Beijing, China (CNN) – I am enjoying my new assignment in China but, boy, are things surprisingly expensive. Housing prices in the nation's capital seem to be almost as high as those in my last posting - Hong Kong. Food is costlier - especially vegetables, because of bad weather. Even clothing in the "world's factory" isn't cheap.
Fighting inflation: Prices here are expected to continue to rise in 2011. Chinese policymakers have made fighting inflation a top priority. Economists expect a cocktail of tightening measures, including interest rate hikes, stricter lending practices, and price controls to keep inflation in at bay.
Decent growth: The moves will likely impact growth, too, but many analysts believe a slowdown could be mild. China is still healthy compared to many other economies and is expected to continue to drive the global recovery.
Rebalancing: One way is for China to continue to encourage consumer spending. That should be another theme in 2011. Expect to see higher wages and even a stronger Chinese currency. A more robust yuan should increase local purchasing power and address some of the concerns over inflation.
Despite the rising prices, I am personally excited about the trends emerging in China.
What themes do you see for China in 2011?
Posted by: CNN Correspondent, Eunice Yoon
No comments:
Post a Comment