Business | Fosun BLOATED BUT STILL BINGEING CHINA’S LEADING INDUSTRIAL CONGLOMERATE NEEDS TO SHED DEBT GUO GUANGCHANG made headlines around the world in December when the billionaire

industrialist suddenly disappeared, supposedly to co-operate “voluntarily” with Chinese anti-corruption investigators at a secret location. Shares in his company, Fosun, China’s biggest

private-sector conglomerate, tumbled. Potential takeovers abroad began to unravel. He was released without accusation of wrongdoing, but the incident served as a warning about political risk

in China. Mr Guo recently downplayed the incident: “Half a year has already passed…we are back to normal.” This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the