Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-01-10 03:08Core Viewpoint - The resignation of Yu Liang marks the end of an era for Vanke and symbolizes the decline of the golden age of China's real estate industry [6][10][17]. Company Summary - On January 8, Vanke announced that Yu Liang, the company's executive vice president and board member, submitted his resignation due to reaching retirement age, effective immediately [3][14]. - Yu Liang joined Vanke in 1990 and served for 36 years, but his departure is seen as a reflection of the broader challenges facing the real estate sector in China [5][16]. - Vanke stated that Yu's resignation would not affect the company's normal operations and that there were no disagreements between him and the board [5][16]. Industry Summary - Yu Liang was one of the first to recognize the turning point in the real estate industry, predicting a shift from a "golden age" to a "silver age" as early as 2012, and later referring to the current state as the "black iron age" [7][19]. - As of September 2025, Vanke's total interest-bearing debt reached 362.9 billion yuan, a record high, with over 150 billion yuan due within a year, while available cash was only around 60 billion yuan [8][19]. - Vanke faced a significant default risk, with two medium-term notes totaling 5.7 billion yuan failing to secure an extension, leading to downgrades by international rating agencies [8][19]. - The real estate market has cooled significantly, with difficulties in selling land and properties, and banks tightening lending, impacting even established companies like Vanke [20]. - The management structure at Vanke has changed, with new leadership from Shenzhen state-owned enterprises, indicating a shift away from the previous management style [9][20]. - The era of high leverage and rapid turnover in the real estate sector has ended, with the current market conditions posing severe challenges for companies to sustain operations [20][22].