Rural finance taking off

• Published 03 Sep 2009

The spread of increasingly sophisticated, innovative and differentiated financial services to the countryside is propelling the economic emergence of rural China.

As with many other aspects of the countryside, a comprehensive statistical overview of finance in rural areas is elusive. However, the trend is unmistakable: a blizzard of government and private sector initiatives is rapidly expanding the coverage of financial services including pensions, insurance, microfinance, mortgage debt, collateralised borrowing and consumer credit. Taken together, we think these initiatives are set to have a transformational effect on China's rural economy.

China Confidential Funds

China Confidential Funds, a new research service launched by FT China Confidential, is dedicated to illuminating the mainland fund industry. Our team of fund industry experts in Shanghai search out the interesting trends in fund performance, strategy, interactions with overseas funds, regulatory changes, distribution and management. We also use a proprietary system to track the emerging flows of Chinese money. Click here to find out more.

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• Guest Column

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