Drive to urbanize requires change in financing
By Zheng Yangpeng | China Daily | Updated: 2014-03-20 07:28
China's urbanization drive will speed up the reform of the fiscal and public project funding, as the current financial mechanism for local governments can't meet the huge funding need, according to a newly issued urbanization plan and officials.
The unprecedented National New-Type Urbanization Plan (2014-20) outlines a "diversified" and "sustained" funding system for urbanization. And, for the first time, the State Council has agreed to let local governments issue municipal bonds.
At a Wednesday news conference, Liu Kun, vice-minister of finance, said the government will boost the bond market by allowing local governments to issue bonds at their own discretion.
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