Chinas DVD player market takes off -1
12/31/98
Xinhua news agency - ceis
(copyright 1998)
Beijing (ceis) -- Chinas DVD player market has taken off, but it is not likely to outshine others to become the mainstream compact disc player product in the country at least in 1999, said experts here.
Experts predicted that sales of DVD players are likely to reach 1-1.5 million sets in 1999 and rocket to 3-3.5 million by 2000, still up to eight million by 2001 and even 10 million by 2002. But DVD players will not dominate the market until 2000 when its sales make up 63 percent of the total video disc players market.
China has stepped up research and development of DVD players since the beginning of this year. At present, china has laid a certain foundation in the rd of chips and laser heads. Chinese enterprises will localize the production of some key supporting parts, if they get some more support from the state.
The ministry of information industry has determined to put more efforts into developing the DVD player industry, trying to make it an engine of the growth of the electronics industry while guarding against monopoly by foreign products, said an MII official.
According to a survey of 40 super-large department stores in Beijing, the VCD and LD player market began to shrink in October, while SVCD and CVD player market kept extending and sales of DVD edged up slightly. The current video disc player market of Beijing features the competition among VCD , SVCD, CVD, DVD and LD players.
To most consumers, VCD players are cheaper and more practical, but DVD players are unacceptable because they are mainly imported, with prices ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 yuan and even a DVD is priced at more than 100 yuan.
However, Chinese enterprises are optimistic about the prospects of DVD player market. According to a survey made by the Zhongxing communications company, the monthly dominant advertising expenditures concerning DVD players proliferated from 800,000 yuan in Januarys, 1998, to 2.5 million yuan in September, while the ad spending on VCD and SVCD players dropped from 22.44 million yuan to 12 million yuan. |
