Weak absorption reflects cautious corporate leasing amid global uncertainties, but Cushman expects gradual recovery as new sectors expand
2-MIN READ2-MINCheryl ArcibalPublished: 4:30pm, 1 Apr 2026Updated: 4:34pm, 1 Apr 2026Prime office supply in mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong is estimated to peak this year, while demand remains hampered by an economic slowdown and global uncertainties, according to Cushman & Wakefield.At the end of 2025, premium office inventory in 21 major cities in Greater China – including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, as well as Taiwan – amounted to 99.2 million square metres (1.07 billion sq ft), up 4.6 million square metres or 8.4 per cent from a year earlier, the property consultancy said in a report on Wednesday.Demand failed to keep pace, with total office net absorption rising only 2.3 million square metres, pushing overall vacancy rates across the region up by 1 percentage point to 25.4 per cent over the period, it added.
Prime office rents declined between 3.9 per cent and 16 per cent in 2025 in gateway markets, with Beijing seeing the largest retreat, the report showed.
“Large-scale future supply, combined with global uncertainties and structural pressures on the domestic economy, will further exacerbate broad-based market headwinds,” said Xiaoduan Zhang, head of research for south and central China at Cushman. “But accelerated development of new quality productive forces and ongoing supportive policies will drive gradual leasing demand growth in relevant sectors.”
