Light industry in China includes 40-odd sectors, including paper-making, daily-use mechanical devices, salt production, foodstuffs, silicates for household use, plastics, electro-optical sources, household chemical products, metal products, household appliances, and leathers and furs-a total of more than 300,000 varieties. Since the introduction of the policies of reform and opening to the outside world, with a high market orientation level, light industrial enterprises have accelerated the pace of introduction of foreign investment and advanced technologies. As a result, household consumption has become abundant, and many famous-brand and high-quality products have appeared on the market. The textile industry is developing rapidly, satisfying not only the domestic needs but also entering the international market. In 1999, the added value of the light and textile industries reached 869 billion yuan.