Economists expect growth to continue By Fu Jing (China Daily) Updated: 2006-07-18 08:30
"All possibilities will become reality," said Lin Yueqin, researcher with
Economics Research Institute under Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
anticipating change after the State Council holds its half-year economic meeting
this month.
In addition to credit supply, Jia Yinsong, an NDRC official
in charge of economic operation, concluded that excessive growth in investment
in fixed assets, imbalance in foreign trade and price rises for raw materials
are major problems facing China's economic development.
"China's
economy is on the right track on the whole but we need to take more financial,
credit, land and industry measures to solve problems we face," said
Jia.
China's investment in factories, bridges and other fixed assets
jumped 30.3 per cent to 2.54 trillion yuan (US$318 billion) in the first five
months of this year, way ahead of the government's full-year target of 18 per
cent.
Jia said that if the investment in redundant factories and real
estate projects ends up being unprofitable, the current surge in lending will
result in alarming financial problems.
Last week, the institute even
urged the government to apply temporary tax measures to overheated sectors in
its report to the government. It also urged it to raise interest rates at a
"proper" time.
Lin said China would step up measures to increase imports
to correct its increasing foreign trade imbalance. Statistic indicate that
China's trade surplus rose to a monthly record high of US$14.5 billion in June
after reaching US$13 billion in May, up 49 per cent
year-on-year.
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