Meeting delivers timely response to external shocks, says economist

Zhang?Jun, chief economist at China Galaxy Securities, stated in an exclusive interview with China Perspective that the meeting of the Political?Bureau?of the Communist Party of China Central Committee held on Friday came at a critical time, as US tariff policies are expected to impact China's exports and broader economy starting in the second quarter.

He said the tone-setting meeting signals policymakers' commitment to a forward-looking, effective, and targeted macro policy approach to stabilize overall growth, manage expectations and mitigate external shocks.

“Concrete steps will follow to stabilize growth, employment, and expectations while expanding domestic demand,” Zhang noted, adding that follow-up measures such as accelerated fiscal spending, reductions in the reserve requirement ratio for banks, interest rate cuts, and scaled-up trade-in deals for consumer goods will help offset the impact of US tariff hikes.