Quotable

Compared with previous years, college students' current online spending has increased a lot, and there will be a peak of consumption before the Singles Day online shopping festival."

Chu Shiyuan, marketing general manager of computer, communications and consumer electronics business at JD.com Inc. Tens of millions of returning students have become a force in shopping, especially as the Nov 11 Singles Day festival approaches.

"I do believe changes in consumer tastes and preferences will shape new thinking on bikes and that the Chinese will be willing to buy more expensive and better bikes."

Ines Brunn, CEO of Natooke, a bicycle company with retail stores in Beijing and Chengdu. Market consultancy Euromonitor International estimates the bicycle industry in China will increase to 78.34 billion yuan ($11.75 billion; 10.44 billion euros) in 2020 from 57 billion yuan in 2015.

"In the future, massive audiences will interact with live streaming hosts. And live shows will become vertically integrated. The future commercial potential of the online content business lies not only in the virtual presents that users purchase for hosts, but also in the combination with e-commerce and finance."

Victor Koo, chairman and chief executive officer of Youku Tudou Inc. The online video site has announced it will invest 2 billion yuan ($300 million; 267 million euros) in live video programs in the next three years, betting big on China's crowded live streaming market.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/09/2016 page24)