Continued influx of capital reflects investors' confidence in major Chinese cities

Despite the fact that building transactions in 16 Chinese cities have slowed down with a 27 percent decline quarter-over-quarter to $ 4.17 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015, the volume is still higher than the combined activity in the first half of 2015, according to a report.

Viewed from the perspective of the entire year, China's $15.7 billion total building transaction registered a 10.4 percent annual increase, according to the China Investment Snapshot Q4 2015 released by Cushman & Wakefield, a global leader in commercial real estate services, on March 1.

The increase was achieved despite the macro headlines about China's economic slowdown, currency outflows, and the volatility of the domestic bourses in the yuan, it said.

Francis Li, Head of Investment & Advisory Services, Greater China, DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield, said this continued influx of capital reflected investors' confidence in major Chinese cities where high-end commercial properties suitable for core or core plus investment plays are now in increasingly short supply.

"Despite the recent volatility of China's equity market and currency fluctuation, Hong Kong and international investors actually increased their asset holdings in China," said Li.

"Despite international media headlines about China's capital outflows, when taken together with a strong Q3, the full year offshore investment into standing building properties in China amounted to $5.5 billion, marking the highest level in history and making China the second hottest spot for non-domestic investors in APAC in 2015, after Australia."

According to the report, Shanghai continued to be China's most active market with a total of 58.4 billion yuan transacted in commercial property investment rising 50 percent year-on-year.

Robust performance was highlighted by a few high profile transactions including Beijing Guosheng Plaza and Shanghai Corporate Avenue Block 1 & 2 in Q3, followed shortly by Lee Kum Kee and China Vanke jointly acquiring Corporate Avenue Block 3and Carlyle purchasing Manpo International Tower.