China

34 percent compliant

Expected expenditure: $4.4 billion

Sources: Compliance rates, from GartnerGroup, reflect the percentage of companies and government agencies that will avoid mission-critical failures, as projected in late 1998. Expected expenditures from U.S. Senate.

  • Half of crucial enterprises surveyed don't know how to detect the problem.

  • Chinese officials doubt they will be ready by an October 1999 deadline.

  • Assistance is being offered to businesses and agencies in the finance, aviation, telecom and transportation areas -- but few others.