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.