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China property

China property
China’s property market has surged in recent years. After prices jumped 25 per cent in 2009 alone, the central government imposed austerity measures, including lending curbs, higher mortgage rates and restrictions on the number of homes each family can buy.
People shop at a duty-free shopping mall in Sanya, south China’s Hainan province, on December 18, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
China GDP

China’s economy starts 2026 strongly as retail sales, investment rise

Before the Iran energy crisis and latest round of China-US trade talks, retail spending grew 2.8 per cent while fixed-asset investment increased 1.8 per cent.

Electric & new energy vehicles

China mall shuffle: as EVs exit, who’s filling the ground-floor showrooms?

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong buyers snap up most of 360 flats at 2 projects as confidence returns

Two Sessions 2025

‘Two sessions’ webinar

Experts from the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis joined an SCMP Plus website to discuss China’s biggest political event of the year.

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‘Two sessions’ webinar
Mainland China

Chinese developer Sunshine 100 to oppose winding-up petition in Hong Kong

HTI Financial Solutions and Haitong International Financial Products filed the petition over a debt due in March last year, firm says.

Mainland China

China’s shoppers head for suburban outlets, a bright spot in retail property

Outlet spending nearly doubles to around US$36 billion over five years, prompting investment surge while urban malls suffer high vacancies.

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Two Sessions 2026

Why China is moving away from tax cuts and pushing for reform

Tax revenue is way below peer countries – and Beijing is pushing for change.

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Premier Li Qiang is visible on a screen during the opening session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Mainland China

Can China’s ‘two sessions’ find a strategy to fix the property rot?

China signals shift from debt-driven housing growth, but sweeping stimulus seen as unlikely.

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Two Sessions 2026

China’s leaders outline economic focus ahead of ‘two sessions’ – what to expect

Top officials met ahead of Beijing’s annual legislative sessions, when this year’s growth target and five-year plan will be unveiled.

Shanghai

Shanghai eases residency requirements for homebuyers to spark property recovery

Non-residents with three years of social security contributions or individual income taxes will be allowed to buy a second home in the city.

Residential buildings are seen along the Suzhou Creek in Shanghai, June 27, 2024. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images
China technology

Shenzhen dethrones Shanghai, Beijing as China’s top industrial powerhouse: mayor

Leading in R&D density, AI innovation and start-up cultivation, Shenzhen is building a full-stack AI ecosystem, according to the mayor’s annual work report.

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A humanoid robot prepares a drink at a coffee kiosk in Shenzhen on January 28. Photo: Getty Images
Banking & finance

Standard Chartered’s 2025 profit jumps 16% buoyed by wealth management growth

The London-based bank’s underlying pre-tax profit stood at US$7.9 billion last year, versus a gain of US$6.8 billion in 2024.

Mainland China

Empty shops, falling rents: commercial property suffers in China retail slump

China’s key shopping street rents have fallen to 2018 levels as cautious consumers cut spending and landlords lower prices to fill vacancies.

China economy

Sofa so bad: China’s home-furnishing sector hits a do-or-die stretch

Falling home prices and relentless price competition are forcing small decor firms into a battle for survival.

China’s furnishing malaise is couched in weaker property demand and a brutal race to the bottom on prices. Photo: Reuters
Banking & finance

China puts another big bank under stricter watch – why now?

Beijing continues to impose stricter regulatory standards on major lenders, shielding the financial system from mounting strains.

A signboard of China Zheshang Bank is seen at its branch in Beijing on March 14, 2016. Regulators have now tightened oversight of the bank. Photo: Reuters
International Property

Year of the Horse kicks off with property mega-deals returning to Asia-Pacific

Large institutional capital is flowing back into Asia-Pacific property, with offices, retail and hotels leading early recovery signs.

Shanghai

Green shoots for China property? Maybe – but the turnaround’s still shaky

Home-price declines eased in January and policy support is building, but analysts warn oversupply continues to cloud the outlook.

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China's economic recovery

As Chinese provinces slash revenue outlook, analysts warn of debt control

Local governments seen curbing infrastructure spending as Beijing’s fiscal discipline pushes regions to prioritise social services and tech over large projects.

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An unfinished construction project is seen in China’s Anhui province. A number of local-level governments that lent to certain real estate and infrastructure projects have had trouble getting paid back amid a property slowdown. Photo: Getty Images
Shanghai

No floor yet: China home prices keep falling despite policy support

Monthly declines narrowed in January, yet worsening year-on-year prices suggest housing pressures persist.

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Banking & finance

China’s property woes likely to hurt some Hong Kong banks’ 2025 earnings: Citi

Bank of China (Hong Kong) and Bank of East Asia could be affected the most as they have the highest exposure to China’s property sector.

Asia housing and property

The View | Asian property markets’ supply constraints are a double-edged sword

The narrow pool of high-quality assets benefits landlords and affluent investors but poses a challenge to prospective buyers and renters.

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Tokyo Skytree is pictured between buildings in a residential area of Tokyo on February 20, 2025. Photo: AFP
Property policies

Opinion | China’s real estate rethink can help end developers’ debt addiction

The future of Chinese property looks to be smaller and more rational, with a market defined by real estate’s worth rather than volume.

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A woman walks near residential buildings in Beijing, China, on January 19. Photo: EPA
China economy

Opinion | China’s real constraint is where to direct limited fiscal resources

With Beijing focusing on spending priorities, Asian investors and businesses must watch which provinces, sectors and state firms are favoured.

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Shanghai

Why Shanghai is buying small older flats to revive its ailing housing market

Pudong, Jing’an and Xuhui districts will lead the programme, which comes amid signs of stabilisation in the secondary market.

Mainland China

‘Bleak start’ to 2026 for China’s property sector as sales declines accelerate

China’s top developers slumped in January, with weak demand and fading policy support raising fresh concerns over debt repayment capacity.

Bleak house: China’s top developers slumped in January. Photo: AP
China economy

Opinion | Why China’s persistently low inflation is not all bad news

For investors and policymakers, the key takeaway is what that outcome shows about the economy’s capacity to absorb shocks while rebalancing.

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A girl selecting snacks in a shop in Mengzi city in southwestern China’s Yunnan province on October 15. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong property

Hang Lung flags ‘tough slog’ for property, looks to mainland malls for growth

Hong Kong developer says property segment recovery will be slow, but sees mainland retail and consumption offering the clearest upside.

China GDP

Historic shift? Why Guangdong could lose its status as China’s No 1 economy

Guangdong has been China’s biggest regional economy for nearly four decades. But its crown is now slipping as the eastern Jiangsu catches up fast.

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