China’s property market shows signs of recovery

China’s real estate sector is showing signs of stabilisation after years of decline, raising the prospect of a renewed demand for timber imports. As one of the largest consumers of wood products globally, any revival in China’s construction activity could have significant implications for the international timber trade. At a press conference on March 9, China’s Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Ni Hong, stated that since January and February, the market has shown a “positive trend of stopping declines and returning to stabilisation.” These remarks come as policymakers attempt to bolster confidence in the ...