Shenyang in China's northeastern Liaoning province, where half-finished luxury mansions lie empty and unsold, is a stark symbol of China's crippled housing market and the post-COVID economic boom that wasn't. © (AFP/Jiji)

China in charts: Missing economic boom points to slowing post-COVID growth

Economists say industrial model based on infrastructure and real estate is grinding to a halt

CK TAN, KENJI KAWASE and GRACE LI, Nikkei staff writers

August 30, 2023 06:00 JST

DONGGUAN/HONG KONG -- "By rights, we should be in a peak period," said Michael Lu, founder and president of premium gift box producer Brothersbox, based in Dongguan, China. The period from May to October is gift box season -- the lead-up to Christmas -- when Lu's company usually makes most of its money.