GENEVA, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Internet entrepreneur Jack Ma is to team up with the United Nations (UN) trade and development agency head Mukhisa Kituyi in co-hosting meetings in East Africa to promote entrepreneurship and small business among young people.

Ma is the founder and executive chairman of Alibaba Group, China's e-commerce giant. Ma is also special advisor of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for youth entrepreneurship and small businesses.

thumbnail Alibaba 3

He will land in Africa for the first time later this month on his new mission, UNCTAD said in a statement on Wednesday.

UNCTAD Secretary-General Kituyi and Ma are to share entrepreneurial insights with African youth and small businesses during a visit to the region between July 19 and 21 that will include stopovers in Kenya and Rwanda.

The UN agency said the goal of the tour was to "empower young African young entrepreneurs and small businesses."

Ma was appointed UNCTAD special advisor in 2016.

The first meeting will take place at the University of Nairobi where Ma and Kituyi will hold a "conversation" with 500 young business leaders to be followed by a meeting with the local press.

On July 21, they will talk to young people in the Rwandan capital of Kigali before meeting with political leaders.

NAIROBI, July 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tech giant Huawei said Tuesday it has partnered with British money transfer service operator WorldRemit to enable African expatriates to send money home to millions of subscribers of Huawei's mobile money service platform across Africa.

The deal will enable Huawei to add a ready-made solution for remittances -- a growing mobile money product offering -- to its existing suite of services.

China Huawei and Britain

"International remittance is a very important mobile money service in Africa, and our partnership with WorldRemit will bring international remittances directly to Huawei's customers across the continent," David Chen, VP of Huawei Southern Africa said in a statement.

"Huawei is committed to providing advanced mobile money platforms and technologies to global mobile money operators," Chen said.

By enabling WorldRemit to connect to over 100 million mobile accounts currently using Huawei's platform, the deal is said to improve access to mobile money remittance for millions of people.

WorldRemit is the first international remittance company to partner directly with Huawei. The deal is expected to accelerate WorldRemit's technical integrations with new mobile money operators. Technical integration is frequently a barrier to offering international remittances for mobile network operators.

The technology works on both smartphones and basic handsets, so it is expected to be particularly successful in developing markets.

MOSCOW, July 2 (Xinhua) -- With improving transnational logistics, the cross-border online shopping upsurge rising in China over recent years has now spread to its northern neighbor -- Russia.MOSCOW, July 2 (Xinhua) -- With improving transnational logistics, the cross-border online shopping upsurge rising in China over recent years has now spread to its northern neighbor -- Russia.

alibabshopping

Jack Ma, president of China's e-commerce giant Alibaba speaks in front of a giant screen displaying total gross merchandise volume (GMV) of Alibaba's online marketplace Tmall for Singles' Day shopping spree in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Nov. 11, 2016. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Maria Chiscakova, a 22-year-old living in Nizhny Novgorod in western Russia who places at least one order via the Internet per month, tells a convincing story as an experienced online "shopaholic."

Chiscakova began to shop overseas about three years ago at Ali Express, the cross-border online shopping unit of the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. After several satisfying orders, she introduced it to her family and friends. Now they have all fallen in love with the online shop.

"I ordered a mobile phone online, and it's the best I have ever used. The headset my husband Oleg bought is also amazing. We are both surprised that it is of high quality and inexpensive at the same time," she said.

The competitive quality and price of Chinese goods as well as the great convenience brought by online shopping make Chiscakova and her family and friends loyal customers of the portal.

"Frankly, I don't like shopping malls. There are a lot of people and they are in a bad mood as the prices are high or shop assistants are rude. A lot of my friends share my views. That is why Ali Express just saves us," she said.

Chiscakova is one of the 22 million Russian customers of Ali Express. On Nov. 11, 2016, the occasion of an online shopping festival, Ali Express received 20 million orders from Russian customers, up 85 percent year-on-year, accounting for 60 percent of its total overseas orders on that day.

The company had its ups and downs after it entered the Russian market in 2012. After suffering a two-year financial loss in the beginning, it gradually got on the right track and has become the largest online retailer in Russia, followed by Amazon and eBay.

Apart from the devaluation of the ruble since 2014, Ali Express' success could be a result of the company's transition of its business model from B2B (Business to Business) to B2C (Business to Customer), which simplifies the shopping process and enables goods to be delivered directly to customers, according to media analysts.

