EX-99.1 2 b58210cfexv99w1.htm INSIGHT NEWSLETTER exv99w1
 

(Martin Currie Letterhead)
IN BRIEF
 
         
Net asset value per share
  US$ 23.97  
Market price
  US$ 24.78  
Premium/(discount)
    3.38 %
Fund size
  US$ 344.9m  
Source: State Street Corporation
     
At November 30, 2005   US$ returns
 
                 
    China Fund NAV     MSCI Golden Dragon*  
    %     %  
One month
    3.4       6.4  
Year to date
    -1.1       5.8  
One year
    -1.1       9.1  
Three years %pa
    21.7       19.0  
Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
Source: State Street Corporation. NAV-NAV performance.
*Source for index data: MSCI.
MANAGER’S COMMENTARY
 
Most markets across the greater China region rebounded in November, helped by an easing in the oil price. Investors gradually became inured to pictures of dead chickens (avian ‘flu) and unmoved by a new environmental disaster (a chemical plant explosion filled Harbin’s water supply with benzene). The best market — and it seems to have been a couple of years since I wrote this — was Taiwan. Our visit to Taiwan was notable for the contrast between the excellent presentations given by Taiwan’s cheap and well-managed companies, and the prevailing gloom of local investors. This depressed sentiment has been largely a result of the political impasse, and the prospect of a poor showing by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in mayoral elections on December 3rd, is inducing hope of progress after the election.
The domestic A-share market was the worst performer, marking time as investors absorbed weak earnings growth in the third quarter. This was despite signs that the authorities are now accelerating foreign access to the A-share market. Investors also failed to react to another important development, which will allow companies to offer share options to managers when the current round of non-tradable share reform is completed. If we start to see the managers of state-owned enterprises acting like owners rather than civil servants, our investible universe will be considerably broadened.
The meeting between Presidents Bush and Hu Jintao passed off with little to show save for another large purchase of aeroplanes. Each time an American politician visits Beijing, the airline companies buy Boeing; when European heads of state visit, the put-upon carriers must buy Airbus. Mid-term congressional elections in 2006, and China’s mounting trade surplus with the U.S., are likely to ensure that the upward pressure on the Renminbi (Rmb) continues. This will be intensified by any sign of a peak in the U.S. interest rate cycle. Although a temporary solution on textile imports was found, further trade disputes are certain.
November was marked by a large number of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). Along with the ugly (Construction Bank) and the unexciting (Link REIT), there were a number of interesting, smaller cap companies coming to market. This development is a positive one, offering a wider choice of entrepreneurial companies to investors. The Fund subscribed to the IPO by department store operator Parkson and is taking a holding in Action, a newly-listed designer of integrated circuits.
Chris Ruffle, Martin Currie Inc
INVESTMENT STRATEGY
 
The Fund is 89.9% invested with holdings in 70 companies of which 3 are unlisted. We expect the Fund to be fully invested following the distribution of a substantial cash dividend on December 29, 2005.
During the month, we gradually increased our exposure to the A-share market, adding to holdings in leading garment maker Youngor, in Yangtze Power and in Zhenhua, the world’s largest manufacturer of port machinery. We took the opportunity presented by weakness related to avian ‘flu worries to add to our holding in the hotel operator, Shangri-la. We took profits on caterer Fu Ji, which now appears expensive.
In the technology area, we sold the STN LCD maker Wintek, as we are worried about its future growth prospects, and bought Radiant, a manufacturer of backlights for TFT LCDs, which should benefit from the coming boom in sales of LCD televisions.
Chris Ruffle, Martin Currie Inc
DIRECT INVESTMENT MANAGER’S COMMENTARY
 
Data from China continues to indicate that economic growth is strong. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 9.4% in the first nine months of this year, while retail sales also grew strongly, rising by 12.1% over the same period. In the wake of a new circular from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) on the creation of offshore holding companies, and with the economy continuing to grow, we expect to see more buoyant deal-making. We are building up a pipeline of deals that have the potential to materialize into interesting new investments.
KOH Kuek Chiang, Asian Direct Capital Management

