Fiber Production On the Rise in China

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 14 -- Domestic fiber production volume in China will experience a compound annual growth rate of 27 percent, rising to 16.4 million fiber-km in 2005 from 5.8 million fiber-km in 2000, according to a report by market forecaster KMI Research.

China is expected to use about 16 million fiber-km from overseas suppliers each year between 2001 and 2005. Domestic fiber suppliers will provide China with 7 million fiber-km in 2001, rising to 16 million in 2005. China has more than 200 fiber optic cable manufacturers; collectively, they used only 22 percent of their cabling capacity in 2001.

Continuing deregulation and accession into the World Trade Organization will accelerate China's fiberoptic network expansion beyond the 10 percent annual growth it has experienced in the last decade, according to KMI.