China's GDP growth target between 6%-6.5% 'realistic': expert
CGTN's Global Business
["china"]
03:00
China said it is aiming for a GDP growth between 6 percent and 6.5 percent this year – a target that experts said is "realistic and positive," rather than pessimistic.
"I certainly think it's the realistic way to set targets. You can't sustain the past growth rates. I even say maybe it should be a bit lower… the target is positive on balance," said Craig Botham, the emerging markets economist for Schroders, a global asset and wealth management firm.
Meanwhile, the country is working on addressing foreign investors' concerns through various new measures, including the Foreign Investment Law (FIL). The draft has been submitted for review at the second annual session of the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's legislature, which began Tuesday.
Earlier this year, China further shortened its negative list. The country has already removed restrictions on foreign wholly-owned enterprises in some sectors.
Will these measures be enough to attract more foreign investment into China? Botham thinks the answer depends on how much protection the new law could provide "around things like intellectual property, the rules governing the transfer of that property."
"I think the world really wants to see that China is keen to step up to the plate and take on the international burden other countries already face," he added.
Botham agreed that large-scale tax cuts would be crucial for China to stimulate its economy.
"What can be a much more efficient way to get growth going in the economy? It is to hand some money back to the private sector, to give households back some money, and to give corporate back some money and let them invest and spend as they see fit," Botham told CGTN.