 


 

FUND DETAILS
 
         
Market cap
  US$   371.3m
Shares outstanding
      14,388,287
Exchange listed
  NYSE
Listing date
  July 10, 1992
Investment adviser
  Martin Currie Inc
Direct investment manager
  Asian Direct Capital Management
Source: State Street Corporation.
ASSET ALLOCATION
 
(ASSET ALLOCATION)
Source: State Street Corporation.
SECTOR ALLOCATION
 
                 
    The China     MSCI Golden  
    Fund, Inc     Dragon  
Information technology
    15.2 %     26.3 %
‘A’ share access product
    13.8 %      
Consumer discretionary
    9.9 %     6.2 %
Industrials
    8.7 %     11.2 %
Financials
    8.5 %     29.1 %
Utilities
    8.4 %     5.5 %
Consumer staples
    6.0 %     0.9 %
Materials
    5.3 %     6.2 %
Telecommunications
    5.1 %     8.4 %
Healthcare
    4.2 %      
Energy
    3.9 %     6.2 %
Index fund
    0.9 %      
Other assets & liabilities
    10.1 %      
 
               
Total
    100.0 %     100.0 %
Source: State Street Corporation. Source for index data: MSCI
     
PERFORMANCE   (US$ RETURNS)
 
                 
    NAV     Market price  
    %     %  
One month
    3.4       0.9  
Year to date
    -1.1       -24.3  
Three years %pa
    21.7       28.4  
Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
Source: State Street Corporation
DIRECT INVESTMENTS (3.9%)
 
             
CDW Holdings Ltd
  Information technology     2.0 %
Global e Business
  Information technology     0.9 %
Captive Finance
  Financials     0.9 %
teco Optronics
  Information technology     0.1 %
15 LARGEST LISTED INVESTMENTS (37.4%)
 
             
Chaoda Modern Agriculture
  Consumer staples     3.8 %
China Life Insurance
  Financials     3.1 %
China Netcom
  Telecommunications     3.0 %
Cathay Financial
  Financials     2.8 %
Xinao Gas
  Utilities     2.6 %
Zijin Mining
  Materials     2.5 %
Solomon Systech
  Information technology     2.4 %
TPV Technology
  Industrials     2.4 %
Tripod Technology
  Information technology     2.3 %
China Minsheng Banking
  Financials     2.2 %
Li Ning
  Consumer staples     2.2 %
Anhui Expressway
  Utilities     2.1 %
Shenzhen Expressway
  Utilities     2.0 %
Lenovo
  Information technology     2.0 %
Merry Electronics
  Consumer discretionary     2.0 %
Source: State Street Corporation
     
FUND PERFORMANCE (BASED ON NET ASSET VALUE)   (US$ RETURNS)
 
                                                         
    One     Three     Calendar     One     Three     Five     Since  
    month     months     year to date     year     years     years     launch  
    %     %     %     %     % pa     % pa     % pa  
The China Fund, Inc.
    3.4       -3.0       -1.1       -1.1       21.7       19.9       7.4  
MSCI Golden Dragon
    6.4       1.2       5.8       9.1       19.0       5.7       n/a  
Hang Seng Chinese Enterprise
    5.5       -0.5       6.4       1.6       38.4       25.9       n/a  
Shanghai Stock Exchange 180
    -0.3       -6.7       -10.9       -15.5       -7.9       n/a       n/a  
Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
Source: State Street Corporation. Launch date July 10, 1992. Three year, five year and since launch returns are all annualized.
Source for index data: MSCI for the MSCI Golden Dragon and Copyright 2005 Bloomberg LP for the Hang Seng Chinese Enterprise and the Shanghai Stock Exchange 180. For a full description of each Index please see the final page of this document.

