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☆ China signals more support for struggling local governments
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty ImagesBEIJING — China on Tuesday took steps toward easing financing conditions for local governments, which have been at the crux of recent economic difficulties. The central government said it formalized a process allowing local governments to borrow funds for the year ahead — starting in the preceding fourth quarter, according to an announcement published by state media. The measure was adopted at a meeting of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, according to state media. The move helps stabilize fiscal policy, said Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the Economics Policy Commission at the China Association of Policy Science. On Tuesday, Chinese authorities also announced the issuance of 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) in government bonds for natural disaster relief, according to state media.

Persons: —, Xu Hongcai, Zhiwei Zhang Organizations: Workers, Future Publishing, Getty, State Council, National, China Association of Policy, CNBC, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Xinhua Locations: Suzhou, China's Jiangsu, BEIJING, China

☆ China to choose fiscal muscle over big reforms to revive economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The foundation of economic recovery is not solid," said an adviser to the cabinet who spoke on condition of anonymity. The debate about economic policy in China has heated up in recent months with some government advisers advocating reforms to help unleash new growth engines beyond property and infrastructure investment. For those looking for structural reforms, the focus is on policies that spur urbanisation and household spending power, reduce the reliance on investment and level the playing field between state-owned enterprises and private firms. "Fiscal policy should still play the leading role next year," said Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the economic policy commission at the state-backed China Association of Policy Science. "We should push reforms as many problems are structural, but reforms are difficult to implement and require political will," said one policy insider.

Persons: Xu Hongcai, Xu, Guan Tao, Kevin Yao, Sam Holmes Organizations: Reuters, China Association of Policy, BOC International, State Administration of Foreign Exchange, Communist, Thomson Locations: China, BEIJING, Beijing

☆ Analysis: China to choose fiscal muscle over big reforms to revive economy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

☆ China turns to rural tourism and smart appliances to boost consumption
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

On Monday, the central government announced 20 measures to support tourism, as well as spur consumption of electric cars and so-called smart appliances. The support measures announced included an entire section on spurring rural consumption. Specifics included subsidizing trade-ins for purchase of smart household appliances, improving delivery services and promoting rural tourism. Median disposable income for rural households rose by 6.1% in the first half of the year from a year ago, official data showed. But at 8,920 yuan ($1,245) in disposable income, rural households only had about 40% of what urban households had to spend.

Persons: Yang Bo, Xu Hongcai, Li Chunlin, Li, Nomura, Xu, Wang Jun Organizations: China News Service, Getty, China Association of Policy, National Development, Reform Commission, CNBC, Boston Consulting Group, U.S . Authorities, Huatai Asset Management Locations: Nanjing, China, BEIJING, Beijing, Hong Kong

☆ China's choice of PBOC party chief signals financial stability worries
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The central bank did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. Pan, central bank deputy governor since 2012 who turns 60 this month, is not expected to deviate from China's measured pace of policy easing to support the recovery, analysts said. "His professional ability will help safeguard the bottom line of systemic financial risks, especially as the property sector is slowing, and fend off a big systemic crisis." In an unexpected move, the ruling Communist Party appointed Pan as the central bank's party secretary on Saturday, taking over from Guo Shuqing. China has taken a series of steps this year to tighten party control over the country's vast, but largely closed, financial system, including plans to set up the Central Financial Commission to oversee the PBOC and other financial regulators.

Persons: Gongsheng, Jason Lee, Pan, Yi Gang, Gu Tianyong, Guo Shuqing, Yi, Yi's, Zhou Xiaochuan, Zhou, Xu Hongcai, Marius Zaharia, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: People's Bank of China, National People's Congress, REUTERS, outflows, Reuters, cryptocurrencies, prudential, Central University of Finance, Economics, Communist Party, Pan, Street, Cambridge University, Harvard University, Central Financial Commission, China Association of Policy, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, BEIJING

The total tax breaks will amount to 520 billion yuan, Vice Minister of Finance Xu Hongcai said at a press conference. The announcement follows a June 2 Cabinet meeting during which authorities said they would extend and optimise the tax exemption and study policies to promote NEV development. Analysts said the cap on the purchase tax exemption would help drive growth of cheaper models that are mainly produced by domestic firms rather than premium vehicles from foreign makers. NEV sales rose 10.5% in May from a month earlier, showed data from the China Passenger Car Association. The tax break was announced in 2014 and extended in 2017, 2020 and 2022.

Persons: Finance Xu Hongcai, Cui Dongshu, Li Auto, Warren, Berkshire Hathaway, Susan Zou, Qiaoyi Li, Liz Lee, Siyi Liu, Donny Kwok, Miyoung Kim, Christopher Cushing Organizations: China, Auto, Ministry of Finance, Finance, China Passenger Car Association, EV, HK, Reuters, Berkshire, Volkswagen, Analysts, Tesla, Rystad Energy, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, SHANGHAI, China, BYD, Beijing, Hong Kong

The total tax breaks will amount to 520 billion yuan, Vice Minister of Finance Xu Hongcai said at a press conference. The announcement follows a June 2 Cabinet meeting during which authorities said they would extend and optimise the tax exemption and study policies to promote NEV development. The tax break was announced in 2014 and extended in 2017, 2020 and 2022. NEV sales rose 10.5% in May from a month earlier, showed data from the China Passenger Car Association. They jumped 60.9% from a year earlier when COVID-19 curbs still roiled auto production and sales.

