Category Archives: Overseas Property

Guangzhou Investment to streamline operations to focus on property biz

Singapore-listed Guangzhou Investment (GZI) said it is proposing to streamline its operations in order to focus on the property business.

The streamlining will involve the separation of its non-property related business and a change of its company name to Yuexiu Property Company.

Following the completion of the reorganisation, Yuexiu will focus solely on the property business.

The other assets currently held by GZI will then focus on the transport business under a unit called GZT.

GZI said the re-organisation will enable it to more effectively capitalize on the robust growth of the domestic property sector in China.

As part of the reorganisation, GZI’s board declared a special dividend of some US$642 million or about S$115 million by way of a distribution in specie of GZT Shares. Continue reading

46-storey building, but it has levels 68 and 88

A Hong Kong developer which sold an apartment for a world-record price was yesterday condemned for selectively numbering the 46- storey building’s floors to attract Chinese buyers.

Henderson Land Development sparked a debate over developers’ ethical standards with its latest project, 39 Conduit Road, when it numbered the two highest levels of the building 68 and 88, lucky numbers for Chinese people.

The number ‘eight’ sounds like ‘fortune’ in Mandarin and Cantonese. Chinese people like the number ’88’ as it symbolises ‘double fortune’ and ’68’ as it sounds like ‘continuing fortune’.

Mr Albert Ho, chairman of the Democratic Party, said the government would be encouraging unscrupulous property marketing practices if it did not intervene. Continue reading