The curious ventures of Superman Li: Is Hong Kong tycoon's empire switch political or just good business?
As tycoon Li Ka-shing faces criticism for pulling out of mainland and Hong Kong markets, many ponder his connections to Chinese politics
Li Ka-shing was nowhere to be seen among guests who included China's allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin and South Korea's Park Geun-hye. But among the 300 delegates from Hong Kong's political and business elite were his two sons - Victor Li Tzar-kuoi and Richard Li Tzar-kai.
The next day, a Friday, Victor Li returned to Hong Kong and made a decision to merge two key units of the CK Hutchison business empire, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings (CKI) and Power Assets Holdings. The move was the latest step in a sweeping reorganisation of Li Ka-shing's businesses.
The deal, made public the following Tuesday, became a lightning rod for mainland media to come down hard on Li, taking the realignment, along with a property deal last month, to mean that the magnate was turning his back on mainland and Hong Kong markets.
The prominence of the Li family and the attention they attract stems from the ubiquitous nature of their business presence. The Li empire spans the gamut, from the ParknShop supermarkets to the Watsons drugstores to container ports and even to the electricity supply and telecom services.
Aside from the general public reaction, any indications that the Li family is sloughing off both its Hong Kong home turf and the mainland also carry political and economic ramifications.