China’s slowing economy: What China is doing about it, and what it means for the rest of the world

The Chinese economy is facing significant challenges—slowing growth, a struggling property sector, sluggish consumer spending, heavy debt loads in the corporate and local government sectors, an aging population, and trade tensions with the U.S. and other countries. The Chinese economy’s prospects and the adequacy of the government’s response are among the biggest uncertainties hanging over the global economy today. How will China react to the outcome of the U.S. presidential election? What will the economic impact of the 14th National People’s Congress be?

On Tuesday, November 26, the Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy and the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution convened a virtual panel to discuss the current state of the Chinese economy, China’s policy response, and the implications for the rest of the world. Participating were Jon Czin, Michael H. Armacost chair in foreign policy studies and a fellow in the China Center; Eswar Prasad, new century chair in international economics and a senior fellow in Brookings’ Global Economy and Development program; Wendy Cutler, vice president and managing director at the Asia Society Policy Institute; and Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Maurice R. Greenberg senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. Bob Davis, a former senior editor at The Wall Street Journal, moderated the discussion.

Viewers submitted questions by emailing [email protected] and via X @BrookingsFP and @BrookingsEcon using the hashtag #ChinaEcon.