Private firms' contribution () 05/28/2001 Two leading Chinese private firms yesterday announced they will invest a total of 1.8 billion yuan (US$217 million) in the Shuangliu Economic and Technological Development Zone of Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Application software provider Top Group said at a four-day trade fair there that it would invest 500 million yuan (US$60 million) in building a software research and manufacture centre within three years. Feed producer New Hope Group promised to invest 1.3 billion yuan (US$157 million) in three years to build apartment buildings.