While China's exports suffered serious impact from the financial crisis, a Beijing-based private enterprise has completed the acquisition of the largest overseas commercial property development project so far. On December 23, Wu Li, president of the Beijing Toward Group announced the group had acquired a very large commercial shopping center in the United States.

According to Wu, the shopping mall his company acquired is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, covering an area of 188,000 square meters, equivalent to the size of 26 football pitches. It has also become the largest acquisition of overseas commercial property development project by Chinese enterprises so far.

Beijing Toward Group intends to build this shopping mall as a "trading center for Chinese goods in North American, and to show China's modern cultural level and the quality of Made in China". Chairman of Beijing Toward Group Cai Dongmei said, "Our aim is to introduce 'Made in China' products to the U.S. market, so Chinese enterprises can really enter the United States, and to build Chinese brands in the United States, using global resources and markets to optimize the allocation and improve Chinese enterprises' core competitiveness."

Cai said products sold in the shopping mall have first-class quality with Chinese characteristics, including electronic appliances, garments, home decorations and another 10 types of goods. On January 8, 2010 they will start the first round of business invitation in Ningbo. Following the Ningbo station, they will conduct a series of investment activities in Dalian, Wenzhou, Beijing and other places, and in August next year, the shopping mall will be officially opened.

Cai said as the size of cooperative domestic enterprises varies, they adopt four different modes of cooperation for enterprises, including leasing, joining, product display, as well as management on a commission basis.