PC shipments to China were 1,021 units making it the biggest market in the Asia-Pacific region with a share of 34.6 per cent. Australia and Korea were the second and third biggest markets with 15.1 per cent share and 14.3 per cent share respectively. India was the fourth largest market with 269 unit shipments and 9.1 per cent market share followed by Taiwan at 6.6 per cent.

However, China and Australia showed a negative growth of 7 per cent over the fourth quarter of 1998. Indonesia recorded the highest growth at 54.5 per cent followed by India at 33.2 per cent. Taiwan had a growth of 1.1 per cent.

Total PC shipments in the Asia Pacific region were 2.95 million units -- 25 per cent higher than the corresponding period in the previous year and over two per centhigher than the fourth quarter of 1998. The annual growth rate in the first quarter of 1999 was the highest since the second quarter in 1996, when the market generated over 30 per cent annual growth. Q1 1999 was also the first quarter in three years where all Asian countries tracked by IDC posted positive annual growth.

IDC observed that market gains were supported by continuing growth in key countries such as China, Australia and India. In view of the strong growth, the market research agency predicted that growth for 1999 would be over 23 per cent at 12.9 million shipments.

"Obstacles such as political uncertainties in India and precarious China-US relations remain, but IDC expects the regional PC market's momentum to continue," said Brian Kornegay, research manager at IDC's Asia/Pacific. With currency values remaining stable for the past two quarters and stock markets producing strong gains since 1998 end, IDC said recovery was "well underway". "After two tumultuous years, the regional PC marketappears to be firmly planted on the path of recovery," Kornegay said.

IBM maintained its lead in the regional PC market in the first quarter with unit shipments of 259,000 a 49 per cent growth. Its growth came mostly from Korea, Australia and Taiwan. Compaq continued in the second place with 223,400 unit shipments and a 7.5 per cent growth. The third top vendor, Legend, however, posted a 12 per cent negative growth over the previous year. Samsung came in fourth place followed closely by Hewlett Packard in fifth place.