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2024 A Vexing Year Ahead for China

2024 A Vexing Year Ahead for China
Economic headwinds. High-level purges. Social discontent. Extreme weather events. Worsening geopolitical environment. The year 2023 was in many ways a very difficult one for China.   Looking ahead to 2024, are matters likely to improve? In short: not by much.   Across the economy, society, politics, the environment, and foreign policy, the team at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis largely foresees a vexing year ahead for China as cha ...

Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds Shift Focus to China for Investments.

Gulf Sovereign Wealth Funds Shift Focus to China for Investments.
Currently, Arab Gulf sovereign wealth funds, worth over US$ 4 trillion are looking for more productive investments beside their traditional investments in U.S., British, and EU financial / banking, and real estate markets that are not so secure or productive. China and the BRI are proving to be the new destinations. This process takes three forms: 1) Investments in promising Chinese industries in mainland China; 2) Investments in infrastructure and industries jointly with China in the Arab co ...

China industrial growth fastest in almost two years.

China industrial growth fastest in almost two years.
China has reported the fastest monthly expansion of industrial output in almost two years of 6.6% in November, while retail sales grew 10.1%, as the world’s second-largest economy looks to continue its patchy recovery from the pandemic.   The People's Bank of China (PBoC) also announced no change to rates, in line with market expectations, while injecting RMB 1.45 trillion of funds, which was well ahead of market expectations.   According to the ...

Italy’s ‘arrivederci’ to China’s BRI could be a template for others.

Italy’s ‘arrivederci’ to China’s BRI could be a template for others.
Italy’s upcoming withdrawal from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will reshape transatlantic relations for the better, while serving as a closely watched test case for other countries that may be thinking of doing the same.   This week, the Italian government reportedly delivered a formal note to the Chinese government that it will opt out of renewing its agreement, while confirming the desire to maintain a “strategic friendship” with China.      ...

Evergrande wins stay of execution but Chinese property market remains on the brink.

Evergrande wins stay of execution but Chinese property market remains on the brink.
Embattled Chinese property developer Evergrade has won an extension until late January to restructure its substantial debts to avert liquidation amidst China’s ongoing property crisis. Hong Kong courts initially gave Evergrande until today to present a concrete debt-restructuring plan to its offshore creditors, after the initial plan to distribute equity stakes in its various subsidiaries failed to cut the mustard.     The company is at risk of bei ...

China Monetary Policy: support for a slowing economy.

China Monetary Policy: support for a slowing economy.
China's top parliament body has approved a 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) sovereign bond issue and passed a bill to allow local governments to frontload part of their 2024 bond quotas in a move to support the economy. Funds raised from the new sovereign bonds will support the rebuilding of disaster-hit areas in the country and improve urban drainage prevention infrastructure to boost China's ability to withstand natural disasters, state news agency Xinhua said.   That wil ...

The Ultra-Wealthy Chinese Youth Redefine Their Perception of Luxury.

The Ultra-Wealthy Chinese Youth Redefine Their Perception of Luxury.
The privileged youth of China now perceive luxury in a more nuanced manner. The ultra-wealthy under the age of 40 approach wealth management, investment, and heritage preservation differently from their predecessors.   hina's growing wealth is a topic frequently discussed, often associated with a booming economy, a rapidly expanding middle class, and an increasing number of billionaires. According to the latest Global Wealth Report for 2023, China ranks second in terms of ...

Cainiao Logistics.

Cainiao Logistics.
Founded in 2013, Cainiao is a global leader in cross-border e-commerce logistics. Cainiao was incubated within the world’s largest e-commerce ecosystem fostered by Alibaba. The Company has built a global smart logistics network and tirelessly innovates to meet the complex, rapidly evolving demands of e-commerce logistics.     Cainiao’s leading technology capabilities and deep e-commerce insights set it apart, enabling it to become a leader in each of ...

Fixing China’s property sector could take years — if not a decade.

Fixing China’s property sector could take years — if not a decade.
China’s property market has been embattled by faltering consumer confidence in real estate companies as property giants Evergrande and Country Garden remain mired in debt woes. China’s urbanization drive may be drawing to a close — and that could further hurt the already ailing property sector, according to China economist Hao Hong.     “Fixing the property sector may be a multi-year or even a decade’s work in front of us. Reason be ...

