HONG KONG, Oct 2 — One of Asia’s best known billionaires says, “back off, Beijing.”

Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing in an ugly public spat with Chinese state media.

He’s selling off parts of his business in the mainland.

A state-linked think tank in China calling that “unpatriotic.”

Li shot back — saying that stinks of “cultural revolution”-era finger-pointing.

Hutchison Whampoa Ltd and Cheung Kong Holdings Chairman Li Ka-shing smiles as he leaves a news conference on the companies" annual results in Hong Kong in this February 26, 2015 file photo. — Reuters pic

No one represents Hong Kong rags-to-riches more than Li Ka-shing.

People here call him “superman.”

Li raised some eyebrows after moving his flagship firm Cheung Kong Holdings out of Hong Kong to the Cayman Islands.

His next sin was selling property in Shanghai and elsewhere across the mainland.

Li for his part says moving out of China real estate is just good business: supply and demand.

For a class of billionaires who have made a mint in this gateway city, calling out “superman” could have them thinking twice about committing to China. — Reuters