 


 

(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)
(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)
(BAR CHART)

 


 

     
THE PORTFOLIO — IN FULL   AT NOVEMBER 30, 2005
                                         
Sector   Company (BBG ticker)     Price     Holding     Value $     % of portfolio  
 
                                       
 
                                   
Hong Kong
                                    41.8 %
Chaoda Modern Agriculture
  682 HK   HK$3.0     34,089,900       13,297,736       3.8 %
China Life Insurance
  2628 HK   HK$6.1     13,497,000       10,616,801       3.1 %
China Netcom
  906 HK   HK$12.6     6,435,500       10,456,334       3.0 %
Xinao Gas
  2688 HK   HK$6.0     11,560,000       8,869,546       2.6 %
Zijin Mining
  2899 HK   HK$2.7     24,800,000       8,474,697       2.5 %
Solomon Systech
  2878 HK   HK$3.2     20,698,000       8,474,200       2.4 %
TPV Technology
  903 HK   HK$6.6     9,968,000       8,355,029       2.4 %
Li Ning
  2331 HK   HK$5.1     11,400,000       7,497,244       2.2 %
Lenovo
  992 HK   HK$3.8     14,142,000       6,929,805       2.0 %
Shangri-La Asia
  0069 HK   HK$11.2     4,318,000       6,208,463       1.8 %
Golden Meditech
  8180 HK   HK$1.5     27,900,000       5,288,690       1.5 %
Ports Design
  589 HK   HK$8.1     4,721,500       4,901,200       1.4 %
China Fire Safety
  8201 HK   HK$0.7     50,380,000       4,872,435       1.4 %
Comba Telecom Systems
  2342 HK   HK$1.9     16,118,000       3,969,823       1.2 %
China Shineway Pharmaceutical
  2877 HK   HK$3.7     7,615,000       3,584,177       1.1 %
China Power International
  2380 HK   HK$2.6     10,349,000       3,403,025       1.0 %
Global Bio-Chem Technology
  809 HK   HK$3.4     7,556,000       3,264,099       1.0 %
Digital China
  861 HK   HK$2.2     10,692,000       3,067,719       0.9 %
iShares Asia Trust-FTSE/Xinhua
          HK$40.7     580,000       3,040,291       0.9 %
Fountain Set
  420 HK   HK$3.4     6,714,000       2,835,432       0.8 %
FU JI Food & Catering
  1175 HK   HK$10.5     1,895,000       2,565,814       0.8 %
TCL Multimedia Technology
  1070 HK   HK$1.2     15,988,000       2,494,630       0.7 %
Natural Beauty Bio-Technology
  157 HK   HK$0.6     32,780,000       2,493,949       0.7 %
Asia Aluminium
  930 HK   HK$0.7     23,250,000       2,158,649       0.6 %
Ocean Grand Chemicals
  2882 HK   HK$1.0     17,379,000       2,128,997       0.6 %
China Rare Earth
  769 HK   HK$0.7     15,254,000       1,514,611       0.4 %
Beiren Printing Machinery
  187 HK   HK$1.5     7,000,000       1,335,938       0.4 %
Asia Zirconium
  395 HK   HK$0.5     13,196,000       850,822       0.3 %
Parkson Retail
  3368 HK   HK$12.2     535,000       834,768       0.2 %
Arcontech
  8097 HK   HK$0.1     18,386,000       237,090       0.1 %
 
                                       
Hong Kong ‘H’ shares
                                    9.8 %
Anhui Expressway
  995 HK   HK$4.1     13,938,000       7,279,174       2.1 %
Shenzhen Expressway
  548 HK   HK$2.5     21,494,000       6,998,504       2.0 %
China Shenhua Energy
  1088 HK   HK$8.7     4,536,500       5,060,153       1.4 %
BYD
  1211 HK   HK$11.8     3,225,000       4,886,458       1.4 %
Sinotrans
  598 HK   HK$2.8     12,835,000       4,634,261       1.4 %
China Oilfield Services
  2883 HK   HK$2.8     9,546,000       3,415,946       1.0 %
Lianhua Supermarket
  980 HK   HK$8.3     1,500,000       1,605,447       0.5 %
 
