Biz Scene: Local

Wedding motorcade

Bentley, Hummer, Ferrari, Porsche and over 20 other luxury cars were part of a wedding ceremony in Shenyang in January. The wedding ceremony host reportedly paid about 60,000 yuan to hire the cars for 2 hours at over 500 yuan per minute.

The luxury wedding motorcade involved 20 Lincolns, four Cadillacs, four Mercedes-Benz, four BMWs, four Audi Q7s, two Ferraris, two Bentleys, two Porsche and one Hummer leading the way.

A cameraman shot pictures of the wedding convoy from one Porsche, while another man directed the motorcade from the second.

Thai culinary festival

The 2007 Thai Fruit and Food Festival began yesterday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and will run until April 17. The festival showcases Thai fruit, food and culture.

A total of 50 tons of Thai fruit were airlifted to Chengdu, said Thongchai Chasawath, Consul-General of Thailand's Consulate General in Chengdu.

Thai cakes, snacks and seafood as well as Thai folk dance and boxing performances will be offered during the weeklong festival, he said.

This year's festival is co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Thailand in Chengdu, the Horticultural Science Society of Thailand and the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chengdu municipal government. It is the third such festival to be held in Chengdu.

Siheyuan snapped up

A siheyuan, or courtyard house, in Beijing's Yanyaer hutong of Shichahai in Xicheng District has sold for the record price of 110 million yuan, or 36,324 yuan per square meter.

The siheyuan is part of a hutong renovation project and was on the market for almost a year.

It was reportedly sold for twice as much as the average price of luxury apartments in the area.

Universities woo

students Hundreds of high school students and parents visited an overseas university enrollment information session in Shanghai.

Seven universities including San Francisco State University and University College London tried to attract Chinese students with discounted medical services and security packages.

But many parents prefer their children to stay in China for undergraduate degrees, said Frank Wang, senior analyst with Can-Zhong Education, an agency assisting further study in Canada.

"China's growing education resources have entitled many less competitive children, who once had to seek a spot in foreign universities, to an equal opportunity here," said Wang.

(China Daily 04/12/2007 page15)