China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), has acknowledged the challenging external environment the country is facing. In a statement after a quarterly meeting of its monetary policy committee, the PBOC highlighted the slowdown in the international economy, trade, and investment, as well as falling inflation and high interest rates in developed countries. These factors pose significant deflationary pressures to China’s economy, causing concerns about the recovery process.
While China’s economy is recovering, it still faces challenges such as insufficient effective demand and weak social expectations. In response, the PBOC plans to step up macroeconomic policy adjustments to stabilize and improve the current situation. The focus will be on promoting a recovery of prices from their low levels and maintaining prices at a reasonable level. Additionally, the central bank aims to keep liquidity reasonably ample and guide the reasonable growth of credit.
During a key meeting to chart the economic course for 2024, Chinese leaders pledged to implement monetary policy that is flexible, moderate, precise, and effective. This commitment indicates a willingness to adapt policies as needed to address the challenges and uncertainties facing the economy. The leaders also emphasized that next year’s growth of total social financing and money supply would align with the expected goals of economic growth and inflation.
China recently experienced a significant fall in consumer prices, the fastest rate in three years, indicating rising deflationary pressures. Factory-gate deflation has also deepened, raising concerns about weak domestic demand and its impact on the overall economic recovery. In response, the government has announced a series of measures to support the post-pandemic economic recovery. These measures include addressing issues such as a property slump, local government debt risks, and slow global growth.
Despite the challenges, China’s economic growth is on track to meet the official target of around 5% this year. Beijing plans to maintain a similar target for next year as well. To ensure stability and healthy development, the PBOC will focus on the real estate market, meeting the reasonable financing needs of real estate companies of various ownership forms. Additionally, financial support will be provided to enterprises and key groups to stabilize and expand jobs and stimulate more private investment.
Lastly, the PBOC emphasized the importance of ensuring the stability of the yuan currency and guarding against the risk of exchange rate overshooting. This commitment demonstrates the central bank’s efforts to maintain currency stability amidst uncertain global economic conditions.
China’s central bank recognizes the challenges posed by the current economic environment. To address these challenges and ensure a stable and improving economic situation, the PBOC will implement various macroeconomic policy adjustments. These adjustments focus on promoting price recovery, maintaining reasonable liquidity and credit growth, and stabilizing key sectors such as real estate. By acknowledging the risks and taking proactive measures, China aims to sustain its economic growth and navigate through uncertain times.
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