ANU China Update 2023

China: Regaining Growth and Momentum After the Pandemic

Registration Essential

This year’s China Update is the 23rd in the series and will focus on the theme of “China: Regaining Growth Momentum after the Pandemic.” The slower growth of the Chinese economy in the aftermath of the pandemic has prompted the Chinese government to adopt various measures to boost domestic consumption and deepen structural reform, but the effectiveness of such policies is yet to be felt.

China also faces various other challenges such as the slowdown of its real estate sector, the complex internal and external environment for macroeconomic policies, income inequality, weak investment growth by the private sector, negative population growth, high levels of debt, de-globalization, weakness in its financial sector and equity markets, the inadequacy of its fiscal system and the imperative to decarbonise the economy. China needs to confront these challenges to achieve a higher level of income and standard of living. Contributors to this year’s China Update will discuss some of the challenges and policy issues that are being watched with keen interest by decision-makers and markets alike.

Topics to be discussed at this year’s Update include: What are the obstacles to economic growth in the aftermath of the pandemic and how can these be overcome? What are the key challenges and opportunities for China to move to the next levels of development against the backdrop of negative population growth? Is it time for a Tax Sharing System Reform 2.0 to consolidate China’s fiscal position? What are the challenges facing China’s SMEs? How is China’s business environment faring, and what are its implications for investment? How does China’s urban housing affordability impact its low fertility rate? How does the decarbonisation of China’s steel sector impact China-Australia value chains? How does the trade conflict between China and the United States play out for cases of steel and aluminium? How does China-Africa bilateral agricultural trade impact on African rural transformation?.
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The annual China Update is financially supported by BHP

For more information, contact China Economy Program Manager at: tim.cronin@anu.edu.au
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Day 1: 8:30am – 5:00pm AEDT

8:30-9:00am Registration

9:00-9:10am WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

Opening

Ligang Song (Australian National University)

Welcome

Janine O'Flynn (Director, Crawford School of Public Policy)

9:10-10:15am OPENING KEYNOTE

Chair: Ross Garnaut (University of Melbourne)

His Excellency Mr Xiao Qian, Chinese Ambassador to Australia

China’s Growth Dynamics with Negative Population Growth

Cai Fang (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences)

10:15-10:45am Morning Tea

10:45-11:45am PANEL DISCUSSION: China’s Challenges for Economic Growth

Chair: Peter Drysdale (Australian National University)

Panellists:

Yiping Huang (Peking University)

Yixiao Zhou (Australian National University)

Bert Hofman (National University of Singapore)

James Laurenceson (University of Technology Sydney)

11:45-12:45pm SESSION ONE: Fiscal Reform, Business Environment and Decarbonisation

Chair: Paul Burke (Australian National University)

Is It Time for a Tax Sharing System 2.0?

Christine Wong (National University of Singapore)

China’s Changing Business Environment and Implications for Future Economic Growth

Xiaolu Wang (National Economy Research Institute)

Decarbonisation of China’s Steel Sector and Effects on Australia-China Value Chains

Jorrit Gosens (Australian National University)

12:45-1:15pm KEYNOTE SPEECH: Effectiveness of China’s Macro-Economic Policies in Boosting Growth

Yiping Huang (Peking University)

Chair: John Edwards (Lowy Institute)

1:25-2:00pm Lunch

2:00-3:00pm SESSION TWO: SME Development, Urban Housing Affordability and Fertility Rate

Chair: Kailing Shen (Australian National University)

How Did Chinese Micro-and-Small Enterprises Weather the Pandemic

Sherry Kong (Peking University)

China’s Urban Housing Affordability and its Impact on Total Fertility Rate

Tunye Qiu (Australian National University)

Zombie Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Australia

Joel Bowman (Australian National University)

3:00-3:30pm KEYNOTE SPEECH: Chips, Subsidies, Security and Great Power Competition

John Edwards (Lowy Institute)

Chair: Yixiao Zhou (Australian National University)

3:30-4:00pm Afternoon Tea

4:00-4:45pm SESSION THREE: Trade Policies and Development

Chair: Jane Golley (Australian National University)

The US National Security Tariffs on China’s Steel and Aluminium Imports and China’s Reaction

Brett Williams (University of Sydney)

China’s Food Imports and the Impact on African Rural Transformation

Sheng Yu (Peking University)

4:45-5:00pm CONCLUDING REMARKS: Day One

Jane Golley (Australian National University)

Day 2: 9:00am – 11:15am AEDT

9:00-10:15am SESSION FOUR: Adaptive Efficiency, Institutions, Growth and Social Development

Chair: Larry Weifeng Liu (Australian National University)

Endogenous Institutional Change and Adaptive Efficiency: A Framework of China’s Reform

Kunling Zhang (Beijing Normal University)

Potential Efficiency in Economic Growth: a Cross-Province Study

Raghuvir Kelkar (Renmin University)

Feed the Children, Free the Women? Evidence from the China Rural Nutrition Improvement Program

Xinjie Shi (Zhejiang University)

10:00 - 10:45 China's Role in the Global Economy's Post-Pandemic Recovery

Ligang Song (Australian National University)

10:45-11:15am Morning Tea

11:15-1:00pm Roundtable Discussions for Contributors

Chair: Yixiao Zhou (Australian National University)