Chinese Officials Ply Hollywood’s Red Carpet Crowd For Cash-Rich Investors

Tara Loader Wilkinson

28 February 2012

It’s not only Oscar winners and A-list celebrities causing a stir this week in Hollywood. A delegation of China’s top ministers and investment officials are visiting Tinsel Town in the hope of meeting some cash-rich investors, with the help of Joan Dangerfield, the late Rodney’s wife.

Chinese officials hope to pursuade wealthy individuals to buy into the development of the Binhai New Area in the port city of Tianjin, China. The area has been earmarked as a special economic zone by the central government as China's next engine of economic development, after Shenzhen in the 80’s, and Shanghai's Pudong in the 90’s.

The visit follows last week's trip by Chinese vice president Xi Jinping to explore joint ventures, partnerships, and projects of mutual economic and cultural benefit.

The Chinese delegate includes Tianjin vice mayor Cui Jindu, top executives from the Tianjin Innovative Finance Investment Company, China Investment Corporation and The Yintai Group. They will attend a dinner to meet with Hollywood industry leaders, hosted by Mrs Dangerfield and Justin Han of Beverley Hills consultancy Opus 73 Group, at the Dangerfield home.

Among the Hollywood crowd are business tycoon Kirk Kerkorian, music producer David Foster, Marcelo Carvalho d'Andrade, founder of Pro-Natura International who will be attending in support of Tianjin's eco sustainable city plan, and Regina Rubino of Image Global Vision.

Spearheaded by chairman Li Bo of the Tianjin Innovative Finance Investment Company, the project has already attracted a $2 billion joint venture with the iconic Rockefeller family, to build the Rose Rock International Financial Center in the heart of the financial district.

There are also plans for a performing arts complex advised by Lincoln Center and a state-of-the-art exhibition centre to turn the city into a centre of the arts, as well as a top financial district.