China International enters into S$21.6m settlement agreement, Latest Business News - The New Paper
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China International enters into S$21.6m settlement agreement

This article is more than 12 months old

China International Holdings has agreed to enter into a settlement agreement of 105 million yuan (S$21.6 million) despite believing that the claim is "baseless and unmerited", so as to avoid a protracted dispute with municipal and district governments in China.

It said this last week, in response to a query from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) over a settlement agreement that its 50 per cent-owned associate Yichang Xinshougang Property Development (XSG) had recently entered into, with Yiling District Urban Infrastructure Investment Company (YDUIIC).

At the heart of the dispute is how both parties viewed a sum of 105 million yuan that YDUIIC, owned by the Yichang government, had given to XSG in 2006. YDUIIC claimed it was a loan.

China International and XSG claimed the sum was an award by the Yichang government in Hubei to fund the payment to buy land use rights for a development project in Meiziya village in Yilling district within Yichang city.

The transfer of the sum took place before China International bought a 55 per cent stake in XSG from China Resources and Transportation Group (CRTG) for HK$550 million (S$94 million) in cash in 2012. XSG holds land use rights for a total site area of 587,726 sq m in Meiziya.

In March last year, YDUIIC filed a claim against XSG for the repayment of an alleged loan of 105 million yuan, and accrued interest of 52 million yuan.

On Dec 18, China International said XSG had agreed to pay 105 million yuan to YDUIIC before the end of the year. YDUIIC will withdraw all claims on and actions against XSG after receiving this payment.

This prompted a query from SGX, which asked China International to explain the discrepancies between both parties' stand on the sum.

In its response, China International said its position, and also that of XSG, remains unchanged despite both entering into the settlement agreement.

The decision does not constitute an admission that the sum was a loan, it said. The agreement was made to "avoid the risk of a potentially long and protracted dispute with the municipal and district governments in Yichang city, Hubei province".

They believe the dispute should be settled as soon as possible, to pave the way for the next stage of the project development in Meiziya, it added.

China International also agreed to SGX's request for monthly updates on the claiming of damages from CRTG.

BUSINESS & FINANCE