Why China's shift online is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Dale Nicholls, portfolio manager of the Fidelity China Special Situations fund, explains why the fixation on China's headline growth figures needs to stop in order to focus on the country's reform agenda and e-commerce opportunities like Alibaba

It has not been an easy ride for China recently. Short-term concerns relating to rising debt levels and an oversupply in the property sector have continued to impact upon sentiment, and investors have been fixated by headline growth figures. China's economy has slowed, and has missed the government's target of 7.5% (see infographic, below), but whether it is 7.2% or 7.3%, there are not many economies that can deliver that rate of growth today. GDP will continue to slow over time - a natural progression for such a large economy. When putting this in to numbers, even 6% growth for a $10...