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CX Daily: China’s Developers Try to Modernize After Surge in Subpar Homes

Published: Dec. 17, 2025  9:00 a.m.  GMT+8
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A residential complex in Zhengzhou, Central China’s Henan province, designed according to the “fourth-generation housing” concept, on March 21. Photo: VCG
A residential complex in Zhengzhou, Central China’s Henan province, designed according to the “fourth-generation housing” concept, on March 21. Photo: VCG

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In Depth: China’s Developers Try to Modernize After Surge in Subpar Homes

China’s housing market is undergoing a reckoning in quality. Two-thirds of new homes delivered in 2025 were rated “poor” quality, a sixfold surge in just three years. In response, Beijing is pushing a nationwide campaign for “good houses” — raising standards, enforcing mandatory specifications, and pressuring developers to rebuild trust after years of shortcuts.

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