China's Banking: How Reforms Lost Momentum

Abstract

This paper investigates China’s pattern of decade-plus delays in implementing banking reforms. It identifies the ideological factors involved, particularly the persistent suspicion of 'market forces' as the economy’s driving force. The dependence on the banks to finance the economic and social costs of the retreat from state planning is traced, together with the costs to the banks of funding such urgent national programmes as the 2008 economic stimulus package and the current affordable housing drive. The paper argues that liberalisation of the banking industry will continue to be limited because of the banks’ role as the national leadership’s last surviving lever of control over policy implementation after the demise of the command economy.