                                       
Taiwan
                                    16.4 %
Cathay Financial
  2882 TT   NT$60.7     5,438,000       9,848,774       2.8 %
Tripod Technology
  3044 TT   NT$78.1     3,334,095       7,769,325       2.3 %
Merry Electronics
  2439 TT   NT$75.1     3,012,016       6,749,188       2.0 %
Advanced Semiconductor Engineering
  2311 TT   NT$24.2     8,046,000       5,797,643       1.7 %
Fubon Financial
  2881 TT   NT$26.8     7,180,952       5,731,392       1.7 %
Radiant Opto-Electronics
  6176 TT   NT$83.4     1,500,000       3,732,601       1.1 %
Data Systems Consulting
  2447 TT   NT$24.7     4,362,043       3,208,198       0.9 %
Cheng Shin Rubber
  2105 TT   NT$25.8     4,129,481       3,178,846       0.9 %
Synnex Technologies
  2347 TT   NT$39.5     2,693,164       3,174,053       0.9 %
Taiwan Green Point
  3007 TT   NT$74.8     1,286,783       2,871,847       0.8 %
Taiwan FamilyMart
  5903 TT   NT$50.0     1,645,592       2,462,336       0.7 %
Yieh United Steel
  9957 TT   NT$7.0     9,483,000       1,991,924       0.6 %
 
                                       
Singapore
                                    1.6 %
Bio-Treat Technology
  BIOT SP   SG$1.0     9,799,000       5,707,537       1.6 %
 
                                       
Shenzhen ‘B’ shares
                                    0.8 %
China International Marine
  200039 CH   HK$6.0     3,425,890       2,663,896       0.8 %
 
                                       
United States ‘N’ shares
                                    1.8 %
China Techfaith Wireless
  CNFT US   US$ 16.2       197,700       3,192,855       0.9 %
The9
  NCTY US   US$ 14.6       184,861       2,689,728       0.8 %
Chindex International
  CHDX US   US$ 6.8       69,987       477,311       0.1 %

 


 

                                     
Sector   Company (BBG ticker)   Price     Holding     Value $     % of portfolio  
 
                                   
‘A’ share access products
                                13.8 %
China Minsheng Banking
      US$ 0.5       16,172,864       7,730,629       2.2 %
China Yangtze Power
      US$ 0.9       7,577,738       6,687,043       1.9 %
Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery
      US$ 0.9       5,287,861       4,856,112       1.4 %
Shenergy
      US$ 0.6       5,940,000       3,807,540       1.1 %
Xinjiang Tebian Electric
      US$ 0.9       3,577,791       3,343,235       1.0 %
China Merchants Bank
      US$ 0.8       4,199,962       3,337,223       1.0 %
Shanghai International Airport
      US$ 1.7       1,799,974       3,107,743       0.9 %
Qinghai Salt Lake Potash
      US$ 1.3       2,396,122       3,075,334       0.9 %
Youngor
      US$ 0.4       7,562,730       3,013,975       0.9 %
Shanghai Port Container
      US$ 1.2       2,434,945       2,998,588       0.9 %
Kweichow Moutai
      US$ 5.4       547,906       2,966,126       0.8 %
China Petroleum & Chemical
      US$ 0.5       5,539,000       2,819,351       0.8 %
 
                                   
Direct
                                3.9 %
CDW Holdings Ltd
                60,000,000       7,091,538       2.0 %
Global e Business
                40,000       3,051,694       0.9 %
Captive Finance
                2,000,000       3,045,000       0.9 %
teco Optronics
                1,861,710       150,000       0.1 %
 
