Private equity giant Blackstone had hoped to expand its presence in the country through acquisition of Soho China, which holds prime real estate in cities like Beijing BEIJING: A US private equity firm has abandoned a planned US$3 billion purchase of Chinese property developer Soho China, with antitrust authorities yet to approve the deal. Blackstone had hoped to expand its presence in the country through acquisition of Soho China, which holds prime real estate in cities like Beijing.