Core Insights - Local governments in China have significantly increased their borrowing to stabilize the economy and mitigate risks, with a total issuance of approximately 91,062 billion yuan in local government bonds in the first ten months of the year, marking a year-on-year increase of about 23% [3][5]. Group 1: Bond Issuance and Utilization - The issuance of local government bonds has accelerated, particularly in the first half of the year, with a notable decline in issuance from July onwards, culminating in approximately 5,600 billion yuan in October, slightly above January's issuance [3][5]. - Of the 91,062 billion yuan borrowed, around 60% was allocated to repay old debts, while approximately 40% was directed towards major project construction [5][7]. - The new local government bonds issued included about 47,000 billion yuan in new bonds (up 2% year-on-year) and 44,000 billion yuan in refinancing bonds (up 58% year-on-year), primarily aimed at repaying existing debts [5][7]. Group 2: Special Bonds and Project Funding - A total of approximately 12,500 billion yuan in special new bonds was issued, specifically for resolving local government hidden debt and settling overdue payments to enterprises, indicating a focus on debt repayment [7][8]. - The majority of new special bonds were utilized for significant public projects, with about 27% allocated to municipal and industrial park infrastructure, 18% to transportation infrastructure, and 16% to land reserves [8]. Group 3: Debt Management and Risk Control - As of September 2025, the total local government debt stood at 536,995 billion yuan, remaining within the approved debt limit of 579,874.3 billion yuan, indicating that local government debt risks are generally manageable [9]. - In the first three quarters of the year, local governments repaid 23,863 billion yuan in principal and paid 11,191 billion yuan in interest on bonds, demonstrating the ability to meet debt obligations [9].

Core Viewpoint - Local governments are increasing their borrowing to stabilize investment and mitigate risks, with a record high in bond issuance this year, but the growth rate is gradually declining as the issuance approaches its limit [3][6]. Summary by Sections Local Government Bond Issuance - In the first three quarters of this year, local government bond issuance totaled approximately 8.54 trillion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of about 27% [3][6]. - The broad fiscal revenue of local governments for the first eight months was around 10.75 trillion yuan, with borrowing accounting for about 72% of this revenue [6]. Use of Borrowed Funds - Approximately 60% of the funds raised are used for repaying old debts, while nearly 40% are directed towards major project construction [6][7]. - The issuance of refinancing bonds reached about 4.19 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 69%, primarily aimed at repaying old debts [7][8]. Debt Management and Financial Health - The average interest cost of the debt has decreased by over 2.5 percentage points, saving more than 450 billion yuan in interest expenses [8]. - The refinancing efforts have improved the financial health of local governments and reduced financial risks significantly [8][10]. Infrastructure Investment - In the first eight months, infrastructure investment (excluding power, heat, gas, and water supply) grew by 2.0%, surpassing the overall fixed asset investment growth rate of 0.5% [10]. - Approximately 3.15 trillion yuan of the new local government bonds was allocated to major project construction, with significant portions directed towards municipal infrastructure, transportation, and social projects [10]. Future Outlook - The total issuance of local government bonds for the year is nearing its limit, with a cap of 5.2 trillion yuan set for new bonds, and 84% of this quota has already been utilized [10][11]. - Experts suggest the possibility of issuing an additional 1 trillion yuan in bonds to further alleviate the pressure of hidden debts [11].