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The documents say that Wat first met in April of 2015 with one of Hong Kong’s richest billionaires, Edwin Leong. There was a followup meeting for Clark and Wat arranged with Leong and other investors on Nov. 7, 2015, on the 29th floor of Leong’s Hotel Indigo, in Hong Kong’s Wai Chan district.

Meeting notes for the “afternoon-tea with Hong Kong Investors” say: “This is an informal roundtable discussion with an intimate group of long-standing investors and donors in the Vancouver economy. Many of these investors have real estate holdings in Vancouver worth several billion dollars.”

Photo by Imaginechina / PNG

Leong is a property developer with a net worth estimated at US$3.9 billion, and over 1,000 properties and stores in Hong Kong and Macau, according to the South China Morning Post. Documents say other meeting attendees included Eddie Wang, former chairman of China Minsheng Bank; Andrew Yu, chairman of Yue Hwa Chinese Emporium; and Oscar Chow, executive director of Chevalier Group.

According to the notes, Clark and Wat were prepared to answer a number of hot-button questions on economic policy and the B.C. government’s position on trade with China.

“Are you considering any policy changes in light of the recent property valuations and public concerns for affordable housing?” was one expected question.

The response prepared for Clark and Wat was: “Government would need to proceed very carefully before considering measures that would force down the value of people’s assets and prevent sellers from obtaining a fair market price.”