China’s Export Decline: Challenges & Resilience
China's export performance has continued its decline for the fourth consecutive month, highlighting the challenges faced by the nation often referred to as the "world's factory."
This struggle is primarily attributed to sluggish demand, both domestically and internationally.
Official statistics reveal that exports witnessed an 8.8% drop in August compared to the same period the previous year, while imports experienced a 7.3% decrease. Although these figures reflect a decline, they were not as severe as initially anticipated and demonstrated a slight improvement compared to the prior month.
China currently confronts various post-pandemic obstacles, including a property market crisis and subdued consumer spending. Furthermore, the global demand for Chinese-manufactured products has weakened due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing trade tensions with the United States. This has significantly affected one of the country’s primary sources of economic growth.
A recent report by the US Census Bureau disclosed that China’s share of US imports had fallen to its lowest level since 2006 by the end of July, standing at 14.6% over the specified period. This decline marks a substantial reduction from the peak of 21.8% recorded in March 2018, prior to the escalation of the US-China trade dispute during former President Donald Trump’s tenure.
Additionally, China is grappling with a deepening crisis in its real estate sector, with some of its leading developers facing severe financial difficulties. Despite these challenges, Chinese authorities have opted against launching an extensive stimulus program to boost the economy. Instead, they have introduced a series of measures in recent months to provide support to individuals and businesses.
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These measures include interest rate cuts by the country’s central bank and plans to allow a dozen major cities to reduce minimum deposit requirements for homebuyers. Lenders have also been encouraged to lower interest rates on existing mortgages. Furthermore, the government has implemented other initiatives, such as increasing personal income tax allowances for education and reducing the duty on share trading.
In anticipation of the release of trade data, the state-run newspaper, The Global Times, published a story on its English-language platform, criticizing negative assessments of China’s economy by Western politicians and media outlets. It emphasized that despite facing difficulties and challenges amid a global economic slowdown, the Chinese economy is on a path of recovery, characterized by growing innovation and a commitment to environmentally friendly development.
Source: FT
Alexander Stefanov
Reporter at CoinsPress
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