China

Many in China believe that the country’s economy is in a recession.
China, World

Many in China believe that the country’s economy is in a recession.

The night before China's civil service exam, Melody Zhang anxiously paced up and down the corridor of her dormitory, rehearsing her answers. Only when she got back to her room did she realise she had been crying the whole time.Zhang was hoping to start a career in state propaganda after more than 100 unsuccessful job applications in the media industry. With a record 2.6 million people going for 39,600 government jobs amid a youth unemployment crisis, she didn't get through."We were born in the wrong era," said the 24-year-old graduate from China's top Renmin University."No one cares about their dreams and ambitions anymore in an economic downturn. The endless job-hunting is a torture."A crisis of confidence in the economy is deterring consumers from spending and businesses from hiring and...
China’s demographic dilemma and its effects on the world population
China, World

China’s demographic dilemma and its effects on the world population

GILLIAN TETT in Fool’s Gold, her fabulous book on the Global Financial Crisis, wrote that “silo thinking” was behind the collective failure to see the scale of the looming disaster. The regulators worked in silos and were thus unable to see the big picture, as they were also hoodwinked the Masters of the Universe. The same silo behaviour applied to the buyers and sellers of credit derivatives, who spectacularly failed to see the wood for the trees. The river flowing through the wood was, of course, polluted by highly toxic debt. When the river burst its banks, the trees were almost completely submerged. Several major petrochemical companies were close to bankruptcy in late 2008 and early 2009 because of the sudden collapse of petrochemical pricing happened, which left them with very...
China’s private companies, pushed to prosper abroad, cautioned that the “days of runaway growth have gone” amid the debt crisis.
China, World

China’s private companies, pushed to prosper abroad, cautioned that the “days of runaway growth have gone” amid the debt crisis.

Fosun Group founder Guo Guangchang says the ‘days of runaway growth have gone’, with China’s private firms suffering from high debt and heavy asset loadsJuneyao Group chairman Wang Junjin also says entrepreneurs should ‘refuse lying flat’, and instead follow China’s going global strategy Some of China’s most prominent tycoons have been committed to reining in debt, and are also eying the overseas market for increased growth this year, despite Beijing’s attempt to play up domestic economic prospects and calls for more private investment. “The economic recovery last year was not as fast as we expected. Private firms are still facing huge pressure,” said Guo Guangchang, founder of Fosun Group, one of China’s largest private conglomerates. The 56-year-old is a respected voice in Chin...
China, World

Geopolitical and economic forecast 2024: China’s instability and the security of the world

At the end of our three-part look at some of the major challenges the world and the global economy will face in 2024, we examine instability in China and the challenge of global security As we conclude our look at six major geopolitical and economic challenges that the world will face in the coming year in a new three-part blog series, we see that while 2024 is set to be a challenging year for a host of countries, few may have as many internationally consequential difficulties as the People’s Republic of China. A combination of socio-economic and foreign policy challenges will stretch the Chinese government’s attention to an untested degree; while simultaneously armed conflict is again becoming the solution de-jour in international relations, threatening global security. Challenge 5...
Chinese exports fall 4.6% in the midst of the economic crisis after seven years.
China, World

Chinese exports fall 4.6% in the midst of the economic crisis after seven years.

Amid the economic crisis, Chinese exports saw a downfall for the first time since 2016 after global demand for Chinese-made goods slowed in 2023, CNN reported citing the Customs data released on Friday.According to CNN, the Chinese economy is struggling to stem deflationary pressures and consumer price inflation in 2023 was the weakest it has been in 14 years. Chinese exports were measured at USD 3.38 trillion in 2023, down by 4.6 per cent compared to the year before. In 2022, Chinese exports increased by 7 per cent from the year earlier. The last time China registered a decline in overseas shipments was in 2016 when exports fell 7.7 per cent.Imports also fell last year, by 5.5 per cent to USD 2.56 trillion, CNN reported, adding that it left the world's second-largest economy with a tr...
<strong>Will economic blight persist in China even in 2024?</strong>
China

Will economic blight persist in China even in 2024?

