bank and China UniCom. This effort
has paved the further close cooperation
between CBC bank and China UniCom
ever since " Mobile Banking "
business.
• Peony
Hainan Airline credit card has a total
of 25,000 cards issued in five months
It is reported that a total of 25,000
credit cards of ICBC (Industrial and
Commercial Bank of China) Peony and
Hainan Airline have been issued from
August 9 to December 31 of 2004. The
total five months have a successful
issuance at 25,000 cards with a transaction
value of RMB30 million. Among the
35 cities that have the card issuances
in China, Beijing, Wuhan and Hai Kou
have taken the leading positions with
a 50% of a total card issuance volume
in China.
• Lenovo,
Visa and Bank of China jointly launching
Olympic credit cards
Recently, Beijing Olympic Games Committee
has signed a five-year partnership
agreement with its top partners of
Lenovo and Visa International. At
the ceremony, Lenovo, Visa and Bank
of China jointly launched "Olympic
Credit Card of Bank of China, Lenovo
and Visa" with the logo of Olympic
Games Beijing 2008.
This credit card has the special free
interest installment service of Lenovo
product services at over 100 Lenovo
Diamond Distributers' Shops in Beijing
and Shanghai, apart from the three
unique functions of global roaming,
flexible money payback and tele-purchasing
of the "Olympic Credit Card of
Bank of China, Lenovo and Visa".
• Beijing
achieving bankcard consumption value
over RMB 70 billion in 2004
Beijing has achieved a fast growth
of bankcard consumption trade over
the past years with an annual increase
over 100% of bankcard trade value.
According to the statistics conducted
by Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce
on February 2, 2005, Beijing witnessed
the bankcard consumption trade value
over RMB 70 billion, accounting 20%
of the overall social retailing volume
in 2004. In order to improve the bankcard
acceptance environment and prepare
for Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing,
Beijing Municipal Government has listed
as one of the key governmental issues
ever since 2003 for a second consecutive
year.
• New
IC Card Regulation completed to promote
the financing standardization process
From the People's Bank of China, the
2.0 Edition of "The Regulation
on China Financing IC Card" -
(referred as IC Card Regulation) has
been completed and approved for the
appraisal by the China National Financing
Standardization Technical Committee.
With the revisions, this Regulation
will be released and put for implementation
as the industrial standard for the
banking sector in China.
This IC Card Regulation of 2.0 Edition
covers the contents of banking IC
cards E-purse/electronic deposit books,
debit/credit regulations, the standards
of contactless bank IC cards and the
personal applications for debit/credits.
This regulation has taken some references
of the international standards so
as to meet the pressing situation
of EMV Migration for the Chinese bankcard
market. And this regulation has played
the role of upgrading the security
and conveniency of the bankcard usage
as well as promoting the inter-change
of the China's IC card applications
with the international market and
also the inter-changes between the
related sectors in China.
Telecom
News
• China
UniCom and China Postal jointly launching
"Boashitong" video-comm
business
In Beijing, China UniCom and China
Postal jointly held the signature
ceremony of "Boashitong"
video communication business agreement.
This agreement aims to promote the
rapid growing "Boashitong"
broadbank video communication business
based on the wide business operation
networks of China Postal in China.
Mr. Liu Andong, Director General of
China Postal, Mr. Chang Xiaobin, President
of China UniCom and Mr. Shang Bin,
General Manager.
This business cooperation covers the
jointly developed video fixed line
phones, which will provide video public
phone businesses at the operation
offices nationwide, a handy face-to-face
phone talk for the people to meet
with friends at far distances. China
Postal will provide the sales agent
services for distributing "Boashitong"
video phones at its operation offices.
Also China Postal has been offered
with the license to conduct the sales
and distribution of this video communication
businesses via its distribution channels
and operation offices nationwide.
• The
first RF IC chip for Smart Phones
(Xiaolingtong) came into birth
From Shanghai Zhangjiang High-tech
zoon, the first RF integrated IC transmitter
and power enlarger chip group for
PHS/PAS (usually called "Xiaolingtong
- smart phones") terminals was
developed by Dingxin Semi-conductor
Co.,Ltd.
It is reported this chip group has
good performance in the chip data
and system test, and has better quality
of phone calls as well as the sensitive
quality at the industrial level. It
is easy to upgrade the network coverage,
and reduce the overall costs of the
RF part and phone terminals. This
company has provided engineering samples
to the many partners to start for
the trial test and certificates of
developing this new phones. This is
the first complete RF IC chip of higher
level of difficulty conducted by the
Chinese company. This has the significant
breakthrough record in the wireless
communication core technology and
high-end chip design technology in
China.
• The
first Java Smart Card of China copy-right
launched
Beijing Watchdata System Co., Ltd.
has completed the development of its
own copy-right Java card and submitted
for the test by the relevant customers.