Persons: Finance Xu Hongcai, Cui Dongshu, Li Auto, Susan Zou, Qiaoyi Li, Liz Lee, Siyi Liu, Donny Kwok, Miyoung Kim, Christopher Cushing Organizations: China, Auto, Ministry of Finance, Finance, China Passenger Car Association, EV, HK, Reuters, Tesla, Rystad Energy, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, SHANGHAI, China, BYD, Beijing, Hong Kong

Hong Kong CNN —Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday the company is looking to invest in India “as soon as humanly possible,” following a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New York. “[Modi] really cares about India because he’s pushing us to make significant investments in India, which is something we intend to do. “I am confident that Tesla will be in India and will do so as soon as humanly possible,” he said, without specifying a timeline. Back in 2017, the CEO said that Tesla (TSLA) was planning to sell cars in India as soon as that summer. Both China and India have been trying to attract global EV investment and boost the EV industry.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Elon Musk, India “, Narendra Modi, “, Modi, ” Musk, ”, Musk, Tesla, ” Tesla, ” “, Xu Hongcai, Chen Jining Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Indian, Reuters, EV, Communist Party Locations: Hong Kong, India, New York, Asia, Shanghai, The Shanghai, United States, China, Beijing

☆ Analysis: China's 'atypical' deflation cycle gives central bank a headache
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

China GDP"China is entering an 'atypical' deflation cycle, which means deflation amid economic recovery," said Jinyue Dong, senior economist at BBVA research. China's new bank lending hit an all-time high in the first quarter. The central bank cut lenders' reserve requirements ratio (RRR) for the first time this year in March. But analysts say that is largely due to last year's low base caused by COVID-19 curbs that hit consumers the hardest, rather than underlying household demand. Reuters GraphicsNew household loans, mainly mortgages and consumer loans, accounted for 16% of total new loans in the first quarter, despite a jump in mortgages in March, while corporate loans made up for the rest.

☆ 'Steady hand': China surprisingly retains central bank chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Kevin Yao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

BEIJING, March 12 (Reuters) - Yi Gang's surprise re-appointment as China's central bank governor on Sunday means a pro-market mind of high international stature will continue to represent the world's second-largest economy on the global stage. The PBOC governor has high global exposure through institutions such as the Group of 20, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and others. "The central bank governor is not a job that can be easily taken over by someone else. Under Yi, the central bank has cut the reserve ratio 14 times since early 2018, pumping more than 10 trillion yuan into the economy. "Yi has been a steady hand in managing policy and the appointment underlines the importance of policy stability," said a policy insider who spoke on condition anonymity.

☆ China takes a cautious approach to its economy in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Beijing announced Sunday a target of "around 5%" growth in gross domestic product for 2023, with only a modest increase in fiscal support. "The government's conservative growth target of 5% for 2023 recognizes that the pickup in China's growth continues to face headwinds," Martin Petch, vice president and senior credit officer, Moody's Investors Service, said in a note. "Some local governments are finding economic recovery difficult and are facing prominent fiscal imbalances," the report said. Consumption is keyConsumption can become the primary driver of economic growth this year, Li Chunlin, deputy director at the NDRC, told reporters Monday. An overall recovery in the economy can help fiscal revenues grow, and boost demand for workers, he said.

[1/4] A worker walks across a construction site in the Central Business District, ahead of the opening of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, February 28, 2023. Nearly 3,000 delegates will gather in the Great Hall of the People west of Tiananmen Square for the first National People's Congress (NPC) of the post-zero-COVID era, although some precautions remain including testing and quarantine for journalists. It will also discuss Xi's plans for an "intensive" and "wide-ranging" re-organisation of state and Communist Party entities, state media reported on Tuesday, after a three-day meeting of the party's central committee. China's economy grew just 3% last year, one of its worst showings in nearly half a century. "We will strive to spur growth and have policy tools to do that, mainly by channelling money into big projects," Xu Hongcai, deputy director of the economic policy commission at the state-backed China Association of Policy Science, told Reuters.

☆ China to maintain ample liquidity in 2023 to implement proactive fiscal policy - state media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHANGHAI, Dec 17 (Reuters) - China will maintain reasonably ample liquidity in financial markets while better serving needs from the real economy next year, state media quoted a vice governor of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) as saying on Saturday. Monetary policy in 2023 will ensure sufficient amount of liquidity and the structure will be accurate to aid key sectors, PBOC Deputy Governor Liu Guoqiang said. "Funding cost will remain reasonably flexible, with little ups and downs," Liu was quoted by state broadcaster CCTV as saying. At the same forum, Vice Finance Minister Xu Hongcai said China will also implement a proactive fiscal policy next year, setting a reasonable deficit ratio and the size of local government special bonds. China will "appropriately expand the areas where special government bond funds can be invested and used as capital," CCTV reported Xu as saying.

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