The Brand Promotion tour members, including officials from Ministry of Commerce, press journalists, volunteers and sponsors arrived at Shijiazhuang, capital city of North China's Hebei Province June 13, 2006 to join the local government and local enterprises in the activities of Brand Promotion in Hebei Province, the first leg of the tour.

Jiang Zengwei, center, Deputy Minister of Commerce addressed to the opening ceremony of the Brand Promotion activites in Hebei Province at the square before Hebei Provincial Museum of Shijiazhuang, capital city of the province June 13, 2006. [Chinadaily.com.cn]

The opening ceremony of Hebei activities was held at the square before the provincial museum. Jiang Zengwei, Deputy Minister of Commerce, deputy governor of Hebei province and mayor of Shi Jiazhuang addressed to the ceremony with the tour members, represents from local enterprises staff and residents watching the ceremony.

"The Brand Promotion tour initiated by Ministry of Commerce aims to push forward the construction of self-made brands by popularizing them to the nation and world and evoking the public awareness of using self-made brands", addressed Jiang.

The deputy governor made a brief introduction to the current status of the famous brands produced by the province.

Hebei produces 23 national famous brands and 29 nation-known brands. Sanlu and Red Rose fine bone china belong to the former group.

"The qualities of some private brands are nearly no worse than those of overseas brands and what they lack is the competitiveness in brand," the deputy standing manger of Tangshan Huida Ceramic (Group) Co. Ltd told the press. "On one hand, the national enterprises need to sharpen the competitiveness of their products; on the other hand, the government needs to play its role in supporting private brands."

Huida had 78 percent of its products exported last year. To expand the internal trade, Huida has planned to increase the number of sale agents nationwide and strength efforts in advertising.

"As a traditional form of art and a symbol of the nation, china products should be sharpened into competitive brands both nationwide and worldwide," the china industry represents told the press.

Jiang Zengwei, deputy Minster of Commerce held a press conference ahead of the Brand Promotion tour. He pledged to give financial support to the development of private brands and offer preferential help to famous private brands for their overseas development.

However, Jiang emphasized that the market, rather than the government has the final say to the existence and development of a brand so enterprises should play the principal role in developing private brands.

Sanlu acknowledged to the press that the quality of products is the foundation stone to build a brand. As a national dairy giant, Sanlu has been pursuing fine quality and enhancing effort in advertising as well. Sanlu's mother milk power shares 40 percent of the national market and Sanlu is the first diary group to put up milk powder advertisement on CCTV Channel 1.

However, Hebei is still on course to build a brands-driven economy. The province plans to forster another 20 national known brands and 100 provincial known brands. Moreover, the province will have up to 50 percent of enterprises and more than 55 percent of the exporting enterprises own private brand.