Many analysts in the West are predicting the worst for China’s economy, pointing to a slowdown in growth and claiming a meltdown is on its way. However, as Stephen Timewell discovers, the mood within the country is more prosaic, with the feeling being that the economy is simply maturing to a level that will make its growth more sustainable.
The Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect will foster stock trading and capital flows between Hong Kong and mainland China, with numerous potential benefits for both sides. But competitors in the Asia-Pacific region are concerned it might eat into their market share.
Foreign banks currently account for less than 2% of the Chinese banking industry, but thanks to the country's vast retail market, growing asset management industry and M&A-hungry corporates, many global banks are positioning themselves to take a bigger share of the spoils.
The Chinese government is promising far-reaching economic reforms, but these are likely to put the financial sector under strain. Former chairman of the China Bank Regulatory Commission Liu Mingkang tells Philip Alexander how the authorities can manage the transition.
With the US and European crises behind them, South American trade figures are back on an upward slope. Local banks are paving the way for improved relations with China, and Chinese banks are increasing their presence in the region. Even the proximity of the US could have its benefits.
The UK and the US are taking very different regulatory stances, the former reverting to its characteristic light touch while the latter is taking a heavy-handed approach, but both regimes are driven by political considerations rather than market needs and are therefore at risk of damaging their respective banking systems.