The chief executive of HSBC and the chairman of BNP Paribas have told a sceptical Hong Kong audience that they do not foresee a hard landing in the Chinese economy.

Stuart Gulliver, group chief executive of HSBC and Jean Lemierre, chairman of BNP Paribas were speaking on January 18 at the ninth Asia Financial Forum, attended by government officials, regulators, financial services providers, corporate investors and private equity fund managers.