“中国地方债已经失控”

中国审计界一名高层人士称，地方政府债务已经“离开可控的范围”，可能引发比美国住宅市场崩溃更大的金融危机。

中国领先的会计师事务所信永中和(ShineWing)董事长张克表示，他的担忧意味着，他已基本上不再为地方政府的债券发行背书。

“我们看了几个接下来的项目，发现很危险，就退出来了，”张克在接受采访时表示。“大多数的偿债能力都不是很充分，这样将来事情就会变得很严重。”

国际货币基金组织(IMF)、评级机构和投资银行都已表示对中国政府债务感到担忧。但是，中国金融业的一名体制内人物（张克是中国注册会计师协会副会长）发表如此严厉的言论是罕见的。

A senior Chinese auditor has warned that local government debt is “out of control” and could spark a bigger financial crisis than the US housing market crash.

Zhang Ke said his accounting firm, ShineWing, had all but stopped signing off on bond sales by local governments as a result of his concerns.

“We audited some local government bond issues and found them very dangerous, so we pulled out,” said Mr Zhang, who is also vice-chairman of China’s accounting association. “Most don’t have strong debt servicing abilities. Things could become very serious.”

The International Monetary Fund, rating agencies and investment banks have all raised concerns about Chinese government debt. But it is rare for a figure as established in the Chinese financial industry as Mr Zhang to issue such a stark warning.

More information: China local authority debt ‘out of control’