Unmistakably, almost all the salesladies in the luxury duty-free stores at the airport were Asians and spoke Mandarin.

FORBES: Are Chinese Opening Their Wallets?

It is nicely carpeted, has exquisite art displays, and features an impressive range of luxury goods in duty-free shops.

FORBES: Are Chinese Opening Their Wallets?

Manufacturing in China should help GM bring down the cost of its cars, not least because Beijing imposes a steep duty imports of luxury vehicles.

BBC: GM gets China approval for Cadillac plant

This despite a cosy deal with the government that allowed the hotel to be built on interest-free bonds and operated with no tax, cheap rent, and even, for a while, a duty exemption on the luxury items that its managers imported to fill its rooms.

ECONOMIST: Red elephant

Increased import duty on high-end luxury motor vehicles and yachts.

BBC: India announces rise in spending to help spur growth

DFS, a luxury-goods distributor whose assets include 180 duty-free stores in Asia.

ECONOMIST: Asia��s lapse of luxury

Stores in shopping districts like Myeongdong have added Chinese-speaking staff, their headquarters are using Korean celebrities popular across China and Southeast Asia in advertisements, and glitzy duty-free stores are dropping European luxury brands to give more space to Korean cosmetics chains that are less expensive but more popular in the Asian region.

FORBES: Chinese Tourists Head To South Korea Following Japan Row

Even an import duty of up to 40% on foreign luxury goods into India has not kept most Western luxury retailers out of the market.

FORBES: Hermes Is Now Selling Saris In India, And It's A Big Deal

The company cut prices at a luxury development in the city's industrial Lai Chi Kok district this month and offered to rebate on the stamp duty.

WSJ: Big Players Cash Out of Hong Kong Property