Quick march, slow march
Is China scaling back its reforms?
ZHU RONGJI, China's prime minister, may have a reputation for being a straight talker, but he can still be hard to read. In a speech early last week, Mr Zhu admitted he was putting the brakes on some of the country's main efforts at economic reform because of the difficulties they were encountering. Yet at the end of the week he was giving the nod to an agreement with the United States that is meant to accelerate China's long-awaited entry into the World Trade Organisation (see article)—an event that Chinese officials admit is sure to put even greater pressure on some sectors of the economy.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Quick march, slow march”
From the June 16th 2001 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Asia
Who is Lee Jae-myung, South Korea’s possible next president?
The Economist interviews the divisive progressive leader
Is Cambodia slipping out of China’s orbit?
A new generation of leaders could be more receptive to the West
Why Taiwanese youth complain of becoming “housing slaves”
A new generation is questioning the value of homeownership
The Quad finally gets serious on security
The Indo-Pacific coalition signals a tougher approach to China
Taiwan’s political drama is paralysing its government
Domestic dysfunction plays right into China’s hands
An angry culture war surrounds Australia Day
Conservatives claim that wokeness is destroying the national holiday