China debt risks stoke internal debate over lowering 2017 growth goal

Beijing

CHINA'S growing debt and property risks have touched off an internal debate over whether China should tolerate growth as low as 6 per cent in 2017 to allow more room for painful reforms aimed at reducing industrial overcapacity and indebtedness.

The government has said economic growth of at least 6.5 per cent is needed each year through to 2020 to meet a previously stated goal of doubling GDP and per capita income by 2020 from 2010 levels. It aims for 6.5-7 per cent growth this year. Many advisers expect the government to stick to this year's target in 2017, or at best change the wording to "around 6.5 per cent" to allow for a slightly lower expansion rate next year.

But some advisers say maintaining growth above 6.5 per cent is unrealistic because it will force the government to keep up costly economic stimulus measures that have stoked concerns about a sharp rise in credit and the property market. Instead, the target should be reduced to a range of 6.0 per cent to 6.5 per cent ne…