Synopsis
China has managed to bring its public health crisis under control since it became the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. The country’s economy has taken a hit. It shrunk by 6.8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the outbreak, its first quarterly economic contraction since 1992. As China opens up, its economic engines appear to be gradually getting back up to speed. However, the road towards economic recovery might not be smooth. Signals such as deepening factory deflation and slowing consumer price gains suggest ongoing economic weakness, while unemployment figures are rising amid weak global and domestic demand. The People’s Bank of China has promised to implement greater policy support to offset the damage wrought by COVID-19, but appears reluctant to re-enact the level of stimulus that it provided during the global financial crisis. What can we expect from China’s economic recovery? How will this affect the economic outlook for ASEAN as the region manages the COVID-19 outbreak?
- What do the current economic indicators coming out of China suggest about the path of the country’s economic recovery?
- How effective have China’s current policies been at reviving the economy, and what can we expect in terms of future policy support measures from China’s central bank?
- How will economic developments in China affect ASEAN’s road to recovery, as Southeast Asian economies gradually reopen?
Speaker
- Professor Bert Hofman, Director, East Asian Institute, NUS and Professor in Practice, Lee Kuan Yew School
Event Details:
Topic: Getting Back in Business: China’s Recovery from COVID-19
Date: Wednesday, 3rd June 2020
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm (Webinar broadcast opens at 11:55am; Webinar commences at 12:00pm.)
Programme:
11:55am Webinar broadcast opens
12:00pm Introductory Remarks by Ms. Seraphim Cheong
12:05pm Opening Remarks by Associate Prof. Simon Tay
12:10pm Remarks by Prof. Bert Hofman on Getting Back in Business: China’s Recovery from COVID-19
12:30pm Discussion and Q&A Session
12:55pm Closing Remarks
1:00pm Webinar Ends
Registration:
This webinar is open to public. If you wish to express your interest in joining the talk, please kindly email us at events@www.siiaonline.org.
