China is being hit by a "debt supercycle" that began with the 2008 financial crisis, Kenneth Rogoff said.
While Beijing has a strong record of containing economic fires, today's crisis of slowing growth and high debt is unprecedented, he added.
"The debt supercycle may have lasted longer than initially expected, perhaps because of the pandemic.
But it was a critical piece of the story, and now, as China's economy falters, it is the best explanation for what might come next," he later added.
Trouble for China's economy could stretch on over the long-term as it faces poor growth prospects, experts have warned.
Persons:
Kenneth Rogoff, Rogoff
Organizations:
Service, Project Syndicate, Harvard
Locations:
China, Wall, Silicon, –, Europe, Beijing