Heavily indebted Chinese developer proposes restructuring

By JOE McDONALD
AP Business Writer

BEIJING (AP) — China Evergrande, a real estate developer whose struggle to manage more than $300 billion in debt rattled global financial markets has announced a long-awaited plan to restructure what it owes to foreign bondholders. The Evergrande Group is the global real estate industry’s most heavily indebted company. It ran short of cash after Beijing tightened controls on corporate debt the ruling Communist Party worries is dangerously high. Some other Chinese developers collapsed, leaving half-finished apartment blocks standing empty. Evergrande’s struggle prompted fears about possible shockwaves for the global financial system. The Chinese central bank tried to reassure investors, saying its problems could be controlled and were unlikely to spill over.