The Future of State Capitalism in China

The narrative of China’s explosive economic growth largely focuses on the country’s shift in the mid-1990s toward a state-driven growth model that greatly enhanced the power and competitiveness of China’s state-owned enterprises. This shift from market liberalization toward state capitalism became the engine of China’s continued economic growth in the 2000s. It also created a rigid system of vested interests that now poses a substantial political challenge for policymakers in Beijing as they tackle the enormous challenge of “deepening economic reform,” a top priority for China’s new leadership.

On April 30, 2014, the John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings will host Xu Xiaonian, professor of economics and finance at China Europe International Business School in Shanghai and a leading voice in debates over China’s economic reforms, for a public lecture on the future of state capitalism in China. Brookings Senior Fellow David Dollar will provide introductory remarks and moderate the discussion.

After his remarks, Professor Xu will take audience questions.