Chance to roll out reforms

The better-than-expected growth figures in November may have spared Chinese policymakers the trouble of delaying long-term reforms in favor of avoiding a sudden slowdown or taming a jump in prices.

But the heavy smog that engulfed almost half of the country over the weekend is a sobering reminder that the country must bend over backward to transform its current growth model that entails a too big environmental price tag.

Latest statistics show China's consumer inflation slowed to 3 percent last month while strong export growth enabled the country to post a trade surplus of $33.8 billion, the biggest in almost five years.