Private consumption is a key component in the rebalancing of growth that China is seeking, and a challenging one. Not only for the 1.3 bn. Chinese citizens, but it could make an important contribution in addressing global imbalances. Understanding what drove the consumption share down to a mere...

China's economy slowed significantly in the first three quarters of 2012 and questions have been raised on a possible hard landing. While recent early indicators have shown signs of improvement in the most recent months, it is essential to understand what is driving this slowdown and how lasting...

Since the release of the 12th Five-Year Plan in 2011, a reform of China's household registration system – the so-called hukou reform - is mentioned as a possible tool to promote labour mobility, boost incomes, rebalance the growth model towards consumption and create a stable urban society....

China's economy is at a cross roads. The factors that have driven its economic transformation over the last decades are waning and the country faces increasingly urgent environmental and social pressures. To avoid falling into the 'middle-income' trap, China's leaders are attempting to engineer...