Mark Zawatsky, general business manager of Ali Express' Russian office, attributed the success to the good reputation of Chinese goods, which won Russian customers' trust.

"The devaluation of the ruble can only affect sales in the short run, which is equal to all online shops. Therefore, if we get to the bottom of it, it is because of the fine quality and reasonable prices of Chinese products," he said.

On March 26, Ali opened its second official show-room in Moscow, allowing customers to try out any piece of clothing, accessories or electronic devices before making a well-informed decision.

"The key advantage of our shops is that you can come, see the goods and understand which size you need, because those who order online always have questions regarding the size they need or whether the sizes online coincides with the Russian sizes. Here they can make sure they need S or M or L," said Oxana Belyakova, commercial director of Indigo Lab LLC and official partner of Alibaba Group.

According to Belyakova, Ali Express has collected plenty of useful information from official show-rooms, which helps to select better goods and suppliers for the Russian market, thus improving its online shopping service.

In Zawatsky's opinion, Ali Express plays an important role in pushing forward the overall development of Russia's e-commerce market, as it helps to shape new consumption habits of Russian customers.

"Ali Express has opened up a whole new world to Russian customers, leading them to a better life," Zawatsky said.

Moreover, it has provided residents outside the Moscow region with more convenient shopping choices.

"When Ali Express and other online shops alike appeared, where you can order without any direct contacts, my perception of the world has changed a bit. I live in the future and here it is the bright Russia of the future. And not only Russia, but also the entire world has become closer. It is so cool," Chiscakova said.

Source by: news.xinhuanet.com

China Aviation Supplies Holding Company has signed an agreement to purchase 140 planes from Airbus in a deal worth about 22.8 billion U.S. dollars, an official statement said Monday.

The deal involves 100 Airbus A320 planes and 40 A350 jets, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission statement.

Airbus Group

In recent years, China's aviation market has expanded in size by about 10 percent year on year on average, the statement said.

The deal will help to meet the country's fast-growing market demand.

China's domestically-produced plane capacity was taken into consideration when the decision was made on Wednesday.

China is set to boost the development of its civil aviation industry to create a market expected to be worth more than a trillion yuan (about 147.2 billion U.S. dollars) by 2020.

It will build new civil airports, bringing the total to more than 500 by 2020, and support the opening of its low-altitude airspace.

Source by: en.ce.cn

MEXICO CITY, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China's ambassador to Mexico Qiu Xiaoqi said here on Wednesday that China is willing to negotiate a free-trade agreement with Mexico.MEXICO CITY, June 28 (Xinhua) -- China's ambassador to Mexico Qiu Xiaoqi said here on Wednesday that China is willing to negotiate a free-trade agreement with Mexico.

free trade agreement

"Mexico is China's second-largest trading partner in Latin America and China is Mexico's second-largest trading partner in the world. This is a highly important relationship and we have great interest in deepening and broadening these ties," said Qiu. "I think any agreement to make trade easier is very worthy."

The ambassador spoke to the press after a speech at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) celebrating the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.

Qiu indicated that, while China is always willing to discuss the topic with the Mexican government, no discussions have been held so far.

"If we negotiate a free-trade agreement, this will greatly favor trade exchanges between our two countries. There is no difficulty from China's side," he explained.

As an example of trade between the two sides, Qiu praised Mexico's close economic and commercial ties with Hong Kong, a special administrative region in China, which has developed year after year.

"Hong Kong is a very dynamic region, economically, and Mexico has great interest in promoting greater cooperation and trade with this part of China. I am very optimistic on the future of the relationship between Hong Kong an Mexico," concluded the ambassador.

Source by: news.xinhuanet.com

A road and rail freight service between China's Lanzhou and Pakistan's Gwadar Port might become another flashpoint between India and China, as ties worsen between the two countries.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Part of China's multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is one of the strands of the mega-infrastructure project that aims to criss-cross Eurasia with a web of rail, road and maritime networks.

New RoadRail Freight Service between China

The new line will start from Lanzhou, capital of northwestern China's Gansu Province, and travel through Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to the Gwadar Port of Pakistan, Xinhua quoted Xu Chunhua, director of Lanzhou International Trade and Logistic Park, as saying.

While it is not clear when the service will be launched, a rail and road cargo service opened between Lanzhou and Kathmandu last May.

China launched its first trade convoy in Pakistan last November carrying goods for export through the western route of the $50 billion CPEC and shipped it through Gwadar Port. The goods were brought by train to Xinjiang and then taken by trucks through the Karakoram Mountains on Pakistan's side of Kashmir.

