Deflation

The Chinese economy is wavering between stagnation and decline, revealing lasting structural flaws. In December, the consumer price index only increased by 0.1% year-on-year, confirming intensifying deflationary pressure despite the government's repeated attempts to revive growth. The drop in food prices (-0.5%) and consumer goods (-0.2%) illustrates the lack of dynamism in domestic demand, as households remain cautious and businesses hesitate to invest. Thus, the real estate crisis, coupled with the ineffectiveness of previous stimulus measures, fuels uncertainties. This slowdown goes beyond a cyclical phase. It calls into question the resilience of the Chinese economic model and its short-term outlook.

China, long seen as the unwavering engine of the global economy, is currently undergoing a major crisis. Years of double-digit growth, which symbolized its rapid ascent, have given way to a period of deep economic uncertainties. The fragility of its economic model, primarily based on investment and exports, is becoming increasingly evident. Issues such as the rise of public and private debts, the collapse of the real estate sector, and the emergence of the specter of deflation are exacerbating internal economic tensions. These dysfunctions raise a fundamental question: after decades of development often described as miraculous, can the Middle Kingdom still sustain its role as a pillar of global growth?