China Macro 10 Charts on China’s fiscal challenges-110061384

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry Core Insights - China's fiscal sector is experiencing both near-term and long-term challenges, with slower public sector activity negatively impacting economic growth [2] - The government has maintained an expansionary fiscal stance, with a deficit around 7% of GDP, but local fiscal spending has contracted due to declining tax and land sales revenue [2][7] - A budget revision is deemed necessary, as fiscal spending may drop by an additional -2.5% YoY without policy changes, while an increase in the deficit could allow for a 3% YoY increase in spending [2][25] Summary by Sections Fiscal Challenges - The revenue-to-GDP ratio in China has declined by almost 10% over the past decade, now at approximately 22% of GDP, significantly lower than G7 (36%) and OECD (39%) averages [15] - The public sector's growth was only 3.4% in H1 2024, the second lowest among all sectors, indicating a slowdown in public sector activity [5] - Fiscal revenue dropped by -5% YoY in the first seven months of 2024, attributed mainly to an -18% YoY decline in land sales and a -5% YoY decline in major taxes like VAT and corporate income tax [10][13] Long-term Strategies - Broadening the tax base on high-end consumption is suggested as a practical approach to reverse the downward trend in fiscal revenue [3] - Local government financing has become increasingly reliant on borrowing or central government transfers, highlighting the need for reforms to boost local revenues [20] - The government's plan to increase revenue through consumption tax is seen as prudent, with current consumption tax revenue at 1.3% of GDP, below the OECD average of 2.9% [27]