At the end of August, outstanding loans by China's state-owned commercial banks were Yn539.9bn higher than at the start of the year, according to the People's Bank of China. Of the total, Yn510.7bn was in the form of yuan loans.
Since the start of this year, the central bank has been encouraging banks to lend more aggressively. It has taken measures to promote loans to small enterprises and for housing and car purchases by consumers.
However, the central bank remains concerned about the loan procedures practised by commercial banks. It has published new rules calling for banks to put in place better risk-control mechanisms and to curb loans made on a personal basis.
