Xinyuan Real Estate (XIN): Vivian's view from China

With an industry-leading record, Vivian Lewis is noted for her ability to find less-known global opportunities.

Returning from a lengthy trip throughout China, the editor of Global Investing offers with a new recommendation -- Xinyuan Real Estate (NYSE: XIN), a company headquarter in Beijing while based in the Cayman Islands.

"My latest Chinese stock pick is a smaller entrepreneurial offshore Chinese newcomer. It is headed by an architect who is close to the government, although he had the good sense to incorporate Xinyuan Real Estate in the Cayman Islands.

"Board chairman Yong Zhang, his wife, the COO, and his CPA cousin, plus other insiders, control 61% of the operation of XIN (which is pronounced like chin.)

"The Chinese home-builder puts up apartment buildings in second-tier cities, starting with Zhengzhou where it got started in 1997.

"It is now branching out int