Thugs attack company boss

The vice-chairman of Sino Resources Group was ambushed in a car park in Central yesterday when he was attacked by two men wielding iron bars who had been following his vehicle.

Last night, Gao Feng, 42, who is also an executive director of the listed company, was placed under police protection in hospital against a possible further attack.

Sino Resources Group's chairwoman is Geng Ying, the daughter of former vice-premier and defence minister Geng Biao , who was one of the mainland's most powerful politicians.

Police believe Feng was tailed by a white seven-seater vehicle as he drove into the basement car park of the Cheung Kong Center in Queen's Road at about 12.15pm yesterday.

He was attacked after he parked and got out of his Range Rover. 'He was then rammed by the white vehicle and the driver and a passenger jumped out and attacked him with iron bars,' a police spokeswoman said.

Gao eventually managed to get back to his car and drove out of the car park, where he reported the incident to patrolling police officers on Queen's Road Central.

The attackers fled in the white vehicle. Police mounted a search, but no one was arrested.

The victim suffered injuries to his head, arms and legs. Blood was found around the driver's seat in his car.

Gao was taken to Queen Mary Hospital in Pok Fu Lam and was in stable condition last night.

Yesterday afternoon, Gao was seen with bandaged head and right arm sitting in a wheelchair being guarded by at least two uniformed policemen at the hospital's accident and emergency department.

It is believed Gao told police that he had no disputes with anyone.

Officers from the Hong Kong Island anti-triad unit have been assigned to the case.

'We believe the attack was just a warning rather than an attempt to kill the victim,' an officer said.

He added that the white seven-seater vehicle probably carried fake number plates, and had not yet been found.

Police said the two assailants wore surgical face masks at the time of the attack. They were about 1.65 to 1.7 metres tall and of thin build.

The investigator said the motive remained unknown and officers were investigating all possibilities.

Yesterday, Sino Resources Group did not comment on the case. According to its website, the firm is principally engaged in managing exhibitions and trade fairs in Hong Kong and Britain.

Gao was appointed the company's executive director and vice-chairman in June 2009. He was the executive director of Hong Kong-listed China Infrastructure Investment in 2008 and 2009.

In January 2010, Hung Chen, a former executive director and chairman of Sino Resources Group, issued six statutory demands against the company for more than HK$41.1 million.

This came about 20 days after the company issued legal proceedings against Hung for an alleged breach of a contract over a sales agreement dated September 25, 2007.