Biggest-ever Franchising China Opened Today in Beijing With More Than 100 Top Franchise Businesses P

International Franchising Association Chairman Gives Keynote Address

[ClickPress, Mon Oct 31 2005] Global Sources Ltd. (NASDAQ: GSOL) eighth annual Franchising China Conference & Exhibition opened today at the China World Trade Center in Beijing and will run through until Nov. 1. The event will be held in Guangzhou on Nov. 3 and 4 and in Shanghai on Nov. 7 and 8.

More than 100 franchisors are exhibiting in this year¡¯s event including Dicos, Office 1, Ruby Tuesday, Stonegrill, Subway and TNT. Franchise opportunities, including food and beverage, furniture, education, automotive and business services will be on display.

International Franchising Association (IFA) chairman Richard Rennick gave the keynote speech at the opening ceremony. Rennick said: ¡°Expanding franchising throughout China is a strategy that will provide long-lasting economic benefits.

¡°The IFA¡¯s Educational Foundation estimates the franchise business model is used in at least 75 industries including health care services, restaurants, retail, automobile services, education and printing. We believe that there are very few businesses that cannot use the franchising business model.¡±

Franchising China is the only franchising event in China endorsed by the IFA, which represents more than 1,000 franchise systems, 8,000 franchisees and nearly 400 suppliers of related goods and services.

Biggest-ever Franchising China with 300-plus booths
Franchising China is hosted by the joint venture between Global Sources and CMP Media. Joint venture president Mark Saunderson said: ¡°With 305 booths, this year¡¯s Franchising China is the biggest ever ¨C up by more than 10 percent from 2004. The event continues to attract many new exhibitors planning to expand into China.

¡°Last year¡¯s exhibition attracted 20,300 prospective investors. We expect even more entrepreneurs at this event.¡±

Franchising Opportunity Seminars hosted by C-Store, Stonegrill, Tayohya
Visiting entrepreneurs can attend free Franchising Opportunity Seminars to find out more about specific products and franchisors.

In Beijing, exhibitors hosting seminars include: Century 21, Corneil English, GreenTree Hotel, UNISEC Laundry and Value Source Houseware.

In Guangzhou, seminar hosts include Advanced Learning Systems, Beijing Daren Keji, C-Store Chain Limited, Dicos, Tayohya Home Furnishings and TNT. In Shanghai, seminars will be presented by Dyna Moulin Foods, Faegre & Benson, JaneHome Daily Commodity, Quickcuts and Stonegrill.

Conference speakers include Corneil, TNT, International Franchising Association
Conferences at the event aim to help entrepreneurs understand how to maximize the efficiency and profitability of operating a franchise business in China.

Sessions will be hosted by executives from the International Franchise Association, Corneil and TNT. Speakers will address three main subject areas ¨C legal, operations and franchise investment. Topics include: Franchising fundamentals, Building a healthy franchising system, and How to sign a fair franchising contract.

China¡¯s leading management magazine and website official media sponsor of Franchising China
Chief Executive China ¨C the largest audited international business magazine in China ¨C and its online companion Chief Executive China Online, are the official media of Franchising China.

Chief Executive China publisher, Craig Pepples, said: ¡°Chief Executive China magazine and website bring world class business ideas and management techniques to more than 700,000 of China¡¯s business executives. It is a natural fit to bring Franchising China together with a publication and a website all aiming to give the China market the best business opportunities and the best business education.¡±

Exhibition hours are from 9:00a.m to 5:00p.m. For more information, please visit the English website at www.english.franchisechina.com and the Chinese website at www.franchisechina.com .

About Global Sources
Global Sources is a leading business-to-business (B2B) media company and a primary facilitator of two-way trade with Greater China. It provides sourcing information to volume buyers and integrated marketing services to suppliers.

The company helps its community of more than 463,000 active buyers to source more profitably from complex, overseas supply markets. With the goal of providing as many effective ways as possible to advertise, market and sell, Global Sources enables suppliers to sell to hard-to-reach buyers in 230 countries.

The company offers the most extensive range of media and export marketing services in the industries it serves. Suppliers using its four primary channels ¨C online marketplaces, magazines, trade shows and direct online sales ¨C are supported by its advertising creative, education programs and online content management applications.

Global Sources delivers information on 1.4 million products and more than 130,000 suppliers annually through 10 leading online marketplaces and monthly magazines, more than 90 sourcing research reports, and 14 China Sourcing Fairs and other trade shows. Global Sources Direct is the company¡¯s new initiative that will help suppliers sell through eBay. Buyers send 5 million inquiries annually to suppliers through Global Sources Online (www.globalsources.com) alone.

In mainland China, Global Sources has a 24-year track record and more than 1,300 team members in 44 locations. Its services are backed by 35 years experience as a trade magazine publisher, 14 years as an organizer of trade shows, and 10 years as an online marketplace operator.

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