The introduction of the sweet potato in China helped lead to a population boom.

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Ford Motor would love to emulate that success, so it is investing billions to expand its China operations, including the introduction of 15 new vehicles by 2015.

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The fact is that the truck market in China is very price-conscious, and the introduction of advanced technology tends to make the trucks of the international players unaffordable.

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"There were important advances in compliance in 2010-2012, with introduction of stricter legislation, wildlife trade controls and penalties in a number of countries, including China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, " it said.

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China's Shanghai Composite, which tumbled 3.7% on Monday after the introduction of new measures to cool the country's property market, climbed 2.3%.

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And the planned introduction, this April, of a nationwide value-added tax levied by India's state governments is, if China's experience in the 1990s is a guide, another hopeful measure.

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