With the New, Comes Fortune WangHao Supermarket Joins Forces with Keyestone Group to Create a Better Urban Life

May 10th, 2022 – An icon of Haikou city, WangHao Supermarket is set to open in The Bayview, a sprawling housing complex and premium community designed and built by Keyestone Group in Jiangdong New District. 

Established just 17 years ago, the WangHao Group expanded rapidly and currently owns and manages 5 shopping malls and 15 supermarket branches. Setting the benchmark in Hainan's retail industry, the WangHao brand has become deeply rooted in the communities in which they serve, and their customers have grown to trust and rely on the quality and assurance of its outlets for every-day goods, services and healthy living.

Next to Hairui Bridge by Nandujiang River in Haikou’s Jiangdong New District, The Bayview occupies nearly 10 hectares, with the total planned construction area over 1 million square metres. Developed by the Hong Kong-based Keyestone Group, the masterplan comprises an integrated community that includes a high-end residential property, a cosmopolitan shopping area, and a commercial complex. Part of the Jiangdong Marina, The Bayview is only one bridge away from the provincial capital’s business centre, and it enjoys easy access to both Guoxing old town and the burgeoning Jiangdong riverside residential belt. Priding itself on an unparalleled location and accessibility, The Bayview has already won over the praises of its property owners. 

An integral part of The Bayview complex, the Bayview Ascent is adjacent to Hefeng Jiayuan – a provincial-level residential estate dedicated to civil servants – and thanks to the East Fengxiang Road cross-river tunnel nearby, the Ascent is well-connected with other neighbouring districts. A 9,000-square-metre commercial space and a 5,000-square-metre supermarket space were completed in November 2021, offering residents the best of fresh produce, convenience and accessibility. 

Shops on the ground floor provide a full range of lifestyle products, services and facilities for residents, making it possible for them to find everything they need at only a stone’s throw away. This has made The Bayview Ascent the residential landmark for High-net-worth families and tastemakers in the city to call home. Buildings, shops, and residents are all bonded within this complex, creating an organic eco-community where the property has created a society unto itself – a neighborhood where families can build, grow and commune together. 

Meanwhile in The Bayview Ascent, retail spaces with prominent street-front exposure ranging from 62 to 820 square metres in size are now open to investments from interested stakeholders who want be a part of this growing community. 

Mr. Chen Jie, General Manager of the Keyestone Group, shares, “We are excited that WangHao Supermarket is joining The Bayview. As a conglomerate integrating large-scale cultural tourism, resort hotels and luxury residences amongst other things, the Keyestone Group focuses on quality and strives for excellence, which is highly consistent with the philosophy of the WangHao Group. We believe the opening of WangHao Supermarket will bring a more efficient and enjoyable urban life experience to The Bayview and even to the Jiangdong New District itself.” 

Mr. Ye Xiaoyong, Chairman of the Hainan WangHao Sunny Group, said, "We are very honoured to be able to settle in The Bayview community. Ever since our establishment, the WangHao group has dedicated itself to guiding the Hainan people to pursue a life of high quality and great health, living up to the commitment indicated in our tagline ‘WangHao · For a Better Urban Life’. Opening a WangHao Supermarket in The Bayview is an important first step for WangHao to start its businesses in Jiangdong. We at WangHao will continue practicing our philosophy and providing Jiangdong residents with high-quality goods and services that equate to a quality lifestyle befitting the community.” 

Spanning almost 5,000 square metres, WangHao Supermarket in The Bayview Ascent offers an ultra-large retail space for fresh goods, which once again exemplifies the Group’s forward-looking vision. Its strategic opening in the promising Jiangdong New District has the potential for exponential growth given that the area is poised to become an international high-end riverside centre that offers a one-stop experience for both modern, pioneering urban life and distinctive, local Haikou life on different sides of the Nandujiang River. Prosperity, comfort, diversity, and vitality will define the future community. 

The agreement makes WangHao Supermarket and The Bayview strategic partners in bringing and improving quality of life to residents in the heart of the city. 

KEYESTONE GROUP AND HYATT TO COLLABORATE ON CHINA’S FIRST HELLO KITTY HOTEL IN HAINAN

The hotel will be a part of the Hello Kitty Theme Park, to be opened by 2025

(13 January 2022) – Keyestone Group, a Hong Kong-based conglomerate focused on the development and management of high-quality premier projects in the Greater China region, and Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H), a leading global hospitality company, today announced plans for China’s first Hello Kitty Hotel in Sanya, Hainan. The hotel will be developed by the Keyestone Group and added to the JdV by Hyatt brand.  It is expected to open by 2025 as part of the Sanya Hello Kitty Resort – the first Hello Kitty theme park in Hainan Province.