India has objected to the $57 billion CPEC on the grounds of sovereignty and questioned the project's role in promoting sustainable development.

"We are of firm belief that connectivity initiatives must be based on universally recognized international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality. Connectivity initiatives must follow principles of financial responsibility to avoid projects that would create unsustainable debt burden for communities; balanced ecological and environmental protection and preservation standards; transparent assessment of project costs; and skill and technology transfer to help long term running and maintenance of the assets created by local communities. Connectivity projects must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a response to the project in mid-May.

"The so-called ‘China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,' which is being projected as the flagship project of the BRI/OBOR [One Belt, One Road], the international community is well aware of India's position. No country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement added.

Source by: sputniknews.com

The head of Thyssenkrupp has plotted a new course for the German industrial giant in China, with an emphasis on high-tech components and clean energy projects

Heinrich Hiesinger has transformed German industrial titan Thyssenkrupp AG, shifting it from its core base as one of the great global steel giants.

The 57-year-old chief executive officer has moved the company into high-tech components, elevators and industrial solutions, which cover clean energy projects.

By doing this, he has managed to expand Thyssenkrupp's business in China.

"This new focus has provided us with the opportunity to grow in China," Hiesinger said.

"We started to focus on the automotive industry, elevators and other sectors, as well as participating in the country's industrialization and urbanization programs," he added.

Thyssenkrupp, which is based in Duisburg and Essen, currently has 670 subsidiaries worldwide.

In China, it has more than 30 plants and centers.

Overall, its workforce totals 156,000 and is spread across 80 countries and regions. Last year, its sales revenue was 39 billion euros ($42.57 billion).

In an in-depth interview with China Daily, Hiesinger talked about Thyssenkrupp's business strategy in China, his green lifestyle and his love of hiking.

How do you assess the prospects of your business in China and the overall state of the economy here?

I think the target of 6.5 percent GDP growth from 2016 to 2020 is still among the highest in the world. You need to remember that in Europe the target is 2 percent while in the United States it is 3 percent. So, China remains one of the growth engines of the global economy.

Clearly the outlook is different sector by sector. We have quite promising areas, including automotive, clean energy, and environmentally friendly solutions.

There are other industries such as cement, mining, trucking and construction, where we might see setbacks. But overall if you look at the automotive and elevator sectors, these are very promising and much bigger than most of the other industries.

What are the group's plans in China during the next five years?

Naturally, the growth sector for Thyssenkrupp is the automotive sector. Last year, the country was by far the largest automotive market with 28 million cars manufactured here.

Right now, we are building one of the largest plants for steering technology in Changzhou, in Jiangsu province and we have just started construction for a new spring and stabilizers factory in Pinghu, in Zhejiang province.

We are also optimistic about the elevator industry, because one has to remember that China represents half of the global market in units.

In order to increase production in that sector, we are building a new plant in Zhongshan, in Guangdong province, including a test tower, which is 245 meters high. This will allow us to bring in cutting-edge technology such as high-speed elevators.

The central government has opened up more sectors to foreign direct investment in China, how will this play out for Thyssenkrupp?

We have never limited our investment in China. The automotive, elevator and plant businesses have been open to foreign direct investment, which is one of the reasons why we have more than 30 operations here.

Looking at the big picture, we have invested more than 2 billion euros in China. We have always strongly supported the country, and now it is good to see that more sectors are deregulating.

As we have seen in other markets, opening up sectors will be beneficial for overall economic development. It is the right way to go.

Tell us how you work with Chinese companies involved in international projects through the Belt and Road Initiative?

Well, for example in other markets, we are building one of the largest cement plants in Saudi Arabia. We are the main contractor when it comes to engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC. But we are working alongside a Chinese company during the construction phase.

So, here we are in the lead and they are joining us. In the Belt and Road Initiative, there will be times when Chinese companies know the country much better than we do.

In that scenario, they will lead and we will support them.

What are the main attributes you need to be a CEO of a company engaged in doing business in China?

First of all you need to be very fast and you need to localize your business. Customers in China are eager for the latest technology and this is an opportunity.

In other markets, clients can be reluctant to engage with new technology. But Chinese customers are very open and eager to be the first to use new technology. This is beneficial for us. In comparison, Europe is much more conservative.

What are your views on globalization when it comes to trade?

