The Money Demand in China ——A Dynamic Adjustment Model

1. Introduction Since the Chinese economic reform started in 1978, its economy has gone through several episodes of high inflation and deflation. The determination of inflation has always been the debate of scholars as well as policy makers. The financial reform since 1984 made the People＇s Bank of China and the central bank rely more on the monetary aggregates as the policy instruments to control inflation. In January 1998, the Central Bank of China decided to completely replace the previous operational policy of controlling bank credit with the use of market based policy instruments. As the reform deepens, researchers speculate that the money market becomes relatively more efficient than before.     

China＇s Economy in 2007/2008： Coping with Problems of Runaway Growth

Fuelled by high domestic investment and rapid export expansion, China ＂s economy grew by ll.4 pereent in 2007, the highest increase since 1994 and the fifth eonseeutive year of double-digit growth. Such spectacular growth performance is unprecedented in the world＇s economic history. However, the Chinese Government is again worried about a possible ＂hard landing＂for the economy, as no economy can sustain very strong growth for extremely long period without overheating. Cracks in China ＂s economy are indeed emerging. The eonsumer priee index shot up to 6.9percent in November 2007, the highest level in a decade, with the annual inflation for 2007 rising to 4.S pereent, well above the government＇s ＂comfort level＂ of 3 percent. This prompted China＇s top leadership to declare that reducing economic overheating and curbing inflation would be the top poliey priorities for 2008. To contain such cost-push inflation, the government has to tackle its root causes, such as excessive liquidity, which is caused by the undervaluation of the renminbi, which in turn is attributable to China＇s chronic external and internal maeroeeonomie imbalances~ High growth is likely to continue in 2008, at around l O pereent, with inflation of S-6 pereent expected, despite the anticipated tighter maeroeeonomie control measures and the more troubled external economic environment （e.g. the expected US economic slowdown）. Regardless, China ＂s fundamental problems associated with runaway growth will largely remain. In addition, if the US economy slips into a serious recession, the Chinese economy will not be able to deeouple from it and escape unscathed.     

Business Cycle in China since the Lehman Crisis： Interaction among Macroeconomic Policy,Economic Growth and Inflation

The major objectives of China＇s macroeconomic policy are to stabilize economic growth and inflation, which, in turn, are important factors determining key prices, such as the policy interest rate, the renminbi exchange rate and stockprices. In a framework that distinguishes different phases of the business cycle based on whether the current period＇s economic growth rate and inflation rate are above or below their ＂＇normal＂ values, this paper analyzes the interaction among macroeconomic policy, economic growth and inflation in China since the Lehman crisis, and the implications for these key prices. The path of China＇s economy indicates that stimulus measures taken by the government during the recession phase and tightening measures implemented during the overheating phase have helped minimize the fluctuation over the business cycle. Our analysis shows that Chinese authorities tend to rely more on adjusting the exchange rate than the interest rate to stabilize the economy. Comparing with conditions at the time of the post-Lehman recession, the current slowpace of economie growth in China may reflect not only weakening demand, but also a lowerpotential growth rate associated with the arrival of the Lewis turning point.     

Low Inflation,Pass-through,and a Discrete Inflation-targeting Framework for Monetary Policy in China

The performance of inflation in China over the past few decades has been remarkable. This paper characterizes the statistical nature of the inflation series in China over the past quarter of a century and presents an interesting scenario of large decline in inflation pass-through accompanied with low inflation since the end of the 1990s. How should monetary policy in China be conducted under these new economic conditions? We propose a discrete inflation-targeting framework for monetary policy,which is likely to be suitable for the regime of low inflation and inflation pass-through. The advantages and caveats of adopting such a framework are also discussed.     

China＇s ApprOach to Rebalancing： A Conceptual and Policy Framework

This article seeks to develop a conceptual and policy framework for understanding China’s role in the global economic imbalances.China’s contribution to these imbalances via recurrent trade and financial surpluses corresponds with a phase of deepening structural risks to China s economic growth and development.These structural challenges include:the composition of growth resulting from China’s dynamic internal transformation,China’s trade orientation,the trajectory of resource use and Commissions,welfare problems relating to distribution and international constraints.This article develops a conceptual framework for examining the relationship between the processes of long-run structural transformation in China,its economic imbalances,and the role of institutional reform in dealing with these structural challenges.As such,economic policy should extend beyond short-term macro management to pursue an institutional reform agenda to facilitate broader structural change to mitigate constraints to future growth and to improve economic welfare.     

Are China‘s Trade Policies Effective？

I. IntroductionSince economic reform and an opening-up in 1978, the Chinese government has decentralized its state-owned enterprises (SOEs) system in the centrally planned economy. The separation of government administration and enterprise management is moving China toward a market-oriented economy, forcing Chinese enterprises to become more competitive and more efficient. Market forces of supply and demand are intended to govern firms' industrial production, which is no longer subject to government planning and control.     

