As China puts the brakes on overseas investment, Los Angeles' development boom takes a hit

LOS ANGELES - Last year, Chinese investors interested in buying or developing property in Southern California peppered World Trade Center Los Angeles officials with questions about how best to break into the market.

What's the difference between city governments and county governments, they might ask. Or, are tax incentives for hotel builders better in Los Angeles or Santa Monica?

But daily questions such as those have nearly ceased as China's feared pullback from overseas investments has been borne out.

Stephen Cheung, president of the nonprofit agency that promotes international trade and business, said the agency is now getting about one request a month for guidance.

"Our time used to be dominated by Chinese interests because of the billions of dollars flowing in from China alone," said Cheung, who once helped a company