I believe it has been a big success. I really appreciate that China continues to deregulate industrial segments. But obviously in other regions of the world, for example in the US, we see that global trade is partly in danger.

Of course, there have been no concrete actions, just statements so far. We can only hope that rational thinking will prevail and that people understand that major economies can only benefit if we have strong global trade links.

How do you motivate your team in China?

We have around 18,000 people working for Thyssenkrupp here and the majority are Chinese. The number of expats is extremely low. They also recognize that as CEO of the company I have made the Chinese market a priority.

I come here as often as I can because the speed of doing business here is so much faster than in other regions across the world.

How do you handle business setbacks?

That is a good question. Every person will suffer setbacks at some time or the other, and so will companies. To cope with problems, you have to be positive-you have to meet the challenges head on.

It is also important to have a vision. This will help you overcome problems and solve them as quickly as possible. You usually find that after coming through a setback, you are mentally stronger as you have solved those problems. You also see that in staff members that have handled setbacks at work.

How do you spend your time when you are not working?

First of all, I'm convinced that even as a CEO you need to relax and take time off. If you get totally exhausted, you will not be able to fulfill your duties in the office.

You need to get away and reflect on how you plan to shape the future. I always try to free up time at weekends to relax and recharge my batteries.

What I really love is hiking. Luckily, my wife enjoys that as well and we have a dog, so we are highly motivated to get out in the country. In fact, you can often find us exploring the mountains near where we live.

Do you have a green lifestyle?

Well, in order to heat our home we use geothermal energy. Naturally, we do care a lot about the environment and we also have a large garden. As a boy, I grew up on a farm, so I have always cared about the environment, plants and animals.

Do you think your background as an electrical engineer is relevant to your present position as CEO?

Being an engineer is never a disadvantage. Today, it is all about innovation and it makes it much easier for me to follow what is going on than for somebody who lacks skills and knowledge in engineering. But then, I really liked being an engineer, as I found the work fascinating.

How do you resolve problems between different business sectors?

I try to get maximum transparency when it comes to data. If you achieve transparency, the problems can usually be solved and you know the right direction to take.

Of course, there are times when that does not work when it simply comes down to leadership. Then you have to make a decision to resolve the issue. But it must be done in a fair and correct way-that is essential.

CV

Age: 57

Nationality: German

Career:

2011 onwards: Chairman of the Executive Board of Thyssenkrupp AG

2010-11: Vice-Chairman of the Executive Board of Thyssenkrupp AG

2008-10: CEO of the Industry Sector of Siemens and head of the central department of Corporate Information Technology

2007: Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG

2003-07: President and CEO of Siemens Building Technologies AG

2000-03: President of the Power Transmission and Distribution Group of Siemens AG

1992-2000: Various positions in the Power Transmission and Distribution Group of Siemens AG

Education:

1991: Doctorate degree in electrical engineering at the Technical University of Munich, Germany

1986: Master's degree in electrical engineering

Source by: chinadaily.com.cn

 

E-commerce in India is on the rise. With so many businesses jumping on board this growing phenomenon, it’s time to work out how you can join them too.

Indian retailers

 While e-commerce has been a growing international marketspace for some time, businesses in India are rapidly starting to recognise its potential.

 According to PricewaterhouseCoopers, Indian e-commerce expanded by almost 35% from US $3.8 billion to an estimated $12.6 billion between 2009 and 2013. The retail e-commerce market is now poised to grow to from about US $23 billion to over $79 billion by 2020. 

 Accessing the perks of e-commerce

 What is really driving people online? For buyers, it’s about convenience, efficiency, competition and accessibility. The ability to find the right product at the most reasonable price, to pay in a secure, efficient manner and to receive the goods promptly without having to leave one’s doorstep all make for very compelling reasons to shop online.

 For business owners, the benefits increase even further. Online retail presents an opportunity to turn a small local business into a global market player. The internet levels the playing field for startups, allowing them to reach audiences across India and beyond, thereby increasing market presence and brand awareness.

 Digital transactions also allow entrepreneurs to receive fast, secure payments while having control of goods delivery. At the same time, market analytics – the ability to identify areas of opportunity, growth and challenges to effectively improve a business’ value proposition – also become significantly easier to track, and yields much higher accuracy.

 Finally, for businesses that have transitioned exclusively to the online space, it’s a cost-saving exercise that reduces or removes overhead costs like rent, inventory and wages.    

