China’s property woes could last until 2030

Wheels within wheelsPhotograph: EPA

Dec 30th 2025|Shanghai|3 min read

Since 2021, as the Chinese property market has descended into crisis, analysts have paid close attention to its woes—a task that is now becoming increasingly difficult. In mid-December Beijing’s housing authority announced that it would stamp out social-media accounts responsible for negative posts; thousands have since been closed or suspended. Estate agents are being pressed to keep ugly intelligence under wraps. In November two of the country’s best private sources of property data stopped providing monthly home-sales figures, reportedly at the command of the government.