This Java card developed by the Watchdata
of its own copy-right ensured itself
to be the leading-edge technology
and becomes one of the global recognized
trends of smart cards. The customers
may download the APPLET developed
by the third party to the card for
implementation, which can satisfy
the demand for flexible and handy
function development by the customers.
Watchdata has been dedicated in developing
its COS - the core software of smart
cards with its own copy-right and
it is the first vendor to sign the
agreement with SUN Microsystem to
legally develop Java COS system in
China. The TimeXess/Java SIM card
that complies with SUN Java Card standard
and Global Platform 2.1 standard will
support 2G and 3G applications. Its
platform that has the irrelevancy,
multi-functions and the down-loadable
application will provide the telecom
suppliers of value-added services
with the powerful and flexible solution.
• Texas
Instruments (TI) launching single
chip solution for mobile phones
Recently, TI announced that it had
joined the cooperation with Nokia
that would integrate its single chip
solution based on TI DRP technology
in its future mobile phones. This
cooperation ensures Nokia to provide
more advanced hand-held terminals
of lower cost, in particular the terminals
of higher sales volume for entry market.
This single chip solution based on
TI innovative DRP technology strengthens
its advantage of integration so that
it further upgrades its competing
position for itself and its customers.
• BIRD
launching the first mobile phone with
finger-prints identity in China
BIRD Company has joined with China
Academy of Science and Technology
and the related organizations to develop
smart mobile phone with finger-prints
identity, which has passed the test
by the relevant governmental authority
in Beijing. It is reported that this
mobile phone has been integrated with
finger-prints modules developed by
the Automation Research of China Academy
of Science and Technology. This module
has the function of finger-print identity
authentication, and ensures that mobile
phones be applied in the emerging
e-commerce sectors like e-banking
trade, wireless security trade and
off-line Internet shopping by utilizing
the conformity and stability of biometrics.
General
News
• 2nd
Asia Smart Label(RFID) Conference
to be held in Beijing in Mid-April
Jointly organized by China Federation
of Logistics and Purchasing and China
RFID Standard Working Group, 2nd Asia
Smart Label (RFID) Conference will
be held in Beijing on April 19-21.
The VIP attendants invited are from
the official administrations ( such
as Ministry of Information Industry,
Ministry of Railway, General Custom
Administration, and the officers from
Guangzhou and Shanghai). And the international
VIP speakers are also invited to make
key notes from India, Korea, China
Hong Kong and Taiwan Logistics Associations.
The leading international vendors
will make presentations at the Conference,
they are from Philips Semi-conductor,
ST, Symbol, TI etc.
The Organizers will keep half a day
for organizing China RFID Users' Summit,
by inviting the local end-users of
retailers, pharmacy, auto manufactures
and logistics, industrial gases cylinders
as well as the delegates in charge
of e-passport project to join in the
interactive discussions on the applications
of RFID in the different sectors and
the briefings on the RFID status.
The discussed issues and problems
in the RFID applications from the
different users will be collected
and compiled into the sum-up report
from the Summit. This sum-up report
will be taken as the valuable reference
for the promotion of RFID industry
in China. The relevant officers will
be invited to attend the Conference
and brief on the present status on
the RFID standard drafting work from
the related authorities of Ministry
of Information Industry and give Q
and A at the event.
• Progressive
and good sales of 7th Smart Cards
+ Smart Label (RFID) Expo, China and
Users' Conference at the edge of closing
its booths sales
From the Organizers' report, 7th Smart
Cards + Smart Label (RFID), China
and Users' Conference has made outstanding
progresses in its booth sales and
over 70 exhibitors have taken two
third of the total 5,500 sqm. show
space. Those who are interested in
the exhibition or sponsoring the event
may contact with AIT Events Co., Ltd.
by the deadline at March 15. The show
will be held at Beijing Exhibition
Center Hall 9 and 11. Concurrently
held are the 2nd Asia Smart Label
(RFID) Conference and multi-tract
Users' Conference. This event has
been promoted at the leading websites
of the international associations,
such as (www.atmia.org;
www.apsca.org;
www.globalsmart.com; www.kepia.org; www.chinawuliu.com.cn; www.chinasmartlabel.com;
www.cardtechnology.com;
www.universal-packaging.com.
Ever since its first event initially
organized in 1998, this Grand Event
has become the premier and officially
recognized industrial trade show taking
the lead of presenting the global
trend of the smart cards market and
local card industry in China. The
branded vendors at home and abroad
are from Philips Semi-conductors,
ST Micro-electronics, Muehlbauer,
Austria Card, ASK, Bielomitk, Schober,
Sagem, Verifone, Lipman, M-POS, Datang
Micro-electronics, Huahong Micro-electronics,
China CEC Huada Electronics, China
CES Smart Cards, Shanghai Beiling,
Beijing Tianshi, Shenzhen Promatic,
Shanghai ShenBo etc.
