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The Growing Pressure For China To Shine More Light On Financial Risks
Head of Greater China: Ping Chew, Managing Director, Hong Kong (852) 2533-3530; ping.chew@standardandpoors.com
Table Of Contents
Innovation Is Crucial But Takes Time Shadow Banking Problems Are Indicative Of Disclosure Risks Defaults Are Signs of A Healthy Debt Market Greater Investment Efficiency Is Key Related Research
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Executive Comment:
The Growing Pressure For China To Shine More Light On Financial Risks
China is at a turning point. The country is entering its next stage of development at the same time that it undertakes economic and financial reform. We expect its economic growth to slow to 6%-7% annually over the next 10 years after averaging 9.8% for two decades. These conditions will likely reveal inefficiencies that high growth and strong liquidity have previously masked. China has impressively lifted millions out of poverty and reached US$7,000 in GDP per capita from US$500 in 1993. But recent growth has relied on cheap labor and low factor prices. The result has been mispricing of resources, excessive credit creation, and overinvestment--particularly in the past decade. One indication: overall debt in China rose to 213% of GDP in 2013 from about 140% in 2007. China's new leadership outlined its reform blueprint following the third plenum of the Communist Party late last year. The central government's commitment to restructure the economy included financial liberalization and internationalization of the Chinese currency. These initiatives should open up China's financial system, which has been repressed by a closed capital account, where capital may not move freely in and out of the country, and state domination of the banking system. In the past, these characteristics provided a much-needed liquidity cushion as the economy developed. They also spurred high investment that is tapering off, especially in the public sector. It is commonly held that China now needs more efficient investment in the public sector, higher investment from the private sector, and greater domestic consumption to sustain its high economic growth.
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Executive Comment: The Growing Pressure For China To Shine More Light On Financial Risks
manage the associated risks. Without such knowledge for planning and hedging, there would be no ready remedies if risks materialize that would damage entities and even the larger financial landscape. Eventually, regulators should facilitate market integrity and provide the infrastructure for efficient trading. For innovation to work, each party to a transaction must have the greatest possible understanding regarding the risks to which they are exposing themselves. Otherwise, the efficiency gains cannot be realized. A lack of transparency would result in sub-optimal outcomes and rising risks. Information needs to be timely, clear, accurate, and complete. Standardization and quality are just as important as the quantity of information. In many developing markets, these basic tenets of financial markets are still evolving. Measures that don't support these principles and only focus on sheltering and increasing the size of the market are likely to engender moral hazard among financial institutions and investors, with expectations of eventual government bail-outs rather than a focus on self-discipline.
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Executive Comment: The Growing Pressure For China To Shine More Light On Financial Risks
entity or the local government bailed out the distressed collective trust program, we believe a golden opportunity has been missed to address moral hazard. In any case, China's State Council recently issued a directive to better supervise the shadow banking sector, recognizing that is needed to continue to support economic growth. The issue for regulators is the timing and conditions under which these wealth management products are brought to market, including the way in which the products will perform in more trying market conditions. We believe that the risks and costs associated with these investments must be communicated clearly and effectively, too, particularly if products are in the hands of retail investors.
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Executive Comment: The Growing Pressure For China To Shine More Light On Financial Risks
governments, fiscal transparency has alleviated some of the concerns over public finances. We believe such disclosure will drive fiscal reform and economic efficiency (see "Enhanced Fiscal Transparency Could Support Chinese Fiscal Reform And Economic Efficiency If Furthered, Says S&P," published Dec. 30, 2013). More clarity over the health of the banking system and efficiency of state-owned enterprises could also redress the economic distortions built up through cheap and misallocated credit and implicit guarantees. To let the market play the decisive role, the government should empower investors to impose market discipline. And the best way of doing so is to equip investors with more transparency and information that can help them to make wise investment decisions.
Related Research
More Distressed Trust Products Are Likely To Emerge In China This Year, Says S&P, Jan. 29, 2014 A Key Test Case Looms For China's Shadow Banking System, Jan. 24, 2014 2012 Default And Rating Transition Reports, April 3, 2013 Credit FAQ: Why Shadow Banking Is Yet To Destabilize China's Financial System, March 27, 2013
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