China faces economic balancing act: AI and exports boom while consumers stay home
Two high-level meetings show that Beijing is aware of economic imbalances as Politburo prepares high-stakes growth assessment next month
The meetings were the latest sign that Beijing aimed to sustain the AI and export boom while also addressing macroeconomic weak links, said Larry Hu, Macquarie Group’s chief China economist. The top leadership was aware of the pronounced imbalance and even strains in the Chinese economy, where the divergence between sectors posed risks to achieving growth targets, he added.
On the issue of foreign trade, the meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining China’s trade momentum while calling for expanding imports.
The meeting heard policy recommendations on boosting consumption and expanding investment, after a number of political parties and entities had conducted surveys and inspection trips across the nation. Specific issues discussed included a national unified energy market, urban-rural land reforms, expanding cultural consumption and enlarging the space for effective investment.