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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.
China is cracking down on live-streamers who are not paying their fair share of taxes. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s crackdowns

China targets wealthy influencers with audits, fines as fiscal pressures rise

Big data is used to flag income gaps for top online stars and overseas earners, as regulators recover billions in unpaid levies amid slumping land sales and value-added tax revenue decline.

China consumption

Why mortgage subsidies could be key to getting China’s consumers spending

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China economy

Opinion | China’s new property pivot is coming. Expect full stabilisation ahead

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Shanghai

Expect no ‘systemic shock’ from Vanke’s ‘technical default’: HSBC

Even an ‘aggressive’ haircut would pose limited downside risks to key developers, bank says.

A security guard stands near a development by Vanke in Beijing on December 23, 2025. Photo: Reuters
China exports

Why overseas residency is a ‘practical advantage’ for Chinese firms going global

Local residency is becoming an essential asset for China’s business owners as they go abroad, granting benefits and networking opportunities.

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Retailing

Foreign, Hong Kong retailers shut mainland China stores amid fierce competition

High-profile store closures included those of Lane Crawford, Ikea, Triumph, Zara Home and Zara.

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Hong Kong

China Vanke offshore creditors face near wipeout in Barclays worst-case scenario

British bank warns recoveries could fall below 1 per cent as restructuring priorities and access to assets remain uncertain.

In a base-case scenario, China Vanke bondholders may recover 10.1 per cent of what they are owed, according to Barclays. Photo: Reuters
Retailing

Furniture retailer Ikea to close 7 stores in China amid property market slump

The firm plans to open more than 10 small-format outlets in key cities over a two-year period.

Mainland China

China’s developers diminish further amid unending property downturn

Only 10 developers manage to break US$14 billion in 2025 sales, down from 43 in 2020.

Asia housing and property

The View | Will Hong Kong, mainland property see a recovery in 2026? Don’t bet on it

Tech-led resilience is not a cure for all the ills driving the underperformance of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong real estate.

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An aerial view shows residential buildings under construction by property developer China Vanke in Hangzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, on March 15, 2024. Photo: AFP
China economy

Property industry an enemy within for Beijing’s economic targets

Ripple effect from further downturn would threaten economic growth and put more developers, workers and even banks at risk, analysts warn.

A man walks in front of residential buildings in Beijing on December 15, 2025. Photo: EPA
Banking & finance

China’s wealthy swap real estate for insurance, gold as retirement looms

Declining returns on property are prompting China’s affluent to diversify their investments, including high-value insurance policies and gold.

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China's economic recovery

No ‘piecemeal’ steps: Chinese journal urges more support for property sector

Top Communist Party journal calls on officials to roll out a stronger policy package in one go, rather than following ‘piecemeal-style’ approach.

China’s private sector

Small restaurants in China starve as consumers suppress spending appetite

Per-capita spending per meal has dropped nearly 24 per cent since 2023, data provider says, as property slump sows uncertainty.

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A costumed man promotes restaurant specials in Beijing on December 2, 2025. Photo: AFP
China economy

China housing market gets VAT relief on resales but demand outlook stays subdued

Policy lowering VAT to 3 per cent reduces seller costs but demand recovery is key to stabilising the housing sector, property agents say.

Individuals selling homes within two years of purchase will be subject to a VAT rate of 3 per cent, down from 5 per cent, from January 1. Photo: Getty Images
Mainland China

Beijing trims property resale tax in fresh push to stabilise housing market

Under new rules, sellers will pay just 3 per cent VAT if they offload a property within two years of purchase, down from 5 per cent.

Greater Bay Area

Greater Bay Area assets poised to lead surge in China’s expanding C-REIT market

By the end of last month, China had nearly 80 C-REITs, raising a total of over US$28.3 billion, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

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Mainland China

Beijing municipality eases home purchase curbs to shore up sluggish market

China’s property sector, once a pillar of economic growth, has been on a downward trajectory since the second half of 2021.

A cyclist rides past a residential construction site in Beijing on November 13, 2025. Photo: Getty Images
Mainland China

China Jinmao sells 5-star Ritz-Carlton hotel in Sanya for US$322 million

Asset restructuring aims to boost liquidity as mainland China developers face a prolonged property downturn.

Greater Bay Area

Hong Kong property prices stabilise as mainland China slump drags on

Hong Kong is drawing cautious interest from buyers, while markets such as Shenzhen remain weighed down by persistent price declines.

China consumption

China vows city-specific fixes to clear housing glut, stabilise property sector

Housing minister pledges to empower local governments to buy unsold inventory and shift towards selling only finished homes with a ‘what you see is what you get’ model.

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Residential buildings are seen under construction in Fuyang, Anhui province, on December 15. Photo: Getty Images
Banking & finance

Billionaire detained in shadow banking scandal in China

Police in Zhejiang have imposed ‘criminal compulsory measures’ against Yu Faxiang and are conducting a probe into his alleged wrongdoings.

A 12-metre-tall sculpture of Ultraman Zero stands at an Ultraman-themed venue inside Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park in Shanghai in July 2022. Photo: Getty Images
China Vanke

China Vanke wins bondholders’ reprieve, averts default for now

Holders of the 2 billion yuan note approve extension of grace period to January 28, but deny proposal to defer principal payment for a year.

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Banking & finance

China to hide bad debt records for pandemic-hit borrowers who repay small loans

New policy by the People’s Bank of China applies to one-off debts up to 10,000 yuan incurred since 2020, aiming to help people rebuild credit.

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Luxury brands

Why global luxury brands are switching to shopping streets in China

Luxury giants are transforming China’s retail scene, blending culture, cuisine and shopping in vibrant street-level destinations.

Stand-alone flagship stores with distinctive architectural facades are gradually gaining traction in China. Above, Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun North. Photo: Zhu Wenqian
Trending in China

Chinese firm gifts renovated flats to employees after 5-year service to retain staff

All flats are located within 5km of the company and vary in size from 100 to 150 square metres.

A Chinese company gained attention for giving flats to employees after five years of service to boost staff retention. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Jimu
Property policies

Opinion | China’s property market isn’t so much collapsing as being reconfigured

Viewing China’s real estate crisis solely through the lens of market indicators misses the deeper, structural shifts at play.

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China consumption

From taboo to trendy: China’s second-hand luxury market cashes in on resale boom

Driven by an uneven recovery and property crisis, value-conscious shoppers are powering a second-hand boom as platforms use tech to verify authenticity and overcome stigma.

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