https://www.scmp.com/rss/524054/feed Lan Foan is the current Minister of Finance of China, appointed in October 2023. He previously served as Party Secretary and Governor of Shanxi province, and held financial and auditing roles in Guangdong, including Vice Governor. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sylvia Ma,Ji Siqi Sylvia Ma,Ji Siqi Amid growing geopolitical turbulence, international capital is increasingly seeking certainty – which China offers – a leading Chinese government adviser highlighted on Sunday, as the country’s central bank governor reiterated commitment to rolling out the welcome mat for foreign investors. Speaking on the sidelines of the China Development Forum, Zheng Yongnian, dean of the school of public policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, noted that capital had been flowing to Hong... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347470/international-capital-flowing-china-investors-seek-certainty-during-iranian-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347470/international-capital-flowing-china-investors-seek-certainty-during-iranian-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:24:20 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China’s top economic officials held a press conference on the sidelines of the “two sessions” – the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and advisory body – in Beijing on Friday. The briefing, which came a day after Beijing unveiled its economic goals for 2026 and a draft outline for its 15th five-year plan, offered fresh insights into China’s agenda for trade, investment and technological development. Here are the main takeaways from the meeting: Exchange rate Pan Gongsheng, governor of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345737/8-takeaways-economic-briefing-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345737/8-takeaways-economic-briefing-chinas-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:57:01 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s ideology chief has again called on propaganda officials to focus on the economy, as the country grapples with a slowdown, high unemployment and weak consumer demand. Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, told a national meeting of publicity department heads in Beijing on Monday that “a good start should be set” for the next five-year plan, state news agency Xinhua reported. The country’s new blueprint for social and economic development has officially begun and runs until... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338882/chinas-ideology-chief-calls-propaganda-officials-focus-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338882/chinas-ideology-chief-calls-propaganda-officials-focus-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China will expand government spending to spur consumer demand and shore up investment in public services to strengthen the economy next year, the country’s financial authorities said on Sunday. The Ministry of Finance outlined the 2026 priorities as it wrapped up the annual two-day national fiscal work conference on the weekend. At the top of the list of tasks, the ministry said, was building a robust domestic market through “vigorously boosting consumption” and “actively expanding effective... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337950/consumer-demand-and-public-services-top-chinas-financial-priorities-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337950/consumer-demand-and-public-services-top-chinas-financial-priorities-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Dec 2025 13:07:43 +0000 Frank Chen,Sylvia Ma Frank Chen,Sylvia Ma China is expected to set its fiscal deficit ratio at around 4 per cent of gross domestic product in 2026, analysts said, adding the affirmation of a more prominent role for fiscal policy at this week’s central economic work conference indicates a selective approach to increasing government expenditures. In a statement issued after the annual conference ended on Tuesday, officials called for maintaining a “necessary deficit size, total debt and expenditure volume”. The December meeting of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3336240/china-keep-high-fiscal-deficit-ratio-2026-buoy-spending-plans-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3336240/china-keep-high-fiscal-deficit-ratio-2026-buoy-spending-plans-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 12:00:18 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China knocked back Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s efforts to defuse a row over Taiwan, reigniting a simmering dispute that has hit trade and diplomatic ties between the two Asian nations. “Now that Prime Minister Takaichi claims that the Japanese government’s basic position regarding Taiwan remains as stated in the 1972 Sino-Japanese joint statement, can she accurately and fully articulate what was stated in the joint statement?” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335323/beijing-rebuffs-takaichi-macron-xi-talks-key-economic-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335323/beijing-rebuffs-takaichi-macron-xi-talks-key-economic-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:01:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg China’s crackdown on borrowing by local governments is forcing state-run entities in even some of the wealthiest provinces to tap costly credit from non-bank lenders, a stopgap that is increasing risk in an opaque corner of the financial system. The borrowing marks a return of China’s shadow-banking market, which is more loosely regulated than traditional lenders and had been reined in over the past few years in a bid to reduce risk. Since September, industrial investment arms and financing... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3335311/chinas-risky-shadow-banks-back-spotlight-after-beijings-debt-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3335311/chinas-risky-shadow-banks-back-spotlight-after-beijings-debt-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 06:57:34 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s finance minister has called for a more proactive fiscal policy to boost domestic demand, strengthen industrial security and advance technological self-reliance while mitigating debt risks, as Beijing prepares for one of its most important economic planning meetings of the year. Finance Minister Lan Foan outlined the country’s top fiscal priorities on Tuesday in an editorial published in the People’s Daily, the ruling Communist Party’s flagship newspaper. He stressed the need to support... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3334924/chinas-finance-minister-calls-more-fiscal-firepower-beijing-weighs-2026-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3334924/chinas-finance-minister-calls-more-fiscal-firepower-beijing-weighs-2026-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:30:18 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi China’s finance ministry has set up a dedicated department for managing government debt, with Finance Minister Lan Foan calling for “ironclad discipline” to prevent off-balance-sheet borrowing amid Beijing’s ongoing campaign to defuse local government debt risks. The new debt management department is now listed on the Ministry of Finance’s official website. Its director is Li Dawei, who was previously with the budget department and also led a ministry-affiliated government debt research and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331485/china-sets-new-department-spearhead-government-debt-clean-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331485/china-sets-new-department-spearhead-government-debt-clean-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:25 +0000 Raymond Ma Raymond Ma Trade talks between the United States and India appear to have stalled, the South China Morning Post reported exclusively on Friday, as US President Donald Trump signed an executive order implementing tariffs on dozens of trading partners ahead of an August 1 deadline for deals to be struck. The levies, of between 10 and 41 per cent – some so-called “reciprocal tariffs”, others negotiated – will be imposed from August 7. The apparent setback with India is believed to revolve mainly around US... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3320421/us-tariffs-order-politburo-call-economy-june-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3320421/us-tariffs-order-politburo-call-economy-june-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China’s finance minister has pledged to step up the use of fiscal tools to spur domestic demand and tackle local government debt, following stable growth and improved economic momentum in the first half of the year. Finance Minister Lan Foan said the central government would accelerate fiscal spending, including the issuance and use of ultra-long-term bonds and local government special-purpose bonds, in an article published on Wednesday in Study Times – a newspaper run by the Central Party... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320142/chinas-finance-minister-vows-fiscal-support-spur-demand-curb-local-government-debt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320142/chinas-finance-minister-vows-fiscal-support-spur-demand-curb-local-government-debt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:30:15 +0000 Ji Siqi,Frank Tang Ji Siqi,Frank Tang The Beijing-headquartered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will open an office in Hong Kong to enhance the multilateral development lender’s fundraising power and expand its global presence, the Post has learned from sources familiar with the matter. The new office would come as a publicity victory for Hong Kong as the city redoubles its efforts to consolidate its status as an international financial centre. Negotiations with the Hong Kong government are ongoing and the final decision is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3315947/aiib-expand-global-footprint-20-member-office-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3315947/aiib-expand-global-footprint-20-member-office-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:00:17 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China will significantly encourage private enterprises to participate in infrastructure projects, including cross-border connectivity initiatives championed by the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Minister of Finance Lan Foan said at the lender’s annual meeting. As the global economy slows and international development aid declines, developing countries are increasingly constrained by limited public resources for connectivity investments, Lan said at the meeting in Beijing on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3315808/china-private-enterprises-invest-cross-border-infrastructure-aiib-doing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3315808/china-private-enterprises-invest-cross-border-infrastructure-aiib-doing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 12:00:08 +0000