China is looking into hidden, unpaid debt across local governments, sources told Bloomberg.
Officials have launched nationwide inspections in a sign that Beijing is trying to minimize financial risk.
China has more than 3,000 administrative units, with many relying on "local government financing vehicles."
Earlier this year, a Bloomberg survey found LGFVs were the most frequently cited risk among money managers and economists.
Officially, China's Ministry of Finance reports local governments had 37 trillion yuan, or about $5.1 trillion, in debt outstanding, as of April, though there's no official tally for the hidden debt.
Persons:
—, wouldn't, there's
Organizations:
Bloomberg, Officials, Service, Privacy, China, National, China's Ministry, Finance, People's Bank of, Communist Party's
Locations:
China, Beijing, People's Bank of China