                                   
Other assets & liabilities
                                10.1 %
OBJECTIVE
 
The investment objective of the Fund is to achieve long term capital appreciation through investment in companies and other entities with significant assets, investments, production activities, trading or other business interests in China or which derive a significant part of their revenue from China.
The Board of Directors of the Fund has adopted an operating policy of the Fund, effective June 30, 2001, that the Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in China companies. For this purpose, “China companies” are (i) companies for which the principal securities trading market is in China; (ii) companies for which the principal securities trading market is outside of China or in companies organized outside of China, that in both cases derive at least 50% of their revenues from goods or services sold or produced, or have a least 50% of their assets in China; or (iii) companies organized in China. Under the policy, China will mean the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The Fund will provide its stockholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change to the policy described above.
The fundamental policy, which applies to not less than 65% of the Fund’s assets as set out in the Fund’s prospectus dated July 10, 1992, remains in place. The fundamental policy is the same as the operating policy set out above, except that China only includes the People’s Republic of China.
The Fund is subject to the Investment Company Act of 1940 which limits the means in which it can access the ‘A’ share market. The Fund will continue to seek the most efficient way in which to increase its ‘A’ share exposure ensuring ongoing compliance with its legal and regulatory obligations.
CONTACTS
 
The China Fund, Inc.
c/o State Street Bank and Trust Company
225 Franklin Street
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: (1) 888 CHN-CALL (246 2255)
www.chinafundinc.com

 


 

MSCI Golden Dragon Index
The MSCI Golden DragonSM is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the China region. As of May 2005 the MSCI Golden Dragon Index consisted of the following country indices: China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Hang Seng China Enterprise Index
The Hang Seng China Enterprise Index is a capitalization-weighted index comprised of state-owned Chinese companies (H-shares) listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and included in HSMLCI index.
Shanghai Stock Exchange 180 Index
The Shanghai Stock Exchange 180 ‘A’ Share Index is a capitalization-weighted index. The index tracks the daily price performance of the 180 most representative ‘A’ share stocks listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
Important information: This document is issued and approved by Martin Currie Inc (MC Inc), as investment adviser of the listed equity portfolio of the China Fund Inc (the Fund). MC Inc is authorized and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and incorporated under limited liability in New York, USA. Registered in Scotland (No BR2575), registered address Saltire Court, 20 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2ES. Information herein is believed to be reliable but has not been verified by MC Inc. MC Inc makes no representation or warranty and does not accept any responsibility in relation to such information or for opinion or conclusion which the reader may draw from the newsletter. It explicitly does not accept responsibility for the views and opinions expressed by Asia Direct Capital Management.
The Fund is classified as a ‘non-diversified’ investment company under the US Investment Company Act of 1940. It meets the criteria of a closed ended US mutual fund and its shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. MC Inc has been appointed investment adviser to the listed equity portfolio of the Fund. Asian Direct Capital Management is the direct investment manager to the Fund.
Investors are advised that they will not generally benefit from the rules and regulations of the United Kingdom Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the FSA for the protection of investors, nor benefit from the United Kingdom Financial Services Compensation Scheme, nor have access to the Financial Services Ombudsman in the event of a dispute. Investors will also have no rights of cancellation under the FSA’s Conduct of Business Sourcebook of the United Kingdom.
This newsletter does not constitute an offer of shares. MC Inc, its ultimate and intermediate holding companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, clients, directors or staff may, at any time, have a position in the market referred to herein, and may buy or sell securities, currencies, or any other financial instruments in such markets. The information or opinion expressed in this newsletter should not be construed to be a recommendation to buy or sell the securities, commodities, currencies or financial instruments referred to herein.
The information provided in this report should not be considered a recommendation to purchase or sell any particular security. There is no assurance that any securities discussed herein will remain in an account’s portfolio at the time you receive this report or that securities sold have not been repurchased.
It should not be assumed that any of the securities transactions or holdings discussed here were or will prove to be profitable, or that the investment recommendations or decisions we make in the future will be profitable or will equal the investment performance of the securities discussed herein.
Investing in the Fund involves certain considerations in addition to the risks normally associated with making investments in securities. The value of the shares issued by the Fund, and the income from them, may go down as well as up and there can be no assurance that upon sale, or otherwise, investors will receive back the amount originally invested. There can be no assurance that you will receive comparable performance returns, or that investments will reflect the performance of the stock examples contained in this document. Movements in foreign exchange rates may have a separate effect, unfavorable as well as favorable, on the gain or loss otherwise experienced on an investment. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Accordingly, the Fund is only suitable for investment by investors who are able and willing to withstand the total loss of their investment. In particular, prospective investors should consider the following risks:
à   The companies quoted on Greater Chinese stock exchanges are exposed to the risks of political, social and religious instability, expropriation of assets or nationalization, rapid rates of inflation, high interest rates, currency depreciation and fluctuations and changes in taxation, which may affect income and the value of investments.
 
