China’s presidency – now no longer a two-term function – is highly ceremonial, but still matters, writes journalist Ian Johnson, author of The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao at the NY Review of Books. Xi Jinping was already lifetime leader of the Communist Party and of the Central Military Committee.Read More →

We have seen this before, says financial analyst Victor Shih about the efforts by the financial authorities in China to reduce debts. In 2014 they tried the same, and in 2015, 2016 the PBOC, China’s central bank, started to print money again. When economic growth comes under a certain level, that will happen again, he tells Bloomberg.Read More →

China’s government seems eager to control debts, even when it means a mitigation of economic growth. But the financial stimulus will remain a trusted tool in the country’s financial toolbox, in case growth drops too far, says financial analyst Victor Shih at the Deutsche WelleRead More →

China might have announced drastic reform of its government, state-owned companies are still lagging behind in reforms, argues financial analyst Sara Hsu. Because their access to state funding is unlimited, they keep on creating new debts and have little incentive to improve efficiency, says Sara Hsu at CGTN.Read More →

The world was once again flabbergasted by the US trade measures since it did hurt designated trade enemy China less than potential US allies again China, says leading economist Arthur Kroeber, author of China’s Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know®. Behind those measures are efforts to design a whole new playbook, to change global economy, he tells both Livemint and Bloomberg.Read More →

The disruption caused by trade tensions is not going to give the US more market share for American companies, says leading economist Arthur Kroeber, author of China’s Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know® to Bloomberg. And that is not what the US wants: “The USTR is not trying to bargain with Beijing: it is trying to force a deep change in behavior.”Read More →

As China prepares for the second term of president Xi Jinping, the world wonders what is behind his acts. Political analyst Victor Shih, author Factions and Finance in China: Elite Conflict and Inflation takes at the Guardian a helicopter view on Xi’s anti-corruption drive, his global aspirations and plans for the future.Read More →

A strong shift from real estate tycoons to IT-giants marks a shift at China’s economy in the ongoing political meetings in Beijing, says author Shaun Rein of The War for China’s Wallet: Profiting from the New World Order to the South China Morning Post. “China is picking five to 10 private technology companies to make them national champions.”Read More →

Coming weeks China’s lawmakers will flood Beijing for the country’s annual gathering of its law makers. Favorite past time or media: counting the rich. Although China gets weekly four new billionaires, both conference will see fewer rich, although their average wealth went up, says Rupert Hoogewerf or Hurun who just released the 2018 Global Rich list, to AP.Read More →

Most observers of the recent trade actions by the US have been left behind flabbergasted, says leading economist Arthur Kroeber, author of China’s Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know® to CNN. While the rhetoric is firmly anti-Chinese, most damage is done to other countries than China. Although that could change, he adds.Read More →