Dutch financial services group ING plans to launch a US$300 million Chinese property fund in the first half of the year, the South China Morning Post reported. ING Real Estate, which has a global portfolio worth US$77 billion, is targeting the fund at institutional investors that want real estate exposure without entering the market directly. Despite property prices slowing due to state-imposed cooling measures including higher down payments, the company believes the prospects for long term growth are good. We see China's strong economy and fast urbanization will be translated into demand for real estate, said Robert Lie, Asia head of ING Real Estate Investment Management.