China's small manufacturers are likely to be starved of cash even after the government directed banks to increase lending as part of its 4 trillion CNY plan. Banks are likely to steer money to the public works that Premier Wen Jiabao is making a priority in the stimulus package unveiled last week. Those projects are considered a safer bet than manufacturers. ''Small businesses will continue to be in despair,'' said Wang Tao, an economist at UBS AG in Beijing, ''Despite the government's drive, banks are likely to concentrate on risk-free infrastructure projects.''