After China’s most powerful leader Deng Xiaoping introduced a free-enterprise system and reforms into the country’s economy in the 1980s, his successors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao gave further momentum to the country’s growth. Under President Hu Jintao’s two-five-year term, China’s average growth remained around 10%--a spectacular performance that saw the country’s development in almost all sectors. But today, China under President Xi Jinping is faltering economically, politically, and diplomatically. It is struggling to keep the gross domestic product growth rate in the 4-5% range in 2024 to “vigorously” promote investment, said Financial Times. Import of Chinese goods to the American market declined by more than 20% in the January-November period, according to the US Commerce Departme...
<strong>The Reality of China’s Investments in Developing Nations</strong>
China

The Reality of China’s Investments in Developing Nations

In the complex landscape of global geopolitics, the involvement of major powers in the development of smaller nations has often been a double-edged sword. China's increasing presence in countries like the Maldives, Africa, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and others has sparked debates about the nature and consequences of its investments. Critics argue that China's strategy involves leveraging economic opportunities to extend its influence, creating a debt trap that may ultimately lead these nations to financial instability and ultimate bankruptcy. Therefore, it is important to delve into the unfolding narratives in the Maldives and explore parallels with South Asian and African nations, examining the implications of China's predatory economic engagement. The Maldives, often glamorized as a picturesq...
<strong>Unmasking the Chinese Loans: China’s BRI Debt Crisis and Imperatives for 2024</strong>
China

Unmasking the Chinese Loans: China’s BRI Debt Crisis and Imperatives for 2024

In the realm of global economic dynamics, China has emerged as the preeminent bilateral lender, wielding influence through its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). However, behind the façade of economic cooperation lies a landscape rife with challenges, particularly concerning the debt distress faced by some BRI borrowers. Therefore, it is important to critically delve and understand the labyrinth of issues surrounding China's lending practices, exposing the perils and policy choices that will determine its ability to support debtors and avoid entrapment in a web of unpaid debts. China's audacious vision for the Belt and Road Initiative has been met with skepticism and criticism, with the United States expressing justified concerns about its potential to undermine values and inter...
China’s economy experienced a dismal year. 2024 might be much more dire.
China, Market, World

China’s economy experienced a dismal year. 2024 might be much more dire.

The Chinese economy was expected to recover quickly in 2023 and resume its role as the undisputed engine of global growth. Instead, it stalled to the point where it’s being called a “drag” on world output by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), among others. Despite its many problems — a property crisis, weak spending and high youth unemployment — most economists think the world’s second largest economy will hit its official growth target of around 5% this year. But that is still below the 6%-plus annual growth averaged in the decade before the Covid pandemic, and 2024 is increasingly looking ominous, they said. The country may be staring at decades of stagnation thereafter. “The 2024 challenge for the Chinese economy will not be GDP growth — that will likely be above 4.5%,” sa...
Chinese Economy At The Crossroad: The Unprecedented Foreign Investment Exodus And Its Multifaceted Implications
China

Chinese Economy At The Crossroad: The Unprecedented Foreign Investment Exodus And Its Multifaceted Implications

Foreign companies doing business in China are sending shockwaves through the economy. In a surprising economic shift, China has witnessed a substantial downturn in foreign investment, reaching a near four-year low of $7.5 billion in November, meticulously calculated by Bloomberg based on Ministry of Commerce data. This significant 19.5% drop from the previous year is indicative of a challenging economic phase gripping the nation. Throughout the year, the overall investment scenario has painted a broader picture of concern, experiencing a 10% decline to $1.04 trillion. The disconcerting revelation from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange further accentuates the narrative, revealing foreign investment in China turning negative for the first time since 1998. This paradigm shift sugg...