How political caution impedes China’s reforms

Overview

The Chinese leadership’s priority of sustaining growth at 8 per cent or above to pull the country out of the downturn means postponing difficult decisions on structural reforms as Hu Jintao and colleagues try to muddle through to the end of their current term in 2012. Local reform initiatives are being fostered in the absence of change driven from the top but their effects are very varied. While investors can profit from short-term growth, they should be aware of the slowing of economic...