A vibrant addition to the JdV by Hyatt collection of independent properties, the hotel will feature 221 rooms and villas adorned with Hello Kitty designs and other well-known and beloved Sanrio characters. Embracing the JdV by Hyatt brand, Sanya Hello Kitty Hotel will also be home to an exciting range of world-class amenities, including three signature restaurants and bar, a themed ballroom, a swimming pool and state-of-the-art spa and a fitness center, inviting guests to celebrate the joy of life while indulging in a truly special and whimsical stay.

To be built within the 52-acre Sanya Hello Kitty Resort, the hotel will offer guests and visitors an  immersive and memorable experience intimately connected to and reflective of the theme park, enabling guests to  live in the moment. Guests are invited to embark on their very own Sanrio journey with enchanting interactive experiences, brought to life by innovative design and technology, and engaging story-telling elements that will appeal to Sanrio fans of all ages and cater to the growing demand for family-oriented tourism and hospitality offerings. The hotel will also offer seasonal events, activities and menus to celebrate key festivals with guests throughout the year.

Jeffery Pun, Chief Executive Officer of Keyestone Group, said, “As Keyestone Group continues to grow our hospitality portfolio across Greater China, we are excited to extend our collaboration with Hyatt. Sanya Hello Kitty Hotel will leverage our respective strengths in developing and managing world-class hospitality projects to offer guests a truly unique experience as they unwind and rejuvenate with their favourite Sanrio characters. We believe that the hotel and Sanya Hello Kitty Resort will become icons in Hainan’s tourism landscape and enable us to tap the growing demand for high-quality travel experiences in this region.”

Stephen Ho, president of Growth and Operations, Asia Pacific of Hyatt, said, “We are delighted to be working with Keyestone Group and are grateful to them for entrusting Hyatt with the first Hello Kitty-themed hotel in this fast-growing market and expand our brand portfolio in China. We look forward to bringing to life well-loved Sanrio characters in this exciting new project, which will retain a unique identity while providing the JdV by Hyatt brand’s signature guest experience that is inclusive, free-spirited and distinguished by heartfelt and joy-driven service.”

An intellectual property licensing agreement was signed between Keyestone Group and Sanrio (Shanghai) International Trade Co., Ltd. in July 2019, granting Keyestone Group access to more than 400 trademark Sanrio characters, many of whom will be featured in the Sanya Hello Kitty Resort and Hotel. Sanya Hello Kitty Hotel will be the second Hyatt-branded hotel located in Hainan that Keyestone Group has been involved in developing, alongside the award-winning Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay Resort & Spa, which opened in 2016. This is in addition to several milestone projects by Keyestone Group that are contributing to Hainan’s vibrant tourism landscape and boosting its profile as a travel destination of choice.

The term “Hyatt” is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.


Hello Kitty theme park to open in Hainan in 2024

Hong Kong-based conglomerate Keyestone Group will open a theme park for popular Sanrio character, Hello Kitty, in Hainan in 2024. The development will also include a themed hotel. Keyestone Group Director Edwin Pun said in the interview that the company will create a theme park for the post-COVID era leveraging technology and innovation such as wearable devices, among others.

First published in Nikkei Marketing Journal.

Conversation with Keyestone Group General Manager Chen Jie: Established intellectual properties are a major draw for theme parks to maintain vitality

In an exclusive profile interview with Jiemiam, Keyestone Group General Manager Chen Jie shared that Keyestone Group has capitalised on favourable policy drivers to develop strategic projects across residential, hospitality, cultural, education, and other fields in the past decade in China. With the development of the Hello Kitty theme park, Keyestone Group is committed to contributing to the development of cultural tourism in Greater China.

First published in Jiemian.

The future of theme parks in Greater China

In a contributed article in Bloomberg Businessweek, Keyestone Group Director Edwin Pun discussed how theme parks need key differentiators to stand out from the competition and tap the growing demand for family-oriented attractions. He highlighted how theme parks are leveraging technology to enhance the visitor experience, including virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, among others.

First published in Bloomberg Businessweek (Hong Kong and Taiwan Edition).

