Xi Jinping
China's President Xi Jinping looks on during a signing meeting with Maldives President Abdulla Yameen at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China December 7, 2017.
  • China's economy is likely headed for a financial crash, market veteran Ruchir Sharma warned.
  • That's because of the property bubble that was fueled by soaring debts, he said in the Financial Times.
  • "In this scenario, the next big step for China is a full-blown financial crisis."

As outlooks on the long-term future of the Chinese economy turn increasingly dimmer, a closer look at its near-term prospects offer two potential paths, Ruchir Sharma wrote in the Financial Times.