Getting your business online

 When it comes to launching your business into the online market, thorough planning is key.Begin by considering the nature of your industry and the best online forum in which to maximize your reach and audience interest. It’s also necessary to consider your budget, which will help determine your online marketing tactics and return on investment.

 As the world’s leading online platform for global trade, Alibaba.com is a good place to start. The kinds of businesses that use Alibaba range anywhere from agriculture to retail to travel, thereby enabling industries of all types to connect with wholesalers, suppliers and distributors around the world.

  Alibaba.com memberships range from basic to premium, and you can even try it out for free. We also offer free order protection with Trade Assurance for buyers, giving you the security and confidence you need to get started. 

 It all starts with planning. With the right planning, you can ease into the online global marketplace with a budget that suits your business. By gaining access to a global, interested audience, your business can only grow. 
Source by: bns.alibaba.com

BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The rapid rise of third-party electronic payments is boosting the growth of China's online consumer market and will support the economy's rebalancing, according to a recent research report from Moody's.

The value of third-party e-payments in China has grown at an annual rate of more than 100 percent since 2015, offering consumers an alternative to banks' payment channels at lower transaction costs, said the global rating agency.

The growth stimulates online consumption and services, benefiting Internet companies and service companies along the supply chain, it said.

In the longer term, the development of e-payments and overall growth of e-commerce will encourage China's economic rebalancing toward consumption from investment, according to Moody's.

It will support growth of the service sector, which will boost employment and consumption, and in turn stimulate more e-payments, said the report.

Meanwhile, rising e-payments will have little effect on the profitability and revenue growth of the banking sector because the retail payment business and interchange fee income represent only a small proportion of Chinese banks' revenue.

However, negative influence could be imposed on some traditional retail channels that lag in e-payment systems and lose consumer traffic to online platforms, the report said.

Source by: news.xinhuanet.com

 

TBILISI, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Around 31.5 million bottles of wine were exported in the first six months this year from Georgia to 44 countries worldwide, up 59 percent year on year, said Georgia's National Wine Agency (NWA) in a report on Thursday.

Georgia exported

The first-half-year wine exports amounted to 70.5 million U.S. dollars, 51 percent more than that of the same period last year, said the NWA report.

From January to July, exports to the European Union, China, the United States and other traditional markets increased as a result of the collaboration and marketing activities of the NWA and the country's wine industry, according to Giorgi Samanishvili, head of the NWA.

He also stressed that wine exports to China contributed the most to this year's wine export boom.

According to the report, Russia, China and Ukraine were the top three importers of Georgian wine during the period, with 19.3 million bottles, 3.8 million bottles and 2.9 million bottles, respectively.

Local analysts said that China has become one of Georgia's most important wine importers in recent years. Last year, Georgia exported 5.3 million bottles of wine to China, while 5.8 million bottles to Ukraine.

Yet after just half a year, China has surpassed Ukraine to become the second largest wine importer of Georgia.

(Source by: news.xinhuanet.com

In 2015, Wendy Wei Mei Wu, a self-described billionairess housewife, bought a $5 million New Zealand island as a "toy." In 2016 a Chinese tycoon purchased a $270 million Hong Kong home, and HNA Group acquired a $6.5 billion stake in Hilton Worldwide Holdings. In 2017, CC Land Holdings shelled out $1.47 billion for London's "Cheesegrater" skyscraper.

Chinese buyers are increasingly impacting residential and commercial real estate markets globally. At the recent Shenzhen Real Estate Expo, representatives from two dozen companies, including iFeng.com, JLL and Leju, pitched real estate opportunities in Australia, Canada, Dubai, Greece, Malaysia, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, U.A.E., U.K. and the United States.

"The numbers are quite staggering if you look at the transaction volume and value of overseas purchases by Chinese," said James Fisher, director at Spacious, a Hong Kong-based online real estate platform. "You can see some market dislocation in areas that are popular with Chinese."

In 2016, Chinese outbound real estate investments increased by 56 percent, reaching $28.2 billion. China also became the largest cross-border real estate investor, overtaking the United States.

What's driving the charge

Fisher said many Chinese have an affinity for property. Additionally, a declining yuan, volatile domestic financial assets and competitive local property markets are spurring overseas purchases.

According to David Green-Morgan, global capital markets head of research at JLL, Chinese buyers "have access to huge amounts of capital that's been built up over many years. And they are able to deploy the capital quite quickly around the world."

