Unnecessary US fuss about China's rising consumption

The media have made quite a fuss about a recent forecast that retail sales in China are expected to equal or exceed those in the United States in 2018. "China's retail sales are on track to hit just over $5.8 trillion," The Washington Post said in a report published on Jan 12, citing data from Mizuho, a Japanese bank.

Forbes, however, said in a post on its website on Jan 26: "China's 'game changing' retail sales should be greeted with skepticism."

The credibility of Mizuho's data aside is another matter. But of real importance is what China would do when its consumption market overtakes that of the US? Or more bluntly, what would China do when it posts significant deficits in trade?