A PROMINENT Central Walk shareholder punched a reporter in the chest during a Monday press conference, Shenzhen Evening News reported yesterday.

    Liu Hongwei co-developed Central Walk, a prosperous commercial development in Futian’s central business district, and controls about 50 percent of its shares through Shenzhen Legao Shareholding Co. Liu held Monday’s press conference to address suspected illegal sales of Central Walk properties and shops.

    She attacked Shenzhen Economic Daily reporter Qin Xingmei when Qin followed her out of the press conference to a nearby China Merchants Bank outlet and tried to ask questions. Qin suffered chest injuries.

    “I was totally taken aback by the attack,” Qin said. “I suffered breathing difficulties and chest pain.”

    Liu scolded Qin at the beginning of the press conference, citing Qin’s previous reports on Central Walk property sales, and refused to take any of Qin’s questions. The press conference stopped abruptly when nearly 30 buyers of Central Walk shops rushed into the room, demanding Liu refund their money.

    After the protesting buyers left, Liu invited reporters to the nearby China Merchants Bank for further interviews. Qin followed her and tried to ask questions, but Liu struck her with a fist and said: “What if I beat you?”

    Liu tried to strike Qin several times, but was stopped by China Merchants Bank staff and nearby security guards. Witnesses then called police.

    Hospital records show that Qin was hit on the chest and suffered chest pain, breathing difficulties and dizziness. Her diagnosis cited a “chest injury.”

    In a telephone interview with the Guangzhou newspaper New Express, Liu acknowledged beating Qin. She said Qin’s earlier report on Central Walk lacked evidence and that Qin had threatened to take Liu down from her position of Guangdong provincial political adviser.

    “I had never clashed with anyone in the past 22 years apart from yesterday,” Liu said.

    Liu and Shenzhen Legao Shareholding Co. were suspected of illegally selling Central Walk shops worth billions of yuan.

    In an earlier report by Shenzhen Daily, a woman surnamed Zhu said she paid 13.25 million yuan (US$2.1 million) for a 91.5-square-meter Central Walk shop in December 2010, after signing a contract with Shenzhen Legao Shareholding Co. and Liu. The contract promised Zhu would receive the property certificate within four months, Zhu said. Zhu never got the property certificate.

    Later reports found that Shenzhen Baoyi Property Management Co. was the only legal owner of the Central Walk property, and that the property, which covers 140,000 square meters, could only be transferred or sold as a whole. Moreover, the property had been mortgaged to the China Merchants Bank, which said it had not agreed to the sales.

    At Monday’s press conference, Liu said China Merchants Bank and other shareholders had given tacit consent to the sales.

    Liu controls about 50 percent of the Baoyi Property Management Co. through Legao Investment Co. The other 50 percent is controlled by an overseas company, TMW.

    Liu and her brother, Liu Ergang, founded Yijing Central Walk Business Development Co. in 2003. In 2007, the property was sold to Baoyi Property Management (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. (Helen Deng)