Poll: What Do the Recent Defaults in China’s Corporate-Debt Market Mean?

From 2008 to 2012, Chinese government debt, at all levels, increased from about 40% of gross domestic product to 53.5%. Yet, when compared with other countries — such as the United States, whose total government debt was 140% of GDP in 2012 — that figure seems relatively paltry. Including private-sector debt in 2012 increases China’s debt profile to 215% of GDP, which also compares favorably with the United States (360% for the same year).

With the announcement of the second default in China’s debt markets, we asked CFA Institute Financial NewsBrief readers if the recent corporate-bond defaults in China reflect a burgeoning systemic risk.

There has been a second default in China’s corporate-debt market. In this context, with which of following statements do you agree most?

The 781 poll respondents answered with a resounding no. Only 14% of respondents felt that these events are the beginning stages of a systemic crisis. Nevertheless, the centrally planned nature of China’s economy and the widespread development of “ghost cities” suggest that China may be lulled into a sense of complacency about its usage of debt. The issue, as always, isn’t just the size of the debt burden; it is also the quality of the projects financed by that debt. Only time will tell.

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Related content: “What Does the Chaori Default Mean for the Chinese Financial Markets?”

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