Wu Lei says his small construction company in central China has accepted commercial paper from property developer Evergrande (3333.HK) as payment for two years but with that paper's value now in doubt, his firm is on the verge of collapse.
People gather to demand repayment of loans and financial products as security personnel guard outside Evergrande's headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, September 15, 2021. REUTERS/David Kirton
China Evergrande Group, saddled with more than $300 billion in total liabilities equivalent to 2% of China's GDP, is in the throes of a liquidity crisis that has it scrambling to raise funds to pay its many lenders and suppliers. The plight of Wu and many others like him has thrown a spotlight on the extensive use of commercial paper in China's property sector. Developers favour it as they prefer to not pay upfront and because it doesn't count as interest-bearing debt. The paper promises contractors and suppliers payment on a future fixed date, usually within one year.
It's not clear just how much commercial paper Evergrande as a group has issued, but its flagship unit Hengda Real Estate Group Co Ltd disclosed some $32 billion worth as of end-2020. "I feel depressed, and sorry for my family, having to accompany me in a life in debt," he said. He declined to give his name, citing rumours of physical threats being made against protesters.
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