Menu

China Merchants Zhangzhou Development Zone Co. Ltd, the developer of Double Happiness Island – China's first artificial offshore island – has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the CEO Clubs Network, the world's largest business networking membership-only organization. According to a statement released on Wednesday, the agreement was signed between the two organisations to drive investment for the development of the island, as well as leverage international brand franchises.

The Double Happiness Island – located off the coast of Zhangzhou City, near Xiamen, China – covers an area of 2.2 square kilometers, and is in the shape of two encircled dolphins. It is planned as a high-end international vacation resort. The island is designed to promote eco-tourism and become a green city with low carbon environment. Construction of the island started in February 2010, and it is scheduled to become an amusement and ecological park by 2024.

The artificial island is estimated to cost about 3 trillion RMB ($435 billion). It will have a 11.7 km coastline and reclaim 182 hectares from the sea. With the construction of a 1,010.8-meter-long bridge that was completed last year, the island has been linked with Zhangzhou Development Zone, one of the development zones in China just off the Xiamen Bay in the country’s southeast coast.

Officials from China Merchants Zhangzhou met with the Sheikh Juma Al Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Patron of the CEO Clubs Network Worldwide. They also visited Palm Jumeirah, one of the Palm Islands located on the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

“Dubai made the first man-made Palm Island in the world with a great success and our Double Happiness Island with its unique design will provide a great unique business opportunity to the world,” said Yong Ding, President of China Merchants Zhangzhou. “We are very happy to sign a partnership agreement with the CEO Clubs Network Worldwide to assist us with their expertise.”

China Merchants Zhangzhou – a subsidiary of China Merchants Group(CMG), a leading state-owned conglomerate – is looking to tap into the network of over 13,000 CEOs and high net worth individuals to facilitate investment in the Double Happiness Island.

"I am delighted to sign this agreement with China Merchants Zhangzhou and be part of the Double Happiness Island team,” Tariq Ahmed Nizami, Founder and CEO of the CEO Clubs Network, said – adding that he was looking forward to the organisation’s contribution to building the artificial island and the milestone achievement by China.