China Review News (CRN) commented on Wen Jiabao’s recent speech on financial reform given at the National Conference on Financial Worik held in Beijng. Wen “suggested breaking the (state-owned banks’) monopoly and encouraging private money to enter the financial service field.” The speech also highlighted that the government’s work would be to “improve confidence in the stock market” in 2012.
A few points that Wen’s made in his speech:
1. “China has steadily advanced the international status of the Renminbi (RMB). China has signed a total of 1.3 trillion yuan (U.S. $200 billion) in bilateral currency swap agreements. The amount of cross-border trade in RMB has reached 2.6 trillion yuan (U.S. $400 billion).”
2. “We must acknowledge that the global financial crisis is not over yet. We must improve our sense of crisis and sense of responsibility, and prepare for adversity during times of prosperity."
3. Wen stressed that financial services should move to the real economy and stop “using money for speculation.” For the real economy, Wen wants to “effectively solve the hard-to-obtain-financing problem and the too-expensive-to-obtain-financing problem…”
4. Wen listed “guard against and mitigate the local government’s debt risk” as one of eight measures for China’s financial reform.
Sources
1. Xinhua, January 7, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2012-01/07/c_122551507.htm
2. China Review News, January 8, 2012 http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1019/7/0/2/101970247.html?coluid=10&kindid=253&docid=101970247&mdate=0108105700