Chinese borrowers default in record numbers as economic crisis deepens More than 8mn people blacklisted by authorities after missed payments on mortgages and business loans Under Chinese law, defaulters are blocked from a range of economic activities, such as purchasing aeroplane tickets and making mobile phone payments, representing a drag on the economy Defaults by Chinese borrowers have surged to a record high since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, highlighting the depth of the country's economic downturn and the obstacles to a full recovery. A total of 8.54mn people, most of them between the ages of 18 and 59, are officially blacklisted by authorities after missing payments on everything from home mortgages to business loans, according to local courts. That figure, equivalent to about 1 per cent of working-age Chinese adults, is up from 5.7mn defaulters in early 2020, as pandemic lockdowns and other restrictions hobbled economic growth and gutted household incomes. T...