New York - Anthony Lim, president of AUSSINO (U.S.A.) INC., would like to help the buyer invest in China or at least buy from Chinese suppliers. 10-year-old Aussino Group currently claims $60 million in sales and is aiming for $100 million in sales for 2005. Lim is one of the 25 members of the Foreign Investors Committee, which advises the Chinese government on the difficulties facing foreign companies that want to invest in China. "We provide feedback in the hopes of making China more friendly to investors as well as seeking out the investors themselves. There are Chinese factories that would welcome financial investments by offshore companies. The Chinese government keeps some of these companies and then decides to sell others." Why China you ask? Lim said that China's domestic market is growing at 40-50 percent a year. "Also," he said, "while Pakistan became a sizeable partner in the U.S. bedding market, there is frustration with the service provided by the Pakistani suppliers. "I'm here to help the retailer, manufacturer, importer, wholesaler or anyone else who is interested in doing business in China. I try to be impartial. If someone is interested in working with Aussino's suppliers, then I would even arrange that if the supplier also shares the interest." Because, the first job in China is to create jobs for people, Lim said, factories in China run to break even. "China is becoming a capitalistic society. The greatest thing that happened to China was the opening up of the economy. The Chinese culture calls for working hard, making money and then making sure the family is well cared for," said Lim. "For the first time, China sees opportunities. Everyone is so industrious. For example, you can get a haircut at midnight in China." Lim inventories the characteristics of the Chinese geographically as follows: The Cantonese in the Southern provinces are known for their delicious cuisine, the kind that you'd find at a typical Chinese restaurant. In the north, near Beijing, the people are known for good speech and are politically minded. Near Shanghai, in the east, the people believe they are the smartest. (Lim himself was born in Fuzhou in Central China along the east coast.) The most western part of China, which borders Afghanistan, is Islamic. "We have more than 800 people working for Aussino in China. They take care of the product development , management and sales." A few years ago, it took three to six months to set up company in China. Now it takes two to four weeks. After two years in the American market Aussino counts Fred Meyer in the Northwest , Chambers , Stroud, Gottschalk , in the West among his most important American retailers. "America knows about brand management, retailing and sales," said Lim. "Asia hasn't grasped this concept. Asia believes in brick and mortar." Lim said the best way to get started in China is to become joint-venture partners with a factory. "To do this, one needs a go-between who is knowledgeable in the cultures of both countries. This go-between becomes a third partner as well." Another way to directly own 100 percent of a factory and hire a Chinese college graduate in the U.S.A. to work for you in the China factory. Through arrangements like these, Lim said that China is becoming a vacuum, sucking capital from all over the world. China represents the second largest investment in the world after the U.S.A. "It is also important to pick a reliable agent in China; one who is competent, trustworthy and in business for a long time. You don't want to work with an agent that takes money from the buyer and seller - from both sides," Lim said. "Please keep in mind that there is never a best price. There is always someone cheaper. If you can achieve your gross margin, then be happy. If you always want the best deal, your shelf will be empty. There is always a better deal available." Aussino itself is a joint venture formed in 1991with the Textile Bureau of China. Aussino's role in this partnership is to do the marketing, sales and quality control. China does the production. As a result, Aussino has raised up the standards of the 38 Chinese factories to world standards. Further, Aussino has established 200 retail stores in China, 35 outlets in Singapore and 60 outlets in Malaysia under its own name and is building this brand for the bedding market in the U.S.A. Steve Lewis was recently hired as executive vice president of sales and marketing for Aussino U.S.A. "We believe that we sell the best bedding from China today. I'm here to grow the business and the brand in America. " Lewis said. Aussino also sells bedding to Wal-Mart , Carrefour , Metro (Germany) hyperstores in China. Carrefour alone, is expecting to have 200 stores in China by 2005, said Lim. Aussino expects to have 1,000 stores in China by the same date. In Australia, Aussino supplies to major chain stores like Target, Myers, Spotlight, Adair, Target Country etc. Aussino has appointed distributors in Canada, Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand . Aussino looks at itself as the factory. "We are not agents. We buy at factory cost, internally crediting part of the profit to the factory," Lim pointed out. Once our customers deal with us, they go nowhere else, he said.