BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The transaction volumes of China's real estate hit a record of nine billion U.S. dollars in 2006, an increase of 69 percent year on year, according to a recent research by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).

    Investment of foreign funds in the country's real estate market accounted for 60 percent of the total last year, the research said.

    Cross-border investment represented 32 percent of the total investment in the Asia-Pacific region, up from 29 percent, it reported.

    Investors would still be interested in the Asia-Pacific region since the booming real estate market provided them with opportunities of long-term returns, said Guy Hollis, a senior official with the JLL.

    JLL is a leading real estate money management and services firmwith some 150 offices worldwide and operating in more than 450 cities in more than 50 countries and regions.