Beijing Lifts Property Investment Curbs for Foreign Firms
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China has lifted a long-standing restriction that barred foreign companies from purchasing residential properties for non-self-use, as part of the efforts to boost foreign investment and stabilize the country’s beleaguered real estate sector.
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) on Monday issued a notice outlining nine new measures to streamline cross-border investment and financing rules. The reforms further refine the country’s “steady foreign investment” framework, a policy drive Beijing has pursued aggressively since 2023 to counter slowing inflows.
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- China lifted a ban on foreign companies buying residential properties for non-self-use to boost foreign investment and support the real estate sector.
- SAFE announced nine measures to simplify cross-border investment, including broader housing purchase rights and streamlined currency conversion for overseas buyers.
- Rules now allow foreign profits to be reinvested domestically more easily, removing some registration requirements and aligning with recent government efforts to attract foreign capital.
- Since 2023：
- Beijing has aggressively pursued a 'steady foreign investment' framework to counter slowing inflows.
- Since mid-2023：
- Beijing has rolled out a string of action plans known as the '24 measures' and 'new 24 measures' to attract overseas capital.
- February 2025：
- The Chinese government introduced a '20-point action plan' to stabilize foreign investment in 2025, including broader sector access and tax incentives.
- June 2025：
- Tax authorities announced credits for overseas investors reinvesting dividends into encouraged sectors, worth 10% of the investment value.
- July 2025：
- Seven agencies clarified that profits legally earned in China can be reinvested locally, with funds transferred into capital or settlement accounts.
- September 15, 2025：
- The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) issued a notice outlining nine new measures to streamline cross-border investment and financing rules, including scrapping the ban on using capital account income to purchase non-self-use residential property.
- In 2025：
- The pilot program that allowed Hong Kong and Macao residents to buy homes in Chinese mainland cities with streamlined foreign exchange settlement was expanded nationwide.
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