The billionaire boss of beleaguered Chinese property developer Evergrande is being held by police, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, as the debt-ridden company continues to grapple with severe financial troubles.

Evergrande Center Shanghai
A general view shows the Evergrande Center building in Shanghai on October 9, 2021. Photo: Hector Retamal / AFP.

Xu Jiayin, who is also known as Hui Ka Yan in Cantonese, was taken away by authorities earlier this month and is now being held, according to anonymous sources cited by Bloomberg.

He is being held under “residential surveillance”, the report said, which does not mean he has been arrested or charged with a crime.

Evergrande’s enormous debt has contributed to the country’s deepening property market crisis, raising fears of a global spillover.

The company’s property arm this week missed a key debt payment due, and Chinese financial website Caixin reported that former executives at the firm had been detained.

Support HKFP  |  Policies & Ethics  |  Error/typo?  |  Contact Us  |  Newsletter  | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps

Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team

contribute to hkfp methods
merch store hkfp
YouTube video

Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.

AFP is a global news agency delivering fast, in-depth coverage of the events shaping our world from wars and conflicts to politics, sports, entertainment and the latest breakthroughs in health, science and technology.