China's cash-strapped Kaisa in strategic pact with state firms

[Hong Kong] Cash-strapped Kaisa Group entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with state-owned China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings and China Great Wall Asset Management on joint venture arrangements and asset acquisitions. Analysts said Kaisa's move could set an example for other distressed property developers, including China Evergrande Group and Shimao Group, to introduce state-owned enterprises or local governments for their restructuring.

Chinese state-owned firms are expected to acquire more assets from highly indebted private developers as Beijing steps up efforts to stabilise and tighten control over the crisis-hit property sector, which accounts for a quarter of the economy.

Kaisa said in a filing late on Tuesday (Mar 5) the cooperation agreement will include new opportunities in property development in the Greater Bay Area, as well as other businesses such as cultural tourism and ferry. "The agreement is "conducive to... revitalising (its) assets of commercial and residential projects, and alleviating short-term liquidity difficulties", it said.

Kaisa, the second-largest US dollar bond issuer among Chinese developers after Evergrande, is restructuring its US$12 billion offshore debt after defaulting on some bonds last year.

China Merchants Shekou, a flagship company of China Merchants Group, specialises in the development of commercial and industrial parks, while China Great Wall, owned by the finance ministry, is one of the country's 4 biggest managers of distressed debt. REUTERS