People In The Know

The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that China's economy grew 6.9 percent year on year in 2015, marking the slowest annual expansion in a quarter of a century. However, Chinese authorities say the result remains in line with the official target.Chief of the National Bureau of Statistics, Wang Bao'an, says China's economic structure continued to improve last year, as the service sector accounted for more than half of the country's GDP for the first time ever.He also points out that some thriving emerging industries and new business models were among the highlights of last year's economic growth.So how should we read China's latest economic figures? What are the worrying factors in the Chinese economy?To answer those questions, we had a conversation with Dr. He-ling Shi, Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics, Melbourne-based Monash University; Liu Baocheng, professor from the University of International Business and Economics; and Terrill