China Economics Update Presales overhaul won’t revive the housing market The recent overhaul of China’s housing presales system belatedly addresses some of the vulnerabilities that contributed to the country’s property downturn. But the changes only apply to new projects... 1st September 2026 · 5 mins read
China Economics Update The renminbi could not rebalance China on its own A significant appreciation of the renminbi would narrow China’s enormous trade surplus but it would also make the domestic deflation problem worse. This trade-off can only be addressed if a stronger... 30th July 2026 · 3 mins read
China Economics Focus Chinese AI models – your questions answered Last week’s release of Kimi K3 has triggered a renewed wave of global interest in Chinese AI models. This Focus answers the key questions we have received from clients. It discusses how Chinese models... 23rd July 2026 · 24 mins read
China Economics Update Hukou reform is no panacea for weak consumption Chinese policymakers have already improved rural migrants’ access to urban public services considerably over the past decade. The latest State Council plan is a continuation of those efforts rather... 28th May 2026 · 5 mins read
China Economics Update China’s startling debt build-up is continuing China is now more indebted relative to its GDP than the US, euro-zone and UK and the debt burden is still rising relentlessly. The risk that runaway debt triggers a crisis in China’s state-dominated... 30th April 2026 · 6 mins read
China Economics Update China trip notes – AI & green tech underpin optimism We spent last week visiting clients in Taipei, Beijing and Shanghai. There were some concerns about events in the Middle East and the wider external environment. But the overall mood was relatively... 30th April 2026 · 8 mins read
China Economics Focus Decoding the 15th Five-Year Plan China’s latest medium-term policy blueprint continues to elevate technological upgrading as the key to both security and growth. It acknowledges some of the negative side effects of industrial policy... 7th April 2026 · 51 mins read
China Economics Weekly Chinese AI spreading rapidly, both overseas and at home Although Chinese AI models still lag behind their US rivals in raw intelligence, they are nonetheless rapidly gaining global market share by being more cost-effective. And early signs suggest that... 2nd April 2026 · 6 mins read
China Economics Focus China's economic roadmap for 2026 China’s government has set some low-key targets for 2026 at the National People’s Congress. The official growth target has been reduced, fiscal policy will be looser, but only a touch, and monetary... 5th March 2026 · 31 mins read
China Economics Update China’s rebalancing conundrum A major policy push to boost domestic demand would both reflate China’s economy and reduce its large current account surplus, which is a source of tension with other countries. But this looks unlikely... 4th March 2026 · 9 mins read
China Economics Update China’s tariff respite may last some time The past week’s shifts in US tariffs have put a large number of Chinese manufacturers back on a level playing field in the US market with other non-US producers. These lower rates look likely to... 26th February 2026 · 5 mins read
China Economics Focus Anti-involution efforts are no quick fix for overcapacity Our new Overcapacity Index for China shows that the government’s “anti-involution” campaign, which aims to tackle deflation by curbing excess supply, has yet to make much headway. That’s unlikely to... 23rd February 2026 · 27 mins read
China Economics Update Can China’s trade surplus rise further? China’s goods trade surplus can’t increase indefinitely. But there’s little sign that policy shifts – either within China or in its trading partners – will prevent the surplus from widening in the... 12th February 2026 · 5 mins read
China Economics Focus China’s AI rollout could rival the US One year on from DeepSeek’s breakthrough, Chinese AI is still hot on the heels of US tech. Despite hardware constraints, China looks set to remain close to the frontier of AI development. And China... 14th January 2026 · 31 mins read
Global Economics Focus The Shape of the Fractured World in 2026 Donald Trump’s tariff policies and his aggressive foreign policy approach are straining relationships with traditional US allies. One consequence that is apparent in our Global Fracturing Dashboard is... 12th January 2026 · 2 mins read
China Economics Update China’s catch-up is faltering A weak currency and sustained deflation mean that China’s economy is on course to shrink as a share of the global economy for a fourth consecutive year, when measured at market exchange rates. China... 2nd October 2025 · 3 mins read
