China's Non-Performing Loans: History, Current Infrastructure, and the Future of Bad Debt in China

Abstract

The People’s Republic of China is the world’s second largest economy. Beginning in the 1980s, substantial economic growth combined with political and regulatory changes led to a dramatic increase in non-performing loans. By the turn of the century, 1/4 of loans held by Chinese banks were overdue. This article examines how China managed its non-performing loans, discusses bad debt in China today, and provides suggestions for how it should tailor its non-performing loan strategy as its economy continues to slow.