China is a big place undergoing very rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. The Chinese government is building power stations, roads, railways, airports all the time. China is the number one destination for FDI. China now dominates export markets in a number of low-tech manufactures, but has a strategy of moving in to higher value-added activities. Already factories in China produce first class software, pharmaceuticals, cars, computers and other electronic products.

China has a huge rural population that is migrating to the cities. They all want somewhere to live. Those who have made it into highly-paid employment want to save for their old age, their children's education, their children's inheritance, and to provide a buffer against illness or unemployment which might befall them at any time. They therefore naturally turn to real property as a savings vehicle. Now that the Chinese real estate and securities markets have become fully protected legally, Chinese investors have piled in, producing big gains in prices.

These factors are national. Each city has its own special features. Some places have been targetted by the national government for special help to compensate them for natural or government-created disasters. In this forum you are invited to contribute your thoughts about which locations provide the absolute best locations in China (including, of course, Hong Kong and Macau). Please just sign up [1] to post. If you have any problems registering them just drop me a line to steve@mingwei.co.uk [2].

Steve,

24th Feb 2008.