Weekly to read: How the Chinese housing market landed in the cold

# Cover story #

How the Chinese housing market landed in the deep freeze

Even though the country faces a housing shortage, the government is sticking to strict policies to prevent overheating, leading to plummeting home sales and values.

# Business #

Exclusive: Alibaba to launch its own cloud server chip

Alibaba Cloud’s custom-designed chip, based on Softbank’s ARM architecture, is seen as a competitive answer to the perceived technological advantage of Amazon Web Services’ own line of ARM chips.

In detail: the volatile cocktail that thrills the Chinese market “Baijiu”

Sluggish earnings growth and a fad for investing prompted regulators to voice concerns – sending stock prices into a heart-wrenching race

# Finance #

In detail: the Wild West of the Chinese bond market that regulators want to tame

Authorities are trying to address issues that have made it difficult to properly price junk bonds, including inflated ratings, implicit government guarantees and lingering problems with structured issues

Exclusive: Seven investors in Unigroup buyout talks

Semiconductor giant’s restructuring accelerates as China Electronics and Shanghai consortium join five shortlisted bidders in June

# Economy #

In detail: China’s struggle to balance green goals while keeping the lights on

This year’s massive energy crisis shows the challenge of balancing China’s electricity needs with tackling climate change by reducing coal combustion

Chinese GDP growth slows to 4.9% amid electricity crisis and real estate issues

The country’s economic expansion stumbled in the third quarter after growing 7.9% in the previous three months

# China #

Full Text: Xi Jinping’s Speech on Strengthening Common Prosperity

“To achieve common prosperity for 1.4 billion Chinese people, we must take concrete and lasting measures, but this does not mean simultaneous prosperity for everyone.”

# Opinion #

Editorial: China Should Not Waste Time To End Two-Way Electricity Pricing

Policy makers should abandon the current system in which government planning and market competition coexist as soon as possible

# Gallery #

Olympic flame lit for the Beijing Winter Games

# Long weekend read #

PBOC chief Yi Gang explains how China regulates big tech

Central bank governor explains steps the country is taking to oversee fintech, monopolies and data protection

# Books & Arts #

Exhibitions in October: meet Dunhuang at the Palace Museum and immerse yourself in Van Gogh’s paintings

Take the last minute to see the work of Raphaël, Dali and Laurent Grasso

# Podcast #

Beijing opens VPN services to foreign investors

The Chinese capital will allow foreign investors limited access to the closely watched service; there have been tragedies brewing in the “baijiu” market; and health authorities attempt to tackle multiregional Covid outbreak

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Beijing Gets Green Light to Open VPN Services to Foreign Investors

Evergrande crisis

The heavily indebted China Evergrande group, one of the country’s largest real estate developers, is suffering from a liquidity crunch after years of running a highly leveraged company. The company’s problems have already started to trickle down to the Chinese economy and markets around the world. Read more >>