And they are becoming much more savvy. As information flow increases, "they become more educated as an investor class," said Fisher. He added that with camera surveillance and communication technologies, Chinese owners can monitor their assets remotely in real time. "They're becoming more discerning," he said.

Before, Fisher noted, only ultrahigh-net-worth individuals bought overseas. Over the last five years, that has changed. "A much larger portion of the population is willing and able, through the growing middle class and the wealth of the nation increasing," he said.

Fisher claims that in the past, Chinese buyers acquired second homes so their children could study overseas or use it as a means to park cash. Now, though, they are focused on rental income and capital appreciation.

China's aging citizens also play a key factor. Many older residents are generating substantial returns on their primary residences, located in wealthy cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen — and many are cashing out and downsizing, buying vacation homes in international locales that o ffer better air quality, food safety and quality of life. "There's a lot to be offered by overseas properties that's not available to these high-net-worth individuals in China," said Fisher.

Where, and what, they are buying

At the Shenzhen Real Estate Expo, marketing brochures included computer-generated images of faraway places with clear blue skies, perfectly manicured lawns, white sand beaches and alluring tourist attractions. "That was relatively unheard of 10 or 15 years ago. You didn't have people retiring overseas," Fisher said.

Prominent commercial markets include Hong Kong, Australia, the U.K. and North America, particularly Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver. JLL's Green-Morgan said these are the most liquid markets and the most logical locations for new buyers.

Anbang Insurance, Country Garden Holdings, Greenland Holdings and R&F Properties are gobbling up condominiums, hotels and office buildings.

For the institution, it's all about income, but also stability and security of that income," Green-Morgan said. After gaining international experience, they seek more opportunistic, return-enhancing deals.

Catering to the Chinese real estate investor

Many markets welcome Chinese buyers with investment visas, which grant residency in exchange for capital. These are intended to create jobs and often go toward real estate projects. Over the last decade, more than 400,00 Chinese invested the $500,000 to take advantage of the U.S. program.

Astute developers and agents are providing more Chinese-language material and Mandarin-speaking representatives. Some partner locally. Berkshire Hathaway recently joined forces with Juwai.com, China's largest international property portal.

Targeting Chinese prospects "is a no-brainer," Fisher said. "They've shown that they have the numbers and the cash to influence markets."

Beyond language, there are differences between buyers from China and other countries. Chinese corporations use greater equity initially before subsequently putting on debt.

"It's about securing the building first and then thinking about how to boost the returns," Green-Morgan said. In contrast, investors from other markets focus more on maintaining specific debt-equity ratios.

Chinese institutions also do more land-developmental deals, which Green-Morgan said is unique. Although some Chinese are searching for headline-generating trophy properties, "most of them are very disciplined in the way they underwrite the deals," Green-Morgan said.

Retail buyers are generally 100 percent cash buyers. According to Fisher, addresses with "8's," an auspicious number, and environments with feng shui have appeal, but these are ancillary considerations. To decrease maintenance and increase tenant interest, they want new properties.

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Buying new also guarantees there aren't unwelcome spirits, thought to bring bad luck or harm.

Spacious's Hong Kong property portal has a ghost search option, which highlights tragic events by location – suicide, murder, building collapse. Particularly with older generations, these are worrying. "It affects the demand and price. It's a material factor in the value of property," Fisher said.

For younger generations and foreigners unperturbed by these happenings, the app highlights discount opportunities. Fisher cited a rental that had a double murder. The property has experienced delays coming back on the market, was speculated to be at a 40 percent discount to comparables and impacted rental rates for other units in the building.

Recently, buying barriers emerged. To stabilize the yuan, Chinese authorities are constricting capital flight, particularly impacting individuals. Options exist to circumvent these restrictions, legal and otherwise, but Fisher said, "It's getting harder."

Not all capital pools are equal, though. Retail and institutional differ. Green-Morgan said state-owned enterprises and sovereign wealth funds are retreating from megadeals, but others are filling demand. Noting that first-quarter 2017 transaction volumes are up year-over-year, Green-Morgan said, "We see no let-up from the institutional investors."

In 2007 China's commercial property outflow was less than $1 billion. Now it exceeds $20 billion annually. According to Green-Morgan, individuals and corporations still have an estimated $200 billion to invest abroad.

According to Fisher, Chinese buying overseas is still in the early stages. "This is going to be a long-term trend."

Source by: cnbc.com

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