Group 1 - The macro leverage ratio in China has increased to 300.4% in Q2 2025, marking a significant rise from 298.5% in Q1 2025, indicating a growing debt burden associated with economic growth [1] - The rapid increase in debt levels in China is primarily driven by government departments and state-owned enterprises leveraging up [2][9] - The macro leverage ratio of China is projected to rise from 239.5% in 2019 to 286.5% by the end of 2024, showing the most significant increase among major economies [2][28] Group 2 - The leverage ratio of non-financial enterprises in China has shown a pattern of increase since 2022, reaching 139.4% by Q3 2024, driven by significant investments in emerging industries and high-end manufacturing [5][32] - The debt levels of state-owned enterprises are notably higher than those of non-state enterprises, with an average asset-liability ratio of 85.6% for state-owned enterprises compared to 78.3% for non-state enterprises [7][9] - Government leverage in China has risen from 59.6% at the end of 2019 to 88.4% by the end of 2024, contrasting with the trends in Germany, Japan, and the US, where government leverage has fluctuated [9][10] Group 3 - The nominal GDP growth in China has been slower compared to the actual GDP growth, which has implications for the macro leverage ratio as it is inversely related to the growth of nominal GDP [32][34] - The price levels in China have been declining, negatively impacting the growth of nominal GDP, which is crucial for managing the macro leverage ratio [36][37] - The efficiency of debt usage in China is under scrutiny, with suggestions for improving capital allocation and enhancing productivity to manage the rising leverage ratio effectively [38][44]
李迅雷:大国债务——经济增长的代价
Sou Hu Cai Jing·2025-09-03 04:47