Shrinking China’s Growth Target Gives Room to Tackle Debt

China will set an economic growth target of about 7 percent for 2015, tolerating the weakest expansion in a generation as leaders tackle debt risks and imbalances, according to analysts polled by Bloomberg.

Thirteen of 22 economists said China will shoot for about 7 percent next year, down from this year’s 7.5 percent. Sixteen said the government should change its targeting policy, with nine indicating a range would be better and seven suggesting targets be scrapped altogether in favor of projections or assumptions of growth, as most other nations provide.