• Research
  • Diwan
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Middle East logoCarnegie lettermark logo
LebanonIran
{
  "authors": [
    "Evan A. Feigenbaum"
  ],
  "type": "legacyinthemedia",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
  ],
  "collections": [],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "asia",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
  "programAffiliation": "AP",
  "programs": [
    "Asia"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "East Asia",
    "China"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Economy"
  ]
}

Source: Getty

In The Media

What Is Beijing Going to do About Slowing Growth?

Even though Beijing’s leaders realize the need for reform, resistance from state-owned enterprises presents a political barrier to implementing changes.

Link Copied
By Evan A. Feigenbaum
Published on Oct 20, 2014

Source: CNBC

Speaking on CNBC, Carnegie’s Evan Feigenbaum discussed the economic options available to China. He said that if the government continues to stimulate the economy, it could lead to further economic distortions. Instead, he said, real potential lies in looking to other sources of growth that could lead to long-term reform. Such sources include a “greater role for the private sector in the economy; demonopolization and opening of more sectors to competition; and greater innovation.” Feigenbaum added that, while the Chinese government realizes this, there has been greater resistance from the state-owned enterprises to these reforms than anticipated, so the lag in implementing these policies has been “political” and not “intellectual.” He concluded that Beijing was ultimately more concerned with the depth and quality of reform rather than the speed of reform, and so Beijing is working on changing the environment in which such state-owned enterprises operate rather than assaulting them directly.

This interview was originally broadcast by CNBC.

About the Author

Evan A. Feigenbaum

Vice President for Studies

Evan A. Feigenbaum is vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he oversees work at its offices in Washington, New Delhi, and Singapore on a dynamic region encompassing both East Asia and South Asia. He served twice as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and advised two Secretaries of State and a former Treasury Secretary on Asia.

    Recent Work

  • Commentary
    Is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Performance Art or Meaningful Collaboration?

      Evan A. Feigenbaum

  • Commentary
    In Its Iran War Debate, Washington Has Lost the Plot in Asia

      Evan A. Feigenbaum

Evan A. Feigenbaum
Vice President for Studies
Evan A. Feigenbaum
EconomyEast AsiaChina

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center

  • Commentary
    Diwan
    On AI, Cairo Plays China and the U.S. Off Against Each Other

    Huawei pushed hard to enter the Egyptian data centers market, until the Americans made a better offer.

      • Angie Omar

      Angie Omar

  • Paper
    Egypt’s Military Landlord Economy and its Limitations

    The armed forces champion a form of capitalism that is generating revenue, but its reliance on rent faces diminishing returns, leaving the country with massive sunk costs and deferred returns, deepening dependency on external borrowing.

      Yezid Sayigh

  • Commentary
    Diwan
    Unpacking Lebanon’s Gap Law

    In an interview, Ishac Diwan looks at the merits and flaws in the draft legislation distributing losses from the financial collapse.

      Michael Young

  • Commentary
    Diwan
    Has Sisi Found a Competent Military Entrepreneur?

    Mustaqbal Misr has expanded its portfolio with remarkable speed, but a lack of transparency remains.

      Yezid Sayigh

  • Research
    Arab Diaspora Business Communities in Egypt

    Arab diaspora business communities in Egypt often mirror the same systemic challenges facing Egyptian businesses.

      • +4

      Nur Arafeh, Yezid Sayigh, Qaboul al-Absi, …

Get more news and analysis from
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Carnegie Middle East logo, white
  • Research
  • Diwan
  • About
  • Experts
  • Projects
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
Get more news and analysis from
Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.