China sees no need for price controls
Source: Agencies |
December 1, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA has no need to implement price controls for now because other measures to curb inflation have already yielded initial results, a top planning body said yesterday.
The government said two weeks ago that it would launch price controls if necessary, while focusing in the short run on other measures such as clamping down on speculation and increasing the supply of commodities in demand.
In a statement on its website, the National Development and Reform Commission suggested these steps had been sufficient for the time being. It added that any price controls, if implemented, would only be temporary.
"The recent efforts to stabilize consumer prices have produced initial results, and currently there is no need to launch nationwide price intervention," it said.
China's consumer price inflation sped to a 25-month high in October, rising 4.4 percent from a year earlier. There is market talk that the number rose in November.
China's announcement earlier last month that it might turn to price controls has met strong criticism from economists who warn that such administrative measures could prove counter-productive, leading businesses to limit the supply of goods and paving the way for more serious inflation.
The NDRC, however, defended price controls as a viable policy option.
It said that price controls had helped China defeat inflation in 2008, and it noted that developed economies, including the United States and Japan, have applied selective controls to tame price pressures in the past.
Financial markets have also been rattled by fears that China may step up the pace of policy tightening to curb price pressures.
The government said two weeks ago that it would launch price controls if necessary, while focusing in the short run on other measures such as clamping down on speculation and increasing the supply of commodities in demand.
In a statement on its website, the National Development and Reform Commission suggested these steps had been sufficient for the time being. It added that any price controls, if implemented, would only be temporary.
"The recent efforts to stabilize consumer prices have produced initial results, and currently there is no need to launch nationwide price intervention," it said.
China's consumer price inflation sped to a 25-month high in October, rising 4.4 percent from a year earlier. There is market talk that the number rose in November.
China's announcement earlier last month that it might turn to price controls has met strong criticism from economists who warn that such administrative measures could prove counter-productive, leading businesses to limit the supply of goods and paving the way for more serious inflation.
The NDRC, however, defended price controls as a viable policy option.
It said that price controls had helped China defeat inflation in 2008, and it noted that developed economies, including the United States and Japan, have applied selective controls to tame price pressures in the past.
Financial markets have also been rattled by fears that China may step up the pace of policy tightening to curb price pressures.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