• 7th
The Users' Conference focusing on
the industrial hot topics
From the Organizers of 7th Smart Cards
+ Smart Label(RFID),China and Users'
Conference to be held between April
19 to 21. The Organizers will make
a multi-tracts Users' Conference rich
in contents and better than the previous
year's conference both in size and
more topics. There are more international
involvements in conducting business
communications at different levels
with the Chinese users, they are from
Global Platform, Asia IC Card Forum,
Asia Pacific Smart Card Association,
French Healthcare Card Association,
French Bankcard Association and Smart
Card Forum of India. The topics to
be addressed will be on Asia IC card
standard and application interoperability,
global e-passport, biometrics technology
and payment terminals and EMV migration
etc. Those who are interested in the
Users' Conference are welcome to register
for attendance.
• RFID
Solution in Tobacco Industry assisting
the National Tobacco No. 1 Project
IThe present National Tobacco No.
1 Project has completed its first
phase and will start the second phase
work. There are some urgent issues
to be solved as of today. Firstly,
to synchronize the information management
of the tobacco manufacturing is not
an easy task but enormous and complicated.
Apart from the data tracking of the
tobaccos, there are more efforts in
establishing the confirmation of data
at a many more chains of operations,
therefore the operation efficiency
has been reduced; secondly, the traditional
barcodes are easy to get rusted and
dirty, and need to be precisely located
requiring better operating environment.
This cannot guarantee the promotion
of the technology; the last difficulty
is the lack of conformity in tobacco
products delivery, case of tobacco
delivery and the pallets. The State
Administration of Tobaccos has grouped
the related experts to address the
solutions for problems facing this
industry. After rounds of discussions,
the Administration has decided to
take the introduction of RFID technology
for the implementation of No. 1 Project.
In view of the pressing operation
dates of this Project, Shenzhen Weishen
Electronics has been in coordinating
the related departments and vendors
to conduct the feasibility study for
this Project for Hangzhou Liqun Tobacco
Plant. This is the first and important
trial implementation of RFID technology
in the Tobacco industry in China,
which will bring in the imputing impact
for the industry.
• China
is expected to introduce E-passports
by year 2008
Recently, China, Japan and Philippines
have completed the successful trial
platform of the e-passport authentication
in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. According
to the responsible person of Wangxin
Software Industrial Group of Zhejiang
University that developed this Platform,
China is possible to introduce its
E-passport by the beginning of Beijing
Olympic Game in 2008.
The trial test of the e-passport project
by the three countries will be conducted
on the same time at the three airports
in Xiaoshan Airport of Hangzhou, Toyko
Airport in Japan and Manila Airport
of Philippines. This platform has
been tested via cross-country authentication
system, and the e-passport samples
have been issued. The real passport
model trial test for exit and entry
has been done from Hanghzhou to Tokyo
to Manila, including the trial test
on cross-country digital signature
and interoperability for the passport
check-up.
Smart
Cards News in General
• TaiAn,
Shangdong Province successfully installed
the IC card private key management
system of public utilities
On January 25-26, the engineers of
the IC Card Application Service Center,
Ministry of Construction were invited
by TaiAn Hongze Smart Card Co., Ltd.
to go and install the IC card private
key management system of public utilities.
After the installation, the engineers
provided to the TaiAn company technical
and card issuance trainings, giving
the guidance to the Company how to
issue the cards for the City officials
and how to make the re-loading private
keys.
At present, over 300 public transport
buses have been installed with the
IC card systems with a initial card
issuance at 50,000. TaiAn Hongze Smart
Card Co., Ltd. is a joint ventured
company between TaiAn Urban Construction
Investment Co., Ltd. and the City
Urban Public Transport Company.
• Tianjin
successfully installed IC card private
key management system of public utilities
At the invitation of Tianjin Municipal
Construction Committee, the IC Card
Application Service Center, Ministry
of Construction went to conduct the
installation and tests of IC Card
Private Key Management System of Public
Utilities in Tianjin on December 30,
2004. Tianjin is the last municipal
city that accepted the System and
it is the first city of installing
V1.1 edition for this System in China.
The City Construction Committee will
start the trial installation at the
light rails before going to introduce
in the taxis, low-value consumption,
water and gas suppliers.
• Chendu
City Card used in the Movie theatres
On December 27, 2004, Chendu Garden
Movie City introduced IC cards for
ticketing. This is the second movie
theatre to accept IC cards for the
movie ticketing after Pacific Movie
City started the use of City Card
in August of 2004. Using this City
Card for ticketing, the citizens will
enjoy 20% discounts at the ticketing
counters. For the further implementation,
Chendu City Card Company plans to
introduce this Card in the sectors
of fast food restaurants, taxis, super
markets and CNG Gas Stations; this
Card will be shortly used in the petro-gas
stations, property management in the
resident areas and phone calls. The
One Card with multi-applications for
Easy Life will promote the overall
development of City Card in Chendu
City.
