Over the weekend China's top policy makers announced a string of new initiatives aimed primarily at keeping this country's capital markets stable and help ease the burden on the overall economy. Amongst the 30 measures announced by the State Council are initiatives based around boosting liquidity in the banking sector and stimulating demand for loans. The government is also suspending sales of its three-year central bank notes and is reducing the number of one-year and three-month notes as well. So will the new plans help stimulate borrowing? And what impact might they have on the overall economic growth rate of China in 2009?

Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. In this edition of our show we'll be talking about economic stimulus and China's economic fortunes for next year. So let's get started.

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First we'll hear from a foreign expert. Shaun Rein is the Managing Director of China Market Research Group, a leading strategic market intelligence firm focused on China.

(Dialogue with Rein)

And after a short break, we'll hear from a Chinese expert.

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Ni hao, you're listening to  People In the Know, your window into the world around you, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. I'm Paul James in Beijing. In this edition of our show we're discussing the most recent economic stimulus plans announced by the State Council over the weekend. For more on this we're joined on the line now by Professor Yin Xingmin, Vice Director of the China Center for Economic Studies at Fudan University.

(Dialogue with Yin)

And with that we wrap up this edition of  People In the Know, online at crienglish.com here on China Radio International. While overall economic growth is unlikely to be as strong as its once was, one must still bare in mind that, unlike many other nations around the world right now, China's economy is still growing. Questions or comments for us can be sent to people@cri.com.cn. For Executive Director Zhao Yang and Producers Chen Mo and Xu Yang, I'm Paul James in Beijing. We'll talk to you tomorrow.