09:35 SOFTBANK INV<00648> - Announcement (1) This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for the securities of the Company. The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited takes no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaims any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. Softbank Investment International (Strategic) Limited (Incorporated in Hong Kong with limited liability) (HKSE: 00648) PRESS ENQUIRY CLARIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT AND RECENT MOVEMENT IN PRICE AND TRADING VOLUME OF THE SHARES OF THE COMPANY Introduction This statement is made at the request of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited regarding the clarification of information disclosed in articles appearing in various Hong Kong newspapers on 1 January 2005 which reported that the Company intends to develop an electronic gaming business in the Macau SAR with partners from Japan and Korea. The total investment was said to exceed HK$100 million. Clarification The Company would like to clarify that it is currently engaged in ongoing discussions and negotiations with several parties concerning the construction and operation of a large-scale multimedia amusement and entertainment hub in the Macau SAR. Whereas the parties involved have not signed any formal agreements nor have the parties reached a consensus as to the final amount of investment, the Company estimates that the total investment of the parties may exceed HK$100 million. Recent Movement in Price and Trading Volume of the Shares of the Company The directors of the Company have noted the increase in the price and trading volume of the shares of the Company on 3 January 2005 and wish to state that they are not aware of any reasons of such movement save as hereinafter mentioned in this announcement. INTRODUCTION This statement is made at the request of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the `Stock Exchange') regarding the clarification of information disclosed in articles appearing in various Hong Kong newspapers, including the Standard, Apple Daily, Wen Wei Po, Singtao Daily, Tai Kung Pao, Hong Kong Daily News and Hong Kong Commercial Daily on 1 January 2005 which reported that the Company intends to develop an electronic gaming business in the Macau SAR with partners from Japan and Korea, and does not rule out cooperating with Ruili Holdings Limited. The total investment was said to exceed HK$100 million (the `Articles'). At the request of the Stock Exchange the Company would like to clarify that it is currently engaged in ongoing discussions and negotiations with several parties concerning the construction and operation of a large-scale, state-of-the-art multimedia amusement and entertainment hub in the Macau SAR. The potential partners include a significant Hong Kong company and leading games operators from Japan, Korea, and the USA. The Company and its potential partners believe that as visitor numbers to Macau grow dramatically over the coming years, there will be an increasing demand for `non-adult' entertainment that caters to young adults, children, and the family. By providing an amusement and entertainment centre that caters to such demand, the Company believes that this will be beneficial to the development of Macau by not only increasing the number of children and young adult visitors to the SAR, but also encouraging more adults to bring along the entire family and stay in the SAR for a longer period. With the currently intended scale of the project and potential partners, the Company also intends to develop Macau into a world-renowned electronic games hub by not only showcasing the latest in electronic gaming on all platforms, but also hosting regular international games tournaments and events. The Company has discussed this proposal with the Macau government and has received positive feedback. Whereas the parties involved have not signed any formal agreements nor have the parties reached a consensus as to the final amount of investment, the Company estimates that the total investment of the parties may exceed HK$100 million. The Articles were based on comments made by the Chairman of the Company, Mr. Lawrence Yu, at a function on 31 December 2004. The statements were not made by the Chairman as a declaration or an announcement, but rather as a reply to questions posed by members of