Transcript of Premier Li Keqiang's Dialogue with WEF Chief and International Business Leaders At the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2018

2018年9月19日，国务院总理李克强在天津梅江会展中心出席2018年夏季达沃斯论坛开幕式并发表特别致辞后，回答了世界经济论坛主席施瓦布的提问。9月20日，李克强在天津梅江会展中心同出席2018年夏季达沃斯论坛的国际工商企业界代表对话交流。有关问答和对话交流实录如下：

　　施瓦布：尊敬的李总理，感谢您刚才全面细致地向我们介绍了中国政府的政策与目标。我相信在座的中外嘉宾都和我一样，从您的讲话中获得了很多重要的信息。我们知道中国正在深入推进改革开放。我的问题是关于中国的信贷和融资问题，还有去杠杆化。可能在座很多人和我一样对此都有一些关切，想听一听您对这些问题怎么看。

On 19 September 2018, following his address at the Opening Ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2018 held in Tianjin, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council took a question from Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab. On 20 September, Premier Li sat down for a dialogue with representatives of international business leaders attending the Annual Meeting. Below is a transcript of these interactions:

Professor Schwab: Premier Li Keqiang, thank you for this very comprehensive presentation of your government’s policy. I also feel there are many messages in your speech which are certainly reassuring for foreign and Chinese leaders present here. I want to thank you for taking the time to develop in such a detailed way your policies and your intentions. You developed a concept on how China will keep up reform and opening-up. Now many of the business leaders are concerned about the credit situation and the financial situation, the financial risk of the country, particularly related to the issue of deleveraging. What is your response here?

　　李克强：中国的宏观杠杆率在世界上比较而言虽然不算低，但并不是最高的。这其中有一个重要原因，就是中国的储蓄率比较高，同时直接融资渠道还没有比较流畅地打通，这是客观因素。

　　另一方面，中国的杠杆率在过去一些年确实上升得比较快。为了长远可持续发展，近年来我们采取了稳杠杆的措施，可以说今年上半年杠杆率增幅是在下降的。我们讲结构性地去杠杆，是因为的确在有一些方面杠杆率偏高了，从最近的数据看这些方面的杠杆率也在稳中有降的过程当中。但同时，我们也发现，有一些企业，特别是小微企业碰到融资难、融资贵的问题。我们正采取一系列措施来推动解决特别是小微企业的融资难问题。我们还要拓展直接融资的渠道，培育可以发展直接融资的资本市场。比如最近我们发现一些方面对创投基金采取的征税措施不当，国务院及时采取措施予以制止，我们鼓励创投发展，让直接融资有更多的渠道。

Premier Li Keqiang: True, China’s macro leverage ratio is not low by global standards, but it’s not the highest either. An important objective factor is the high savings rate in China and the lack of smooth channels of direct financing. The past few years have indeed seen a relatively fast increase in China’s leverage ratio. To ensure sustainable development in the long run, we have taken measures to stabilize the leverage ratio, which has led to a moderating increase in leverage in the first half of this year. The deleveraging we pursue is structural in nature, as the leverage ratio has become quite high in some sectors. Recent statistics have indicated the beginning of its downward trajectory in these sectors.

At the same time, though, we have taken note of the difficulties facing businesses, particularly micro and small businesses, in accessing affordable financing. We have endeavored to address this scarcity by rolling out a host of measures targeting micro and small businesses. We will also expand channels of direct financing by fostering the capital markets. For example, when we discovered inappropriate tax levies on venture capital funds recently, the State Council took swift steps to rescind these levies. We encourage the development of venture capital funds, which will offer more channels for direct financing.