Introduction

China's economy slowed significantly last year as months of lockdowns and a debt crunch in the property sector hit businesses hard. Yia, who designs advertising materials for new real estate projects for a living, has been directly impacted by the downturn. The 32-year-old lost his job in mid-2021 and hasn't been able to find full-time work since. Unless things change soon, he worries the bank will repossess his home.