The property market in Shanghai has witnessed an obvious increase in demand from homebuyers following the implementation of new housing policies that relax home buying restrictions at the end of May.
Many cities across China have rolled out measures such as eased purchase restrictions and the trade-ins of commercial housing to promote healthy development of the real estate market.
Authorities in Shanghai on May 27 announced nine specific measures, including easing home-purchase restrictions for non-Shanghai residents and divorced couples, allowing families with two or more children to purchase an additional home, and lowering the minimum down payment ratio for individual commercial housing mortgages.
Xu, a Shanghai resident, has noticed a growing interest from potential buyers for his house, which is over 90 square meters, since the implementation of the new policies.
"About five to six groups of potential buyers come to visit each week, and sometimes two to three groups in a day, which is a lot more than before," said Xu.
"The number of our new clients has risen by over 50 percent so far, while the number of property viewings by potential homebuyers has increased by almost 50 percent. And our transaction volume surged by 88 percent compared with last month," said Song Xiaojuan, a senior manager of a real estate agency in Shanghai's Songjiang District.
Data from the Shanghai Real Estate Trade Center showed a notable increase in daily online transactions for second-hand houses since the policies took effect on May 28. In May alone, there were 18,692 online contracts signed for second-hand homes, averaging around 602 per day. However, from May 28 to May 31, the daily numbers of online contracts signed were 701, 877, 984, and 961, respectively, significantly higher than the previous daily average.
In addition to second-hand homes, the demand for newly built apartments has also been on rise.
Lu Yiming, marketing director of a real estate sales center in Songjiang District, said that since the implementation of the new policies, both the number of the center's house transactions and the visits from potential homebuyers have increased by nearly 40 percent.
"I think the new housing policies make it easier for more people to buy new homes by lowering certain buying barriers. More importantly, it brings confidence to homebuyers, real estate developers, and the entire property market," said Lu.
Shanghai's new house-buying policies boost property market
Breaking long-standing Western heroic narrative conventions in filmmaking, the trending Chinese anti-war film "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East", is reshaping global cinematic discourse on war and peace.
The summer blockbuster was released on Tuesday nationwide and had earned box office revenue of more than 536 million yuan (around 79.5 million U.S. dollars) as of 22:00 Friday.
The story centers on Xu Fu, a down-on-his-luck Chinese chef portrayed by celebrated comedian Shen Teng, who travels to the Middle East to settle his debts. There, he joins forces with a local restaurant manager to operate a bustling restaurant, bringing authentic Chinese culinary traditions to a war-torn foreign land.
As a distinct Chinese anti-war feature, "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" abandons timeworn Western heroic storytelling. The film adopts the humble viewpoint of Xu Fu, an ordinary cook. Through his eyes as a neutral bystander, it portrays the struggles and sufferings of ordinary people trapped in conflict and uses food and everyday life to explore survival, compassion and the value of peace, rather than focusing on the battlefield.
Such a narrative perspective is quite pioneering among global anti-war film productions.
"It realistically reflects the turmoil of war. Therefore, we desire peace and oppose the suffering that wars of aggression inflict upon the people," a moviegoer praised.
Meanwhile, the blockbuster has garnered massive overseas anticipation prior to its international debut. Many global film enthusiasts agree that the production epitomizes a transformative shift in Chinese film industry, which is overhauling Hollywood's established narrative paradigms and reinterpreting the global narrative of war and peace at a higher level.
"Just imagine how this story would unfold if Hollywood were to film it. It would almost certainly follow the standard formula of superheroes, super-soldiers, or elite operatives swooping in, resolving the crisis in a flash, and then disappearing. What does the 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' offer? The idea that the best days are those spent sharing a meal together. Conversely, what drives people to fight instead of dining together? Anyone who has seen the film knows the answer. That is why some netizens have said that if this movie were to compete for a U.S. Oscar award, it would be a voice representing the Global South," said Zuo Heng, a researcher at the China Film Archive.
Many scholars also hold the view that war narratives on international screens have long revolved around contests of victory and military conquest, but "Once Upon a Time in the Middle East" does not stoke hatred nor glorify victory by force. Instead, it hides the key to peace amid the mundane routines of daily meals.
This vision of peace, rooted in the moderation and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization, blazes a new trail of expression for global anti-war films.
It constitutes an innovation in film creation and enables the world to see perceptions of peace different from those of the West.
"The film delivers an anti-war perspective that diverges from the Hollywood paradigm. It abandons Hollywood-style individualism, and quietly challenges the 'America First' mindset. 'Once Upon a Time in the Middle East' keeps exploring innovative approaches to shape contemporary Chinese discourse and narrative systems," said Sun Jiashan, a researcher with the Department of Chinese Culture Education and Research under the Central Institute of Socialism.
Chinese anti-war film offers new cinematic narrative on war and peace
