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Peking University. Apr. 12, 2011: The Pacific Digital Mall will shutter its operation in three months, transferring its usufruct to Peking University, according to a notice recently posted in the mall.

The building will be readjusted to teaching and research uses, PKU President Zhou Qifeng said during an earlier ceremony for the transfer.

The PKU Pacific Building (Beida Taipingyang Dasha), southeast of the PKU campus, is situated between the university and the core areas of Beijing’s busy commercial zone, Zhongguancun.

The notice read that the Beijing Pacific Berkeley Computer Market Co., Ltd. has donated all the usufruct related to the mall to Peking University. Formal transfer will be implemented on June 30. The Haidian District Government will continue format adjusting of the area till 2012.

A reporter from the Legal Evening News (Fazhi Wanbao) came to the Pacific Digital Mall on April 9, only to find bits of shops opening in the huge electronic market. Many businesses have closed and seldom customers appeared, according to the report.

Inside the mall (Legal Evening News)

The Pacific Building (File photo)

A notebook computer seller surnamed Liu, who is of four years’ experience there, said he has heard about the upcoming closure before the Spring Festival and formal notice has recently been issued. The Marketing Department of Pacific Digital Mall confirmed the information, but reluctant to go into details about the transfer.

The signing ceremony of the transfer of usufruct related to the building was held on December 28, 2010. The 10-year cooperation between Peking University and the PCGroup (Taipingyang Jituan) was not only an economic collaboration, but also a process of mutual melting of cultural concept between universities and corporate partners, said PKU President Zhou Qifeng.

“The donation of usufruct by the PCGroup, with Wang Kezhen as chairman, would further ease the tension of the lack of teaching and research spaces at PKU and it is an important contribution to the university's development,” Professor Zhou noted in his speech. “To thank Wang and the group’s support to PKU, the building would be named in Wang’s honor to commemorate the more than 10 years of friendship and cooperation.”

The ceremony for the donation (PKU News)

Wang Kezhen replied that the building is a symbol of friendship, the foundation of which lay during the centennial ceremony of PKU. The transfer will be implemented in 2011.

According to an earlier report, the PKU Office of Real Estate held its third work conference of the Academic Year 2010-2011 on March 19. Further promotion of key projects were discussed, included the schedule of transferring of the Pacific Building.

The Pacific Digital Mall, which opened in 1999, is one of the three landmark electronic markets of Zhongguancun, with a business area of 10,000 square meters. Its closure will reduce the scale of low-end "machine assemblers.”

It is reported that the serious duplicate construction of electronic malls, which are in fact too commercialized in contrast to nearby educational institutions, have brought disorder in trade and environment in the west area of Zhongguancun. The Haidian District has embarked on the formats adjusting of the Zhongguancun area since 2010. According to the plan that is to be completed in 2012, the commercial area will be compressed to make room for enterprises in technology and financial sectors.

Written by: Wang Jingran

Edited by: Jacques

Source: Legal Evening News