In January, the Group teams up with the US's Name-Your-Own-Price Internet pricing system Priceline.com with a plan to bring buyer-driven e-commerce to Asia.
In January, the Group and Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited form a joint venture named iBusiness Corporation with the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and Hang Seng Bank, with the aim to become the dominant service provider and business facilitator by capitalising on the resources, network and customer base of the four partners.
In February, the Group accepts a revised offer by Vodafone for all of their Mannesmann shares. The consideration is 3,056,910,365 new Vodafone shares.
In February, the Group forms a 50-50 joint venture with Computer And Technologies Holdings Limited, to set up an Information Technology Resource Centre with expertise in IT and e-commerce application development.
In February, the Group and DLJdirect enters into a 50-50 joint venture agreement to expand DLJdirect's on-line investment service throughout Asia to Hong Kong and mainland China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Indonesia. (The JV is subsequently renamed Hutchison CSFBdirect.)
In March, the Group's China-related new media mega-portal, TOM.COM, commences trading on the Growth Enterprise Market ('GEM') of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (stock code: 8001).
In March, the Group joins forces with leading business-to-business e-commerce company, Internet Capital Group (ICG) to launch ICG AsiaWorks, which will incubate, acquire and build e-commerce market makers and B-2-B infrastructure companies. ICG AsiaWorks attains a back-door listing through Harbour Ring International Holdings (later renamed as Hutchison Harbour Ring), which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (stock code: 715).
In March, Hutchison Port Holdings establishes portsnportals.com (later renamed as LINE - Logistics Information Network Enterprise) in March.
In March, Hutchsion Port Holdings signs a joint venture agreement on the managing of Phase I of the Wai Gao Qiao development with the Shanghai Port Authority, Shanghai Industrial Investment and COSCO.
In April, the Group establishes a wholly owned subsidiary - bigboXX.com as the first of its kind B2B e-commerce portal in Hong Kong, specifically dedicated to serving office administration and finance managers for office supplies-related services.
In April, the Group wins the largest 3G licence 'A' in the United Kingdom for 4,384.7 million sterling pounds. Subsequently in July, NTT DoCoMo and KPN Mobile acquires a 20 per cent and a 15 per cent participation in 3G Holdings respectively.
In May, the Group and China United Telecommunications Corporation (China Unicom) sign a business co-operation framework agreement to form a strategic alliance and to co-operate in various telecommunications activities in Mainland China.
In May, the Group, Investor AB and Ericsson announces the completion of their acquisition of a controlling interest in Guoco Land Limited, a company listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. Guoco Land, renamed as imGO, invests in telecommunication-related technologies, wireless Internet enabling technologies, software applications, hardware (devices and terminals), wireless content providers and broadband infrastructure in Asia.
In May, Hutchison Telecom (Hong Kong) Limited launches Orangeworld, the territory's richest, broadest and deepest wirefree internet service, paving the way for Hong Kong mobile communications into the next generation.
In June, a joint venture between Hutchison China, China Putian Industrial Corporation and OPTEL's management is established. The new joint venture -- Chongqing Hutchison Optel Telecom Technology Co., Ltd. ('OPTEL') focuses on optical transmission technology equipment.
In June, Husky Oil announces its merger with Renaissance Energy ('Renaissance'), also a Canadian company. The new company Husky Energy is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and becomes one of Canada's largest integrated oil and gas companies.
In July, the Group's US associated company (22 per cent effective interest) VoiceStream Wireless Corp announces a merger with Deutsche Telekom AG to form the first wireless operator utilizing the GSM standard worldwide.
In August, Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited acquires 49 per cent of the equity shares in Usha Martin Telekom Ltd in Calcutta, India. Usha Martin Telekom provides cellular services in Calcutta under the brand name Command.
In September, Hutchison Port Holdings acquires a 48 per cent stake in Koja Terminal 3 (Koja T3) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In September, Hutchison Port Holdings acquires a 30 per cent stake in Westport, Port Klang. Westport is an integrated port situated on 520 hectares of waterfront land with terminal handling facilities for containers, dry bulk, liquid bulk and other conventional cargo at Malaysia's premier port -- Port Klang.
In September, Hutchison Telecommunications Limited becomes a 14.7 per cent shareholder of Fascel Ltd, number one cellular operator in Gujarat, India.
In September, Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) Limited (49 per cent interest) and China Unicom (51 per cent interest) announce the establishment of a joint venture to provide telecom-related technical and marketing consultancy services in Mainland China.
In October, Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited acquires a 49 per cent interest in I-Mobile Holding (later renamed as Hutchison Wireless MultiMedia Holdings) which controls a 65 per cent stake in Tawan Mobile Telecom Co (later renamed as Hutchison CAT Wireless MultiMedia) in Thailand.
In October, Andala 3G S.p.A. wins a licence in the UMTS auction held by the Italian Government. Andala successfully bids 4,700 billion Lire (approximately EUR2.428 billion or HKD15.82 billion) for 10 MHz of paired spectrum, and 5MHz of unpaired spectrum, and 1,600 billion Lire (approximately EUR0.826 billion or HKD5.38 billion) for an additional 5 MHz of paired spectrum available to Andala as a new entrant to the Italian mobile market.
In October, A.S. Watson Group acquires Savers health & beauty retail chain in the UK.
In November, Hutchison 3G Austria GmbH becomes one of the six successful bidders at the end of the Austrian UMTS licence auction for 10MHz of paired spectrum and 5MHz of unpaired spectrum for a total cost of ATS1.913 billion (approximately EUR139 million or HKD940 million).
In December, Hi3G Access AB is awarded a national licence for 15 MHz of paired and 5 mHz of unpaired spectrum to provide third generation mobile communications (3G) services network in Sweden. No licence fee is payable. Hi3G Access AB is jointly owned by Hutchison Whampoa (60 per cent) and the Sweden's Investor AB (40 per cent).