What China's economic problems mean for the world

29th September 2023, 12:35 EDT

By Nick Marsh
BBC Asia business correspondent

There is a saying that when the United States sneezes, the rest of the world catches a cold. But what happens when China is unwell?

The world's second-largest economy, home to more than 1.4 billion people, is facing a host of problems - including slow growth, high youth unemployment and a property market in disarray.

Now the chairman of the country's heavily indebted real estate developer, Evergrande, has been placed under police surveillance and the company's shares have been suspended on the stock market.

While these issues add up to a major headache for Beijing, how much does it matter to the rest of the world?

Analysts believe worries of an impending global catastrophe are overstated. But multinational corporations, their workers and even people with no direct links to China are likely to feel at least some of the effects. Ultimately, it depends on who you are.