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Travel & Experiences · 5 Intermediate · August 20, 2026

Chinese Property Boss Gets Life Sentence

Chinese Property Boss Gets Life Sentence
Photo: Лин Лим via Pexels

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Vocabulary

founder /ˈfaʊndər/ noun
a person who starts a new company or organization
Steve Jobs was the founder of Apple Computer.
collapse /kəˈlæps/ verb
to fail completely or fall down
The bridge collapsed after the storm.
property /ˈprɑːpərti/ noun
buildings and land that someone owns
She invested in property by buying three apartments.
sentence /ˈsɛntəns/ noun
a punishment given by a court to someone who broke the law
The criminal received a ten-year sentence.
financial /faɪˈnænʃəl/ adjective
related to money and how it is managed
The company had serious financial problems.
market /ˈmɑːrkɪt/ noun
the system of buying and selling a particular product
The real estate market in that city is very expensive.

Article

Hui Ka-yan was the founder of Evergrande, a very large property company in China. Recently, a court gave him a life sentence in prison. This is a serious punishment for breaking the law.

What is Evergrande?

Evergrande was one of China's biggest real estate companies. It built many apartment buildings and shopping centers. Many people bought homes from Evergrande. The company grew very large and became very important in China.

What Went Wrong?

In 2021, Evergrande ran out of money. The company could not pay people back. Thousands of buyers could not get their new homes. Evergrande's collapse hurt many workers and families in China.

The Legal Problem

Hui Ka-yan was arrested because he broke financial laws. He did not handle the company's money correctly. The court said he took money that was not his. This is a very serious crime in China.

What This Means

This case is important for China's property market. The government wants to show that big companies must follow the rules. Other business leaders are watching this case carefully. It shows that nobody is above the law, even very rich and powerful people.

Discussion Questions

  1. Have you ever heard about big companies that failed? What happened to them?
  2. Why do you think it is important for business leaders to follow the law?
  3. How can a company's collapse affect the people who work there?
  4. What should happen when a company takes people's money illegally?
  5. Do you think rich and powerful people should receive the same punishments as other people?

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