Chinese are using property as a ticket into this country. HERALD.

[Davo36]

Why don't the Chinese just vote to oust the system that causes them to run away to other countries?

They don't even get to vote do they?

And if they do, I doubt there'd be any opposition parties allowed.

Look, we tend to view China as somewhere where they don't quite have as many freedoms as us. But that's gilding the lilly. They are a ruthless totalitarian regime. They have a series of labour camps across the country and anyone who speaks out against the party gets chucked in them. People are literally worked to death in these camps.

Don't believe me, read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheng_Jianping. Or this: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO121...abour-camp.htm. You can get put in these camps for sending the wrong tweet.

And then they execute several thousand a year as well. There is no independent judicial system like we have here.

Don't forget the wife of one of their future leaders (Bo Xilai) actually murdered a guy recently by poisoning him. This is the sort of people they have running this country. Imagine if Bronagh Key killed someone who was a nuisance!

No wonder they want to get out and come over here!

China is in the process of changing. They can't keep the lid on all this for very long. I heard the other day, there are 2000 protests each week in China. 2000! The people are really fed up with being treated so badly. For a while they put up with it because they were getting rich and also they couldn't speak out, but now they are in huge numbers.

And this is a country we have an FTA with...

[speights boy]

They are investing in NZ's housing stock which I believe (contrary to popular opinion) is productive investment (i.e. our workers need somewhere to live.

So, no downside at all?

[MikeO]

So, no downside at all?

dunno about no downside. THere are winners and losers in everything. Assuming that this is actually occuring to a large enough degree to make any difference at all I guess a couple of scenarios might include:
1. Chinese person buying a house and renting it out - renters would benefit (cheaper rents through increased supply), landlords worse offf (same reason), house prices increase presumably
2. buying it and just leaving it empty - who knows. House prices go up presumably. Good if you are selling a house bad if you are buying. Good if you are a ratepayer as people are paying rates but not using roads sewerage etc

[speights boy]

THere are winners and losers in everything.

Yes, and voters often remember which side of the equation they were on.

[McDuck]

dunno about no downside. THere are winners and losers in everything. Assuming that this is actually occuring to a large enough degree to make any difference at all I guess a couple of scenarios might include:
1. Chinese person buying a house and renting it out - renters would benefit (cheaper rents through increased supply), landlords worse offf (same reason), house prices increase presumably
2. buying it and just leaving it empty - who knows. House prices go up presumably. Good if you are selling a house bad if you are buying. Good if you are a ratepayer as people are paying rates but not using roads sewerage etc

You’re having a cultural scale misunderstanding. Like the Chinese, you need to think big and think long term.

[Glizzle]

That has to be the stupidest thing your posted.

[MikeO]

although presumably not all 4 billion want to come to NZ..? and even if they did we wouldn't let them in anyway. and if even we did then there would be such a massive lift in property prices that we could all sell up and retire on the dole in Aussie anyway.

[speights boy]

And as for FTA, who's kidding who?

Shadowy shell companies still being registered

New shell companies operated by shadowy figures overseas are being created in New Zealand despite assurances by the Government it was toughening up the process.

Shell companies, including thousands on the New Zealand Companies registry, have been exposed in the past as operations used in international money laundering, terrorist finance and fraud.
.....
Foster said his kind of operation had become popular with European companies, which wanted a New Zealand address so that they could exploit New Zealand's free trade agreement with China.
....
Many of the nominee names listed by the study as being in New Zealand companies have been struck off, particularly last year when Fairfax Media revealed the international criminal connections some of the companies had.

While struck off here, many of the companies can still operate aboard using the original registration to create bank accounts.
......
Most of the nominee directors are on companies created by Auckland shell creators, notably Geoffrey Taylor and sons Ian and Michael, who turned a Queen Street address into a virtual office for thousands of companies.

Other directors are also linked to an Auckland law firm and to a Te Atatu, Auckland, address where a new Chinese shell company creator is operating.

www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8004389/Shadowy-shell-companies-still-being-registered

[skid]

Welcome to the downside of the free trade agreement-legislate against foreign ownership of large tracts of farm land?--next stop -the international court

[CFwellington]

Don't forget that NZ has just over 100 years history. Apart from Maori, all of you and your family are immigrations, just that some of you come earlier than others. It is part of nature, people are moving arround. 10% of New Zealander are living in Australia, why? just want better life.

[RHarris]

Don't forget that NZ has just over 100 years history. Apart from Maori, all of you and your family are immigrations, just that some of you come earlier than others. It is part of nature, people are moving arround. 10% of New Zealander are living in Australia, why? just want better life.

Are Maori's immigrants too with a 1000 year history here?

Yes I too would like to see some diversity in the immigration policy. Why have all your eggs in 2 baskets when you could have more global connections instead. Also bring on stamp duties on non residents.

[speights boy]

A large proportion of the article was regarding non-residents.

[NomoneyNotalk]

I bought an apartment in China few years ago. Currently tenanted. Not sure about now, i guess the law has changed. And it is good to be landlord in China, the law favors the Landlord. Tenants can be evicted anytime the landlord wants, water is paid by tenants too unlike the watercare service in Auckland.

People can apply for residency using the investment category. I heard if they invested 1 million dollars for a few years, they are eligible to get permanent resident.

If applying under skilled migrant category, then this buying house strategy adds no point or not much.

Well we can't buy property in China, and there's heaps more of them, than us.

We're just asking for trouble I reckon by allowing them to buy here in a completely unfettered way.

I think some sort of stamp duty for all overseas buyers would be a good idea.

[Wayne]

I bought an apartment in China few years ago. Currently tenanted. Not sure about now, i guess the law has changed.

It would have been more correct to say that you can't buy land in China. And the rules have changed in Shanghai at least - you can only own the apartment for a number of years - 50 or something according to a person I met there.

[speights boy]

And yet we sell 42 % of the Fonterra IPO offshore.
This would have been filled many times over from inside NZ.
Many NZ investors missed out, others got far less than they had applied for.

Top price for Fonterra fund

Units in the newly-formed Fonterra Shareholders Fund have been priced at the very top of the dairy cooperative's $4.60 to $5.50 indicative range following a two-day institutional book-build, with 58 per cent of units going to New Zealand investors, Fonterra said.

www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10850362