Understanding Evergrande: Implications for Chinese and Global Economy

Chinese property giant Evergrande’s escalating difficulties in meeting payment obligations on its $300 billion in debt have in recent weeks thrown global markets into turmoil and left investors and analysts deeply anxious. The ongoing developments reveal deep-rooted questions about the state of China’s economic model and its future growth, and potentially herald significant implications for the rest of the global economy.

Even if Evergrande does not represent China’s “Lehman Brothers moment,” what do recent events underline about the systemic financial risks present in China’s economy? To what extent is Evergrande’s situation an indicator of China’s longstanding struggle to combat rising debt? And how does Evergrande fit into the broader slowing of the Chinese property market and regulatory pressure from Beijing?

Asia Society and Asia Society Policy Institute President Kevin Rudd will join Henry Cornell, Senior Partner of Cornell Capital, in a discussion to address these critical questions and more, moderated by Asia Society Policy Institute's Wendy Cutler. Rudd will open the session with a keynote speech on Evergrande and its implications for China’s economy and politics.