On 18th October, 2014, the 2014 annual conference of the Research Center for Real Estate at Fudan University took place in Xie Xide Hall, Fudan University. 

This year's conference was co-organized by the School of Economics, the Research Center for Real Estate at Fudan, China Real Estate Data Academy, Shanghai Yegai Asset Operation & Management Company and the Real Estate Branch of Fudan’s Alumni Association. Experts and scholars from various institutions attended the conference, including Prof. Qin Hong, Director of the Policy Research Center at the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), Prof. Wang Zhan, President of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS), Prof. Yin Bocheng, Director of the Research Center for Real Estate of Fudan University, Prof. Yuan Zhigang, Dean of the School of Economics of Fudan University, Prof. Zhang Yongyue, Dean of the Oriental Real Estate School of East China Normal University, Mr. Sun Jianping, Chief Analyst of Real Estate at GTJA Securities, Mr. Chen Shen, Executive Dean of China Real Estate Data Academy. They had an in-depth discussion regarding the topic of 'China's Real Estate Industry: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow'.

The conference consisted of two sessions: keynote speeches and round-table discussions. Associate Prof. Yin Chen from the Research Center for Real Estate of Fudan University presided over the speech session. In the welcoming speech, Prof. Yin Bocheng summarized the real estate industry in China as 'a triumphant advance for yesterday, a rational adjustment for today and a steady healthy development for tomorrow'. Prof. Yin Bocheng concluded that the so-called collapse is unlikely to happen based on an analysis of the underlying causes of the past rapid development and the factors that have caused the current adjustment. He said that the industry will, under a market-driven mechanism, reach a growth level that matches  the economic development, urbanization and disposable income of residents.  

Prof. Qin Hong agreed with Prof. Yin Bocheng that the real estate market will not fluctuate drastically, given the supply and demand structures and the future trend of the market. She then explained the five changes the market will experience: differentiation in a market with slower growth, intensifying competition among developers, niche markets, more room for untraditional residences, and increased industrial consolidation. 

 Prof. Yuan Zhigang analyzed real estate prices from a macro perspective. He pointed out that the current adjustment is a process of differentiation and soft landing, and the second round of development of Shanghai to become a global city by 2050 will bring great opportunities to the industry.

In his speech, Prof. Zhang Yongyue recognized the tremendous role real estate has played in China's growth, and pointed out that despite the structural adjustment the industry still has great potential for sustained growth and will retain some of its pivotal role in the years to come.  

Prof. Wang Zhan looked at the real estate industry in the framework of national economic operations. Mr. Chen Shen pointed out that China's real estate developers need to pay more attention to the selection of cities and land, the application of new technology, financing, risk management, operations of communities, and city-industry integration. Mr. Sun Jianping commented that China is facing both opportunities and challenges and real estate developers must take a series of factors into consideration before making investment decisions.

A round-table discussion session followed the speeches. Associate Prof. Hua Wei, head of the Real Estate Department of East China Normal University, hosted the session. The experts talked about topics concerning the unified property registry for land and real estate, housing price segmentation and its correlation with the stock market.

The conference lasted for more than four hours and had an audience of more than three hundred people.

Translated by Gao Wenxin