1. Tony Chan Speaks! - More than a month after the start of Nina Wang’s estate trial, Tony Chan, the feng shui master battling Chinachem Charitable Foundation for Wang’s reported $100 billion fortune, finally took the witness stand last week to discuss his supposed romantic relationship with the late tycoon. He said he never deceived Wang, who apparently called him her husband, and that they did things such as burn money and dig holes at Chinachem construction sites simply because those are things that “a wife and husband do for fun.” He also said that he first had sex with Wang in April 3, 1992, around a month after the two met. Evidence of their relationship includes a videotape in 1993 shot by Chan of Wang dancing in a Qing Dynasty costume, in which Chan comments on how beautiful she looks over 40 times. When asked why he took $2 billion from her, Chan said he refused to take it at first but that she insisted, and that he eventually agreed because she gave him the money out of love. He added that he never wanted to take matters to court, and also that he was sure it was Wang’s intention for him to succeed her as Chinachem’s chairman after she passed away. Chan earlier also revealed that he named his eldest son “Wealthee.” The trial continues.

2.    Wanchai’s Landlord?
The Urban Renewal Authority has announced that Hopewell Holdings and Sino Group have won their bid for the redevelopment project at “Wedding Card Street” in Wan Chai. This further strengthens Hopewell Holdings’ position as the major landlord in Wan Chai. Ever since the 1970s, Gordon Wu’s Hopewell has developed major properties in the area, particularly on Queen’s Road East, such as Hopewell Centre, QRE Plaza opposite (adjacent to the Wedding Card Street site) and serviced apartment GardenEast next door. Wu struggled for years with the government over the construction of Hopewell Centre phase two (originally named “Mega Tower”). The Town Planning Board previously rejected Wu’s bid to build a giant skyscraper in the area, but Wu and the government finally reached an agreement for a 55-storey high building that will be completed in 2016.