In the space of just a few short decades, China has transformed itself from a nation scarcely able to cover the cost of sending its highest-ranking dignitary to speak at the UN to one with financial reserves numbering trillions of dollars. In Red Capitalism: The Fragile Financial Foundation of China’s Extraordinary Rise, Revised Edition, Carl Walter and Fraser Howie, experts in Chinese finance, tell the story of China’s incredible ascension, how it got to where it is now, and what the future holds.
Exploring how China’s financial institutions from banks to corporations and most importantly, the national Communist Party, shape the country’s economic choices, development, and reform and what this means within China and for the rest of the world, the book examines whether or not the twenty-first century really will belong to China, calling into question the sustainability of the current system. Going deep inside the Chinese financial machine to illuminate the social and political consequences of the unique business model that has transformed the country into an economic powerhouse, Walter and Howie investigate whether the incredible gains of the last thirty-plus years really live up to their reputation.
While China has seemingly adopted a Western style of economic and commercial growth complete with stock-listed corporations and a growing class of accountants, lawyers, and investment bankers the reality is that China remains a Communist country, one in which the state can and frequently does step in to save struggling industries. In contrast to the common view of China as an unstoppable freight train of growth, Red Capitalism shows how the country’s decades of development have been marked not by steady ascension but rather an ongoing series of booms and busts that many corporations would not have been able to weather without large-scale government intervention.
With new and expanded coverage of China’s “Big 4” banks; why assigning credit ratings is still a problem; the rapid growth of Chinese national debt; and more, this fully revised edition of Red Capitalism is indispensable reading for anyone looking to understand the limits that China’s past development decisions have imposed on its promising future.
From the Back Cover
Praise for Red Capitalism
“The most important financial book of the year.” James Grant Editor, Grant’s Interest Rate Observer
“Red Capitalism peels back the faÇade of China’s economy and reveals how the dominant role of the state has led to enormous financial leverage and endemic malinvestment. China’s major role in the global economy makes Red Capitalism required reading for any financial industry fiduciary.” Mark L. Hart III Chairman, Corriente Advisors, L.L.C.
“China is bent on superpower rivalry; reserve currency status for the renminbi is a glint in the party’s eye. Red Capitalism puts a powerful case that its economy and financial system are not fully equipped to support such aspirations.” Financial Times
“This book allows us to further deepen our analysis and prepare for the tumultuous events which impend.” Socialism Today
“Walter and Howie possess a rare depth of experience in the analysis of the Chinesefinancial sector. Their hard-hitting conclusions,based on a wealth of empirical research, will stimulate debate about the future of theChinese financial system at a critical point in its evolution.” Peter Nolan Sinyi Professor of Chinese Management, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge
“Concise and erudite, Red Capitalism is a fantastic deep dive into China’s structurally flawed financial system.” China Economic Review
“A penetrating analysis that demonstrates how hard it is to follow the old adage ‘follow the money,’ and how rewarding it is to understand what will really drive China into the future.” Christian Murck President, American Chamber of Commerce in China
“Walter and Howie put the Chinese financial system under the microscope to examine how an absence of leadership, institutional squabbling, and complacency have seen appetites for reform splutter out, replaced by stagnation and dysfunction. Theirs is a fascinating, entertaining, and necessary corrective to the hyperbole surrounding China’s seemingly miraculous rise.” David Wilder Beijing Bureau Chief, Market News International
“Red Capitalism is an important addition to the reading list of any China-watcher.” The Hindu
“Red Capitalism is a superb guide to China’sfinancial labyrinth. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the sources ofChinese economic power, and the threat posed by the nation’s vast hidden debts.” Arthur Kroeber Editor, China Economic Quarterly
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE ECONOMIST
About the Author
Carl E. Walter lived in China for twenty years and actively participated in numerous financial reforms. He played a major role in China’s groundbreaking first overseas IPO in 1992, as well as the first listing of a state-owned enterprise on the New York Stock Exchange in 1994. He was a member of the Management Committee at China International Capital Corporation, China’s first and most successful joint venture investment bank, where he supported a number of significant domestic stock and debt underwritings for major Chinese corporations. More recently, he helped build one of the most successful and profitable domestic security and currency trading operations for a major global investment bank. Fluent in Mandarin, he holds a PhD from Stanford University and a graduate certificate from Beijing University. He currently lives in New York where he acts as an independent consultant.
Fraser J. T. Howie studied Natural Sciences (Physics) at Cambridge University and Chinese at Beijing Language and Culture University. For nearly twenty years he has been trading, analyzing, and writingabout Asian stock markets. During that time he has worked in Hong Kong, trading equity derivatives at Bankers Trust and Morgan Stanley. After moving toChina in 1998, he worked in the sales andtrading department of China International Capital Corporation followed by a stint with China M&A Management Company. He has contributed to the SCMP, AWSJ, China Economic Quarterly,and China Economic Review as well as being a regularChina commentator on CNBC, BBC, Al Jazeera, and Bloomberg. Currently, he is a Managing Director at a leading Asia Pacific Brokerage firm in Singaporehelping international investors invest in both the Indian and Chinese markets.
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