The Chinese government has vowed to make consumption the «main driving force» of the economy as hopes
grow that Beijing’s abandonment of zero-Covid policies will unleash a flood of spending by Chinese consumers, fuelling a global rebound. «The greatest potential of the Chinese economy lies in the consumption by the 1.4bn people,» Li Keqiang, premier, said during a meeting of China’s cabinet, the state council, according to a statement released late on Saturday. While China has long sought to boost consumer spending, the comments from its outgoing premier come at a crucial moment as Beijing seeks to rebuild the economy after years of punishing lockdowns. The Chinese economy grew by just 3 per cent in 2022, underscoring the impact of the government’s zero-Covid strategy before it was abandoned last month.Multinationals including Unilever have said in recent weeks they were expecting a rebound in demand in the country and banks including Morgan Stanley have increased their Chinese growth forecasts. Still doubts remain over the willingness of Chinese consumers to start spending again. Chinese citizens celebrated lunar new year last week for the first time since pandemic controls were lifted.
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