中國貨幣政策從“穩健”轉為“從緊”
中國政府宣布，已將貨幣政策由“穩健”調整為“從緊”。這再度表明，政府擔心目前兩位數的經濟增長會進一步加速。
China has announced it has shifted its monetary policy stance from “prudent” to “tightening” in another sign that Beijing is concerned about the acceleration of an economy already growing at double-digit rates.
本周在北京召開的中央經濟工作會議正式作出了這一決定。它表明，中央政府越來越擔心，在建筑業熱潮升溫的背景下，作為經濟增長的主要推動力，投資也在再度升溫。
The decision, formally taken at an annual economic conference in Beijing this week, signals growing concern that investment, the prime driver of growth, is picking up pace again on the back of rising construction.
政府還擔心，目前僅限于食品的通貨膨脹將會擴大到其它領域。中央政策表述的變化體現了這方面的擔憂，也將給包括央行在內的政策制定者以更大的行動空間，以指導地方金融機構的貸款業務。
The government is also concerned that inflation, which has so far been confined to food, could spill over into other sectors. The change in language symbolises such concerns and will give policymakers, including the central bank, greater leeway to dictate the lending practices of local financial institutions.
北京咨詢公司龍洲經訊(Dragonomics)的數據顯示，在2004至2006年間，因信貸緊縮和限制性土地政策，建筑業的增長略顯萎縮，但在2007年和2008年，勢將再次呈現25%的年增速。在政府發展經濟適用房的決心推動下，出現了新一輪的繁榮。發展經濟適用房是中國政府更廣泛政策的一部分，目的是更為平均地分配經濟增長所帶來的好處。
Construction growth sagged slightly between 2004 and 2006 on credit tightening and restrictive land policies, but is now on track to grow 25 per cent year on year in 2007 and 2008, according to Dragonomics, a Beijing consultancy. The new boom has been driven by the government’s determination to boost low-cost housing as part of its broader policy to distribute the benefits of economic growth more evenly.
瑞銀(UBS)駐香港的喬納森?安德森(Jonathan Anderson)表示：“我不認為（中國央行）想要降低內需。央行只是想要避免任何形式的過快增長。” “I don’t think the [central bank] wants to slow down dom?estic demand. It just wants to avoid any acceleration in growth,” said Jonathan Anderson, of UBS, in Hong Kong.
中國經濟在今年前三個季度的增速為11.5%。根據路透社(Reuters)昨天發布的一份投行經濟學家調查報告，所有受調查者都認為，中國2008年的經濟增速將會再次超過10%。
The economy grew 11.5 per cent in the first three quarters of this year. In a poll of investment bank economists published by Reuters yesterday, all said they expected growth to exceed 10 per cent again in 2008.
持久的通貨膨脹尤其令人擔心。由于食品價格持續走強，11月份的通脹率料將突破8月份和10月份的6.5%，再創新高。最新月度統計數據將于下周發布。
Persistent inflation is of particular concern, with new monthly figures for November, due to be released next week, on track to break the highs of August and October of 6.5 per cent, because of continued strong food prices.
本次經濟工作會議之后發表的一份聲明指出：“政府要采取有力措施抑制價格總水平過快上漲，加強……基本生活必需品和其他緊缺商品的生產。”
“The government should take powerful measures to restrain the general level of prices from increasing too fast, and strengthen the production of life necessities...” a statement released after the conference said.
