Core Viewpoint - China's economy is transitioning from an investment and export-driven model to one focused on innovation and consumption, with structural challenges in consumption that need to be addressed to support stable medium-speed growth [3][48]. Group 1: Economic Recovery and Consumption Challenges - The post-pandemic recovery of China's economy has shown signs of improvement, but it faces pressure from insufficient demand, primarily due to low consumption rather than low investment [4][49]. - Key issues in consumption include a lack of service consumption, particularly in education, healthcare, housing, and social security, with rural residents, especially migrant workers, facing the largest consumption gaps [4][5][49]. - The long-standing urban-rural dual structure is a significant barrier, necessitating structural reforms centered on people and equitable development rights [4][5]. Group 2: Structural Consumption Deficiencies - China's consumption rate is significantly lower than the global average, with final consumption and household consumption as percentages of GDP at 54.1% and 38.3%, respectively, both below global averages by 17.7 and 16.6 percentage points [8][11]. - The low consumption rate is attributed to insufficient growth in service consumption, which is critical for addressing structural deficiencies in the economy [11][12]. Group 3: Income Disparities and Savings Rates - High savings rates in China, which are above the average for middle and high-income countries, are linked to low consumption levels, with a savings rate of 46% and total savings of approximately 55.2 trillion yuan [12][14]. - The disparity in income distribution, particularly the low dividends received by residents from enterprises, contributes to high savings and low consumption [13][14]. Group 4: Pension System and Consumption Potential - The pension system in China has significant gaps, with the average pension for rural residents being only 222 yuan per month, which is insufficient to meet basic living standards [17][21]. - The low pension levels directly affect the consumption capacity of approximately 1.7 billion pensioners and indirectly impact the consumption expectations of 3.7 billion contributors to the pension system [21][22]. Group 5: Proposed Reforms and Expected Outcomes - A proposed reform involves reallocating state-owned capital to enhance the pension fund, aiming to raise the average pension for rural residents to 1,000 yuan per month within five years, which is expected to stimulate consumption and economic growth [36][37]. - The reform is anticipated to create a significant increase in pension income, potentially adding 5.2 trillion yuan to pension income and generating an additional 8.3 trillion yuan in demand, contributing to GDP growth by 0.3 to 0.5 percentage points annually [43][44].