Chinese dominate auction of Portugal govt properties

Lisbon

AS bargain-hunters waited in a packed room at a property auction in Lisbon last month, one language dominated their chat: Mandarin.

About 90 per cent of the bidders for the government-owned apartments and stores on offer were Chinese, according to Jorge Oliveira, the official overseeing the asset sale. They ended up acquiring more than two-thirds of the 45 properties, he said.