According to Yang, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission is expected to allow insurers to invest in infrastructure and real estate soon and is working out the modalities in this regard.
"We expect the guidelines to come out soon. China Life will hire talent familiar with the real estate sector and we are doing the preparatory work in this regard," said Yang.
Industry analysts said it would be good for insurers to invest in the property market, as they can improve their profitability with more investment options.
The sharp fall in the capital markets due to the financial turmoil has put substantial pressure on insurers' investments. China Life saw its total investment return in 2008 falling 61.4 percent from a year earlier, while its net profit drop was about 45.3 percent.