Edwin Pun: Keyestone Group to elevate the high-end domestic tourism market in China with international IP

Keyestone Group Director Edwin Pun shared in an interview with Ming Pao, opportunities Keyestone Group sees in Hainan's development as an international free trade port and a world-class travel destination. He discussed Keyestone Group's investment in the development of the Hello Kitty Theme Park in Sanya and its plans to continue to secure intellectual property rights to deliver best-in-class high-end tourism projects across Hainan and Greater China.

First published in Ming Pao.

Keyestone Group and Gezhouba Group Sign Strategic Cooperation Agreement

Keyestone Group Holdings Limited ("Keyestone") and China Gezhouba Group Company Limited ("Gezhouba") have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to promote sustainable development in Hainan. Under the agreement, the partners will cooperate on areas including international intellectual property (IP) in cultural tourism, unique cultural towns, and healthcare and elderly care services. This cooperation is of strategic significance to Keyestone’s continued growth and investment in Mainland China.

Keyestone Group is a long-term investor in Hainan. Against the backdrop of the Hainan Free Trade Zone (Port) development roadmap, Keyestone is making strategic investments in Hainan’s integrated hotel, hospitality and tourism sectors, and in education, among other fields.

An industry trailblazer, Keyestone is driving innovation in world-class hospitality, residential and commercial projects, underpinned by excellence, long-term vision and social responsibility. Sanya, Hainan serves as the base and launchpad for the Group’s international IP in cultural tourism strategy, and the partnership with Gezhouba Group will strengthen Keyestone’s leadership position in this core business area.

Chen Jie, General Manager of Keyestone Group, said: "Keyestone Group is a conglomerate with diverse business across large-scale residential development and management projects, commercial mixed-use properties, service apartments, resorts, and cultural tourism landmarks. We have continued to make investments in Hainan through key projects including the Sanya Hello Kitty Theme Park Resort and the Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay Resort & Spa, the first cultural tourism project in Hainan to leverage international IP.”

“As the leading infrastructure construction firm in China, Gezhouba Group has rich experience in engineering construction and an outstanding ability in resource integration. This strategic cooperation will allow Keyestone and Gezhouba to tap significant synergies in our investment strategies and regional roadmaps, and leverage our strengths to develop international IP in cultural tourism, unique cultural towns, healthcare and elderly care services, among other areas," added Mr. Chen.

Xu Zhiguo, Vice President of Gezhouba Group, said: "As a core subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Group Company Limited, a Fortune 500 company, Gezhouba has built deep and consolidated expertise in managing large-scale energy, transportation, building construction, environmental protection and new infrastructure contracts. Over our 51-year history, we have developed five major business investment thrusts – international development, transportation, real estate, water infrastructure and cultural tourism – that underscore our strong investment and financing capabilities.”

Mr. Xu added: “We see the cultural tourism and urban renewal sectors as key business areas, and have invested in Chengdu’s Panda Old Town project, the Viacom global cultural and creative flagship project in Meishan, and the Longtan Industrial New City project in Nanjing’s Economic and Technological Development Zone. Gezhouba shares Keyestone’s development philosophy, and our complementary strengths provide a platform for broad partnership. We see the signing of this strategic cooperation agreement as an opportunity to start a new chapter in driving high-quality sustainable development."

After the signing ceremony, representatives of Keyestone and Gezhouba held a meeting to discuss cooperation opportunities.

Jeffery Pun: Keyestone Group to invest over 10 billion yuan in Hainan’s cultural tourism market

In an interview with 21st Century Business Herald, Keyestone Group CEO Jeffery Pun discussed the development of Hainan's cultural tourism market, and the growing demand for high-quality tourism products and changing consumer trends in China. Mr Pun also shared Keyestone Group's strategic development plan and commitment to invest in the travel and hospitality sector in Greater China.

First published in 21jingji.com.

Edwin Pun: Hello Kitty Theme Park to open in 2024

Keyestone Group Director Edwin Pun was interviewed by Tatler on the opening of the US$620 million Hello Kitty Theme Park in Sanya, as well as his background, experience, interests and ambitions.

First published in Tatler Taiwan.

Edwin Pun talks about opening the US$620 million Hello Kitty Theme Park In Sanya

Keyestone Group Director Edwin Pun was interviewed by Tatler on the opening of the US$620 million Hello Kitty Theme Park in Sanya, as well as his background, experience, interests and ambitions.

First published in Tatler Hong Kong.