SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), the Philippines’ dominant mall developer and operator, is opening SM City Suzhou in mainland China’s Jiangsu Province on September 23, 2011.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, SM Prime said this is its fourth shopping mall in China, after SM City Xiamen, SM City Jinjiang, and SM City Chengdu. The cities of Xiamen and Jinjiang are in China’s Fujian Province, while Chengdu is in the Province of Sichuan.

“We are very pleased to open the doors of our newest mall, SM City Suzhou in China. The mall’s launching affirms SM Prime’s keen objective to continue growing and expanding in areas of opportunity, even in those beyond the boundaries of the Philippines,” said SM Prime president Hans T. Sy.

He added that ‘it also confirms that the Filipinos have the needed knowledge, skills, and talents to compete in a global arena. Thus, the company intends to open several more new malls in China in the coming years.’

SM City Suzhou, which is located in the metropolis’ Wuzhong District, has a gross floor area (GFA) of 72,552 square meters (sqm), 89 percent of which has already been awarded to various tenants.

The shopping mall’s major tenants are Vanguard Hypermarket, SM Department Store, KFC, Jack & Jones, and Wanda Cinema.

The city of Suzhou in China has a population of approximately 6.3 million and has several export processing zones and industrial parks.

Its many industries include electronics, IT (information technology), and biotechnology. The city is also known for its rich cultural attractions such as temples, gardens, and ancient water towns.

SM City Suzhou is the second SM mall to be opened by SM Prime this year, after SM City Masinag in Antipolo, Rizal. It brings to 45 the total number of SM malls in the Philippines and in China, with a combined GFA of 5.7 million sqm.