Corruption on the Orient Express

China's property markets are luring investors from around the world, but corruption and kickbacks can make any real estate a tricky proposition. By Robin Marriott

As luck would have it, my return train ticket from Guangzhou to Hong Kong seated me next to one of the only other Westerners on the trip.

He was on a fact-finding mission to China and his journey had so far taken him in a huge loop from Beijing to Shanghai, then down to Guangdong and onwards to Hong Kong.