China’s property crisis grinds on after Evergrande sentencing

In China, the property market continues to struggle six years after regulators intervened, with no clear resolution in sight. The collapse of the sector has been detrimental to the economy, which relies heavily on exports for growth. Evergrande, once the wealthiest man in China, was sentenced to life in prison for crimes including misappropriation of funds and bribery.

Despite the harsh penalty, the property crisis remains a burden for millions of homeowners and creditors. Large numbers of partially constructed properties sit abandoned across the country, and land sales have plummeted. Smaller inland cities are experiencing a decline in second-hand home prices, which is dampening consumption. China's economy expanded by 4.3% in the quarter ending June, the weakest performance in over three years.

With domestic demand weakening, the country is becoming more dependent on exports, leading to increased trade disputes with the EU and the US. Analysts say the housing slump is systemic and there are no easy solutions. The problem is that there are too many homes and not enough households, with over a third of the population using second homes as investments.

The Chinese government has shifted its focus towards strategic technology industries, but these sectors are not large enough to compensate for the ongoing housing downturn. State-owned property developers are now taking the lead, and banks have largely stopped lending to private developers. Home prices need to fall by 40% from current levels to reach a balance, a process that could take up to a decade.

Chinese citizens are aware of the severity of the situation and are frustrated by the slow progress.