Divergence key theme of property market

While many lower-tier cities grapple with vast volumes of unsold housing, some developers choose to beat a path to an untapped market, reports Zheng Yangpeng in Hefei.

A giant red stadium in the shape of a drum stood out amid barren surroundings in the cold, arid and hazy northern city of Hefei, the capital of Anhui province. According to locals, the stadium is in the Guinness World Records, where it is listed as the largest drum-shaped building.

The building turns out to be the showroom for a property project being built by Dalian Wanda Group Co Ltd, China's largest commercial property developer, which claims that the massive complex will cost more than 30 billion yuan ($4.8 billion).