Outlook 2024: China unusually candid about economic challenges

AT THE Central Economic Work Conference in December 2023, a sombre assessment of China’s economic recovery overshadowed the authorities’ usual confidence.

China has shown signs of recovery from the shocks of the pandemic. Progress has been achieved in technology development and important advancements made in building a modern industrial system.

But President Xi Jinping acknowledged in his New Year address that difficulties must be tackled to achieve further economic recovery.