Red Star News:

Chengdu and Chongqing are currently accelerating the construction of a financial center in western China. In the next step of regional financial reform, will the People's Bank of China make new