Intl investors extend into China’s commercial realty

International investors have extended their inroads into China’s commercial property sector this year, as the largest cities become hunting grounds for office towers, shopping malls and mixed-use projects. Global investors have splashed out 29.2 billion yuan (US$4.35 billion) in the first three months on properties in Shanghai, a huge jump from 9.1 billion yuan a year ago, according to real estate service firm Cushman & Wakefield. In Beijing, offshore investors accounted for 56 per cent of the total 15.5 billion yuan in big-ticket transactions in the first quarter, which is a 69 per cent rise from the same period last year, according to CBRE.