Get ready for China’s luxury travellers

Get ready for China’s luxury travellers
As one of the last countries to remove pandemic-related restrictions, China’s outbound travel sentiments are closely watched. And today, with freedom returning, many affluent Chinese travellers are looking to spend more on travel in the year ahead, and to do so with a renewed need for escapism and exploration.   Having saved money over the past three years, most wealthy Chinese are looking to travel again in style and spend more on more extravagant and unique trips, wit ...

BOC rate cut, economic challenges & data transparency.

BOC rate cut, economic challenges & data transparency.
In a largely unexpected move, China cut a benchmark interest rate yesterday, marking the most significant rate cut since 2020. The news came not long after the release of disappointing retail sales and industrial production numbers, combined with rising fears around the weakness of China’s broader economy.   The Chinese central bank reduced the rate on its one-year medium-term lending facility loans by 15 basis points to 2.50%. The rate cut was mirrored by a di ...

China set to overtake Japan as world’s largest car exporter thanks to surging EVs.

China set to overtake Japan as world’s largest car exporter thanks to surging EVs.
China's total vehicle exports are expected to reach 4.4 million units in 2023, with new energy vehicles (NEVs) expected to account for more than 30 percent of the total, market research firm Canalys said in a report.   China's auto exports have been climbing since 2020, surpassing Germany as the world's second-largest exporter in 2022. In the first quarter, China surpassed Japan as the world's largest auto exporter, with growth in NEVs exports the main reason for  ...

Current Developments of AI in China.

Current Developments of AI in China.
China has emerged as a global leader in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), making significant advancements in recent years. With a combination of government support, research institutions, and thriving tech companies, China has positioned itself at the forefront of AI innovation. This article examines the current developments in AI in China, highlighting key areas of focus, achievements, and challenges.     Government Support and Strategic Planning: The  ...

China Begins Nationwide Push to Reveal Hidden Government Debt.

China Begins Nationwide Push to Reveal Hidden Government Debt.
China has begun a fresh round of nationwide inspections to work out how much money local governments’ owe, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign that authorities are preparing to take concrete steps to tackle a key financial risk. Local officials will be pressed to come clean about their so-called hidden debt as national leaders attempt to get a fuller picture of liabilities across all levels of government, the people said, asking not to be named discussi ...

A Sharp Decline in the Number of Foreigners in China Demands Serious Attention.

A Sharp Decline in the Number of Foreigners in China Demands Serious Attention.
Wang Wen, Executive Dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China delivered a speech at “习近平外交思想与‘身边的国际社会’理论研讨会 a seminar on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy and its relevance to the "international community around us" on May 9. Below is a condensed version of his speech:     While the term "international community" may sound sophisticated, it exists ri ...

India has several things going for it that China doesn’t.

India has several things going for it that China doesn’t.
With the ongoing war in the Ukraine, it seems as though the main longterm beneficiaries will be China and India, although not necessarily in that order. Both China and India are already benefitting from trade on more generous terms with Russia than President Putin would otherwise be minded to give, and from a renewed interest in how the diplomatic axes in Asia really work.   No-one would argue that these two countries are the regional powers in Asia writ large, Japan and South Ko ...

China’s state banks cut deposit rates in bid to lift economy.

China’s state banks cut deposit rates in bid to lift economy.
China’s much-anticipated economic recovery isn’t turning out to be as ebullient as some bullish investors hoped. And yet investors looking to policy makers to power stocks higher with aggressive stimulus might be disappointed. China’s growth is indeed recovering—a contrast to slowing economies in the U.S. and elsewhere—but not at the robust pace expected. That leaves the world’s second-largest economy in a difficult in-between.   Just on Wednes ...

Explaining China’s Central Asia pivot.

Explaining China’s Central Asia pivot.
A surge in apprehension followed the establishment last week of a China-Central Asia Summit. “The war in Ukraine has weakened some of Russia’s influence in Central Asia,” warned the New York Times, “and China sees an opening”. Contrasted with the G7 meeting occurring at the same time in Japan, this was said to amount to “duelling summits” for influence.     The Belt and Road Initiative, ...

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