à   At present, the securities market and the regulatory framework for the securities industry in China is at an early stage of development. The CSRC is responsible for supervising the national securities markets and producing relevant regulations. The Investment Regulations, under which the Fund invests in the People’s Republic of China (‘PRC’) and which regulate repatriation and currency conversion, are new. The Investment Regulations give CSRC and SAFE wide discretions and there is no precedent or certainty as to how these discretions might be exercised, either now or in the future. The Fund may, from time to time, obtain access to the securities markets in China via Access Products. Such products carry additional risk and may be less liquid than the underlying securities which they represent.
 
à   During the past 15 years, the PRC government has been reforming the economic and political systems of the PRC, and these reforms are expected to continue, as evidenced by the recently announced changes. The fund’s operations and financial results could be adversely affected by adjustments in the PRC’s state plans, political, economic and social conditions, changes in the policies of the PRC government such as changes in laws and regulations (or the interpretation thereof), measures which may be introduced to control inflation, changes in the rate or method of taxation, imposition of additional restrictions on currency conversion and the imposition of additional import restrictions.
 
à   PRC’s disclosure and regulatory standards are in many respects less stringent than standards in certain OECD countries, and there may be less publicly available or less reliable information about PRC companies than is regularly published by or about companies from OECD countries.
 
à   The Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange have lower trading volumes than most OECD exchanges and the market capitalisations of listed companies are small compared to those on more developed exchanges in developed markets. The listed equity securities of many companies in the PRC are accordingly materially less liquid, subject to greater dealing spreads and experience materially greater volatility than those of OECD countries. These factors could negatively affect the Fund’s NAV.
 
à   The Fund invests primarily in securities denominated in other currencies but its NAV will be quoted in US dollars. Accordingly, a change in the value of such securities against US dollars will result in a corresponding change in the US dollar NAV.
 
à   The marketability of quoted shares may be limited due to foreign investment restrictions, wide dealing spreads, exchange controls, foreign ownership restrictions, the restricted opening of stock exchanges and a narrow range of investors. Trading volume may be lower than on more developed stockmarkets, and equities are less liquid. Volatility of prices can also be greater than in more developed stockmarkets. The infrastructure for clearing, settlement and registration on the primary and secondary markets may be underdeveloped. Under certain circumstances, there may be delays in settling transactions in some of the markets.
 
à   The value of the fund’s investment in any Quota will be affected by taxation levied against the relevant QFIIs or in respect of investments held in the relevant Quotas. The PRC taxation regime that will apply to QFIIs and investments made in or through QFII quotas is not clear. The Investment Regulations are new and do not currently expressly contemplate the treatment of QFIIs and investment made through QFII Quotas.
Martin Currie Inc, registered in Scotland (no BR2575)
Registered office: Saltire Court, 20 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH11 2ES Tel: (44) 131 229 5252 Fax: (44) 131 222 2532 www.martincurrie.com/china North American office: 1350 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 3010, New York, NY 10019, USA Tel: 212 258 1900 Fax: 212 258 1919
Authorized and registered by the Financial Services Authority and incorporated with limited liability in New York, USA.