China edges towards a big bail-out

Chinese buses are idling. Statements released by a handful of transport companies complain of deteriorating economic conditions and a lack of financial support. In October two in the city of Nanchong, in south-west China, said that they would halt services owing to a lack of finance from municipal authorities. These announcements may seem prosaic, but the intention is to do more than just inform riders about cancelled bus routes. They are aimed upwards at central authorities, says a former state official, and local authorities encourage the statements because they send a signal that all is not well in the provinces. Some have been even more direct, warning that they can no longer pay their debts. Across the country cadres are begging for bail-outs, in ways both subtle and direct. And there are signs that their efforts are beginning to persuade the higher-ups.