Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges faced by local governments in fully exiting their reliance on financing platforms, despite progress in reducing the number of such platforms and addressing hidden debts [1][15]. Summary by Sections Financing Platform Exit Progress - By mid-2025, over 60% of financing platforms had exited, indicating that more than 60% of hidden debts had been cleared [6]. - The central government has set a deadline of June 2027 for local governments to eliminate hidden debts and financing platforms [2][3]. Challenges in Debt Management - Local governments are struggling to find incremental funding to repay hidden debts, as traditional methods like "borrowing new to repay old" are becoming unsustainable [3][9]. - The reliance on financing platforms has shifted from funding infrastructure projects to covering rigid expenditures like basic livelihood guarantees [15]. Debt Transformation Strategies - A strategy called "debt transformation" is being explored, which involves converting hidden debts into operational debts, but this requires convincing creditors to agree to such changes [10][11]. - Various methods for debt resolution include fiscal debt management, financial debt management through market mechanisms, and asset resource revitalization [12]. Regulatory and Policy Framework - The central government emphasizes the need for a thorough separation of government financing functions from financing platforms to prevent the re-emergence of hidden debts [17]. - Recent reports indicate that some local governments are still accumulating hidden debts, highlighting ongoing compliance issues [15][16]. Future Outlook - The article suggests that the success of financing platform exits will depend on balancing local government responsibilities and financial capabilities [3][15]. - There is a call for clearer guidelines from the central government on managing hidden debts and defining the boundaries of asset resource utilization [17].
融资平台出清冲刺,地方政府能戒隐债否?
经济观察报·2025-11-15 10:12