What Causes China＇s High Inflation？ A Threshold Structural Vector Autoregression Analysis

China＇s astonishing economic growth implies a necessity to understand its inflation. The present paper employs threshold nonrecursive structural vector autoregression analysis to explore the asymmetric effects of macro-variables on inflation in low and high inflation regimes. The empirical evidence demonstrates, first, that the reactions of inflation to various shocks are inflation-regime-dependent and asymmetric. Second, monetary policy influences China ＂s high inflation and adjusting the domestic interest rate in China may be an effective way to control inflation in a high inflation regime, but not in a low inflation regime. In a high inflation regime, a high inflation rate may cause the macro-policy authorities to increase the domestic interest rate, in an attempt to stabilize high inflation. Third, contrary to expectations, the world oil price is not a strong cost-push factor in a low inflation regime. Oil price increases may increase inflation in a high inflation regime, but there is no such obvious effect in a low inflation regime. Finally, China ＂s nominal effective exchange rate influences inflation in both low and high inflation regimes. A nominal effeetive exchange rate appreciation might be effective in controlling domestic inflation in both regimes.     

Inflation Uncertainty and Monetary Policy in China

This paper uses a stochastic volatility model structural break tests with unknown point, and a counterfactual simulation method to discuss the significant decline in inflation uncertainty in China over 1978-2009. We attempt to quantify the contributions of better monetary policy and smaller structural shocks （including demand, supply and policy impacts） on the reduced inflation uncertainty. Empirical results in the present paper suggest that improved monetary policy accounts for only a small fraction of the reduction in inflation uncertainty from the pre-1997 period to the post-1997 period in China. The bulk of the significant moderation in inflation uncertainty arises from smaller shocks. This finding indicates that the quiescence of inflation in China over the past decade could well be followed by a return to a more turbulent inflation era. Therefore, the use of preemptive monetary policy to anchor inflationary expectations and keep moderate inflation uncertainty is warranted.     

China＇s Excessive Investment

China＇ s economy has witnessed serious excessive investment over the past 5 years, mainly in the infrastructure and real estate. Excessive investment has adverse impacts on both economic growth and macroeconomic stability. The main causes of this excessive investment are inappropriate growth strategies, low interest rates and weak constraints on government investment expenditure. To effectively control excessive investment, China needs to adjust its growth strategy, to speed up the process of interest rate marketization, and reform the existing public expenditure system.     

Smaller Real Regional Income Gap than Nominal Income Gap： A Price-adjusted Study

I. IntroductionSince China’s reform and opening-up, its economy has witnessed rapid growth togetherReal Regional Income Gap39 ?2006 The Authors Journal compilation ?2006 Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences with a substantial increase in household income. Sustained rapid economic growth has led to an increasingly larger “pie” for distribution. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China preliminary estimation indicated that GDP …     

Has Fiscal Federalism Worked for Macroeconomic Purposes？ The Chinese Experience 1994-2003

China＇s central government undertook major tax regime reform in 1994 that was characterized by fiscal federalism. In hindsight, this reform might be viewed as being more emphatic towards the revenue side than the expenditure side. The reform has resulted in certain success both for revenue shifting and inflation fighting purposes. However, the reform and its subsequent follow-ups have not addressed some fundamental issues pertaining to China＇s government finance system, such as the overhauling of the function of government finance and redrawing lines between the central and regional governments with regard to their fiscal responsibilities and duties. Moreover, fiscal federalism might have actually increased fiscal burden on the economy, especially on domestic sectors of the economy. However, coupled with enhanced policy support for China＇ s external development, fiscal federalism might have helped to further accelerate resource shifts toward the external sector, thus resulting in an unprecedented rapid expansion in China＇ s exports since the mid1990s.     

China＇s Economy in 2006/2007： Managing High Growth for Faster Structural Adjustment

China's economy in 2006 continued to register high growth of 10.5 to 10.7 percent with low inflation (CPI at 1.3 percent),dissipating fears of a hard landing. Since its accession to the WTO,China has become a significant global economic player,and is the favorite destination for many regional and global production networks. China is now a truly economic power (jingji daguo). China's economic leadership is also increasingly confident of its ability to manage China's domestic economic growth and its growing relations with the outside world. Although China's growth is expected to slow down in 2007 to approximately 9.5 percent,the national mood now is one of "more balanced" growth rather than "fast growth". Therefore,the building of a "harmonious society" is to be emphasized in China,while letting economic growth solve the burning social and environmental issues. In 2007,the government will also need to deal with various internal and external macroeconomic imbalances. The renminbi will be under even stronger pressure to revalue,given China's record trade surplus of US$160bn and foreign reserves of US$1tn.     

