Samsung Electronics has moved its notebook PC production facilities to Suzhou from Suwon, south of Seoul recently to supply its global demand.
 
The company made the decision because of the high labor costs in its home country and the expensive tariffs in China, according to a statement by Samsung.

Its new plant has a capacity of 1 million units a year. It also produces DVD players, color TVs and monitors. Samsung's R&D, marketing and design divisions still remain in South Korea.

A senior executive for the greater China operation said Samsung regarded itself a Chinese enterprise headquartered in South Korea, which made and sold 80 percent of its lines in China. The giant has its most varieties produced in Suzhou, except for a TV and mobile base in Tianjin.

Samsung will provide more localized notebook PCs. However, it has refused to unveil its products and market strategic for its China specific operation.

(CRI May 8, 2005)