The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) convened its mid-year work conference on August 1st, aligning with the directives of the Communist Party and State Council regarding economic and financial policies. The meeting summarized the bank’s activities since the beginning of 2024, analyzed current economic conditions, and outlined strategies for the coming months.

Key Policy Directions Highlighted

The PBOC committed to intensifying macroeconomic control measures, emphasizing counter-cyclical adjustments, and diligently pursuing critical tasks in the latter part of the year. This approach aims to sustain the economy’s recovery momentum. The meeting delineated five core areas of focus:

Maintaining Prudent Monetary Policy: Enhancing support for the real economy, with a particular focus on benefiting the populace and stimulating consumption. Utilizing diverse monetary policy tools to maintain adequate liquidity, aligning social financing scale and money supply with economic growth and inflation targets. Striving for stable and reduced overall financing costs, guiding market expectations, and preserving the renminbi’s stability at a reasonable and balanced level, while guarding against excessive currency fluctuations.

Advancing Comprehensive Financial Strategies: Prioritizing the implementation of supportive policies for technology, green initiatives, and private enterprises. Leveraging structural monetary policy instruments to optimize credit allocation. Accelerating the impact of financial support for large-scale equipment upgrades and the replacement of durable consumer goods. Establishing a monitoring and evaluation framework for key sectors, and enhancing financial services for technology, green energy, small and medium-sized enterprises, and rural revitalization.

Mitigating Financial Risks: Strengthening financial support for debt risk management in financing platforms. Addressing real estate financial risks, executing the 300 billion yuan housing security relending policy, and fostering a rental and purchase housing system. Instituting a risk disposal mechanism that balances responsibility and incentives, prudently managing existing risks.

Deepening Financial Reform and International Cooperation: Enhancing market infrastructure and institutional openness. Improving bond market regulations, promoting healthy development in the bills market, refining interbank market services, and bolstering trade reporting systems. Optimizing direct entry mechanisms and connectivity programs in the bond market. Supporting Shanghai’s international financial center status and consolidating Hong Kong’s position as a global financial hub.

Enhancing Financial Services and Management: Continuously upgrading the quality and efficiency of financial services and regulatory frameworks.