$300m guest house built for state leaders
A state guest house will be built in Shenzhen to entertain Chinese leaders on their way to Hong Kong for the 1997 handover ceremony.
Mayor Li Zibin said yesterday the 50,000 square-metre guest house would be in the Xiangmi Lake resort area, west of the city centre. It is expected to cost around $300 million, Mr Li said.
'Our present reception capability and conditions are not good enough to accommodate the number of people coming. So we have to build an extra state guest house,' Mr Li said. 'The state leaders and leading cadres from various ministries and commissions can rest at the guest house for a while and then head towards Hong Kong.' He expected many Chinese leaders and officials would stop over in the Special Economic Zone before the handover ceremony.
He said the guest house would have a conference room that could accommodate 1,500 people. Other ballrooms and conference rooms of various sizes would also be included for future events. He was speaking at a press conference at the municipal legislature annual meeting. Wife 'maltreated' - Page 10
