Milestones
  • In January, Hutchison forms a hotel investment & management JV company with Cheung Kong (Holdings) - Harbour Plaza Hotel Management (International) Ltd - to manage the Group's hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China (Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Shenyang & Kunming), the Bahamas and other hotels the Group may acquire in the future.

  • Husky Oil acquires the other 50 per cent interest in the Lloydminister Upgrader from the Saskachewen Government in February. Husky Oil now wholly owns the Upgrader.

  • A telecom consortium, in which Hutchison Telecom holds a 57.5 per cent stake, wins a licence to operate the first GSM network in Israel.

  • In April, Orange Communications SA, in which Orange plc holds a 35 per cent interest, wins a licence to construct and operate a GSM 1800 network for mobile telephony in Switzerland.

  • Orange launches new mobile phone services in Northern Ireland in late April, covering 80 per cent of the population there.

  • In May, Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited, the group's infrastructure arm, signs a RMB 150 million project for water plants in Hunan. CKI has a 49 per cent interest in this joint venture, which lasts for 18 years.

  • In June, Hutchison Whampoa (China) Limited has teamed up with two Mainland companies to develop a large scale, high-tech rice farm in Qiqihaer, Heilongjiang. The company holds 81 per cent stake in its first investment in the Mainland's agricultural sector.

  • Husky Oil Limited plans to expand the size of Lloydminister Upgrader in mid-June. The proposed expansion doubles production capacity of all products.

  • In June, KPN Orange, a joint venture between Orange plc and the leading Dutch telecom operator, KPN, is awarded a licence to build and operate a GSM 1800 mobile network in Belgium. 

  • In June, Watson's opens Hong Kong's biggest wine cellar, 'Watson's Wine Cellar', in Central, offering the growing Hong Kong wine market the largest range of wines.

  • Husky Oil Limited reaches agreement with Talisman Energy Inc and Gulf Canada Resources Limited in late June to purchase a number of properties off the East Coast of Canada.

  • Harbour Plaza Hotel Management (International) Limited unveils in July Harbour Plaza Chongqing, which is the first international-standard, five-star quality hotel property in Chongqing Municipality.

  • In July, Husky Oil acquires Mohawk Canada Ltd with a chain of some 300 service stations - doubling the scope of Husky's retail operations.

  • Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) unveils Asia's first Dualband network, Orange, in September.

  • In October, Partner Communications launches its GSM services in Israel under the Orange brand.

  • Harbour Plaza Beijing opens at the end of October.

  • A.S. Watson expands its water operations overseas. It has started making acquisitions in Europe since October 1998. 

  • In December, Hongkong International Terminals and two joint developers (Asia Container Terminals and Modern Terminals Limited) sign the land grants for the development of Container Terminal 9 with the Hong Kong SAR Government.

  • In December, Nuance-Watson's retail stores opens at Hong Kong International Airport. Nuance-Watson is a joint venture between A.S. Watson and The Nuance Group of Switzerland.

  • In late 1998, Hutchison Whampoa Properties Group completed its first overseas project. The Royal Gate Kensington, located in London, occupies a site of approximately 22,000 square feet and comprises of 132 flats.