Analysis of China＇s Overheated Economy and Macroeconomic Policy Options

Based on macroeconomic analysis since 2003, this article holds mat a trena towaras overheating has surfaced in China‘s economy. China‘s rapid economic expansion has affected the quality of its growth, with rising material and energy consumption and imbalanced economic structure as the main manifestations. Regarding macroeconomic policy options in 2004, decision-makers should shift the policy focus from control of deflation to prevention of inflation; the pace of economic growth should be properly set; a balance between consumption and investment should be strengthened by controlling excessive expansion of investment, and industrial restructuring should be conducted in a coordinated manner on the basis of properly controlling the overly rapid indastrial growth; policies should be continued to boost exports and sustainable growth of foreign investment; and more efforts should be made to accelerate the change in the mode of economic growth.     

China＇s Construction Land Expansion and Economic Growth： A Capital-output Ratio Based Analysis

Since 2003, the Chinese Government has included land policy as an important component of macroeconomic policy. The present paper analyzes the impact of the expansion of construction land on economic growth in terms of the capital-output ratio. Using provincial panel data for China from 1999to 2005, we conclude that the excess expansion of China＇s construction land led to an increase in the capital-output ratio. Therefore, expanding construction land has made little contribution to economic growth. This paper argues that contractionary land policy does not deter high economic growth, and is a necessary condition for sustainable economic growth.     

Labor Market Reform, Income Inequality and Economic Growth in China

The year 1996 was a turning point both in terms of Chinese labor market reform aria m China＇s economic growth pattern. Before 1996, labor market reform was mainly implemented through adjustment of people＇s occupation and income structure. Since 1996, employment restructuring has led to differentiation in terms of employment status. Labor market reform in the former stage resulted in slow growth in wages, whereas reform in the latter stage enhanced economic efficiency. Both stages have enabled the Chinese economy to apply its comparative advantage of low labor cost. Labor market reform has also increased income disparity and, therefore, new challenges are posed in sustaining economic growth. China needs to adjust its development strategies and introduce labor market reform that can improve income equality, so as to achieve sustainable economic development.     

China and the Global Financial Crisis： Assessing the Impacts and Policy Responses

The present paper explores the role of China in the creation of the current global financial crisis and the impacts of the crisis on its economy. It argues against the view that the ＂saving glut＂ in China （along with other Asian emerging economies） played a significant causal role in the crisis. The global financial crisis did not engender much damage in China＇s financial structure, thanks to the relatively closed, bank-centered financial system. However, the impacts on the ＂real＂ side of the Chinese economy were hard felt. Growth and employment have fallen, largely due to the decline in exports and foreign direct investment. The crisis reveals the vulnerability of the export-dependent growth pattern. Policy responses of the Chinese Government, including monetary, fiscal and social policies, have helped to stem the downfall of the economy in the immediate term, but some of the policies have not addressed the structural problems of the Chinese economy and might well aggravate such problems over time. The present paper proposes a tentative reform blueprint to rebalance the economy and to sustain long-term growth.     

Chinese Yuan after Chinese Exchange Rate System Reform

I. Introduction The Chinese government announced its change in exchange rate system from the dollar peg system into a managed floating exchange rate system “with reference to” a currencybasket on 21 July 2005 1. The exchange rate system reform has been regarded as a historical?2006 The Authors regime switching in China. This Chinese government decision has preferable effects on neighboring countries in choosing exchange rate system or exchange rate policy because the monetary authorities …     

Analysis on the effect of economic interaction＇s pulse from the Sino-US trade perspective

In an open economy, the economic concussion in sole country will transmit to other countries which make the international economic concussion play an important role in the formation of economic fluctuation. Both America and China, as two prominent economy units, have a great impact not only on the regional economy but also international economy. This paper constructs a shock-response model for China-America bilateral trade relations by using of impulse-response function of the vector auto-regressive model. The fluctuation of mutual economic growth caused by the shock of bilateral trade variances is empirically analyzed. Further more; the paper also uses variance decomposition technology to estimate its contribution-rate. The empirical analysis result shows that American economy has a notable impact on China, and Chinese economy will depend on American economy more and more.     

Energy Restructuring in China： Retrospects and Prospects

Thirty years have passed since China first adopted the policy of reform and opening up to the outside. Reviewing and appraising the advantages and disadvantages of the government＇s energy restructuring policy in the intervening years is of great importance to the consideration of future reform and opening-up efforts in this industry. Energy production and supply have been a major part of the national economic restructuring. In this paper, the author proceeds from three angles to review and assess the reform and opening-up efforts in the energy industry, and suggests some direction and priorities for its restrueturing in the future.     

China‘s Economic Growth：New Trends and Implications

I. IntroductionSince the "reform and opening up" policy began in 1978, China has sustained high growth. This success is associated with a gradual market-oriented reform. A central feature of this gradual reform is that the dominant state-owned enterprises have not been directly privatized; instead, the government chose to gradually introduce market forces into the economy, and at the same time, gradually reduce restrictions on the development of market-oriented non-state-owned enterprises, especially rural collective enterprises.