EVERY two months Herman Mawardi journeys to Guangzhou, a lively business jewel in southern China. There, the imported belt and bag vendor from Asemka Market, Central Jakarta, hunts in the stores he habitually visits in the wholesale center. For a week, thats the only thing that he does. I shop for a containerful of goods to be resold in Indonesia, he told Tempo last week.

Guangzhou is a magnet that attracts buyers from all over the world. The pul