Chinese bid to build nature retreat rejected

A Beijing businessman has blamed anti-Chinese prejudice and double standards for Iceland's decision to turn down his proposal to build a vast nature retreat in the north Atlantic island nation.

Iceland's interior ministry said it had rejected an application by Huang Nubo's Zhongkun Group to buy 120 square miles of land on the north shore of Iceland in a deal that would have been worth about 1 billion Icelandic kronur (£5.7m).

Mr Huang said the rejection was indicative of anti-Chinese attitudes in the West. Western countries wish to "encourage the opening of the Chinese market while they close their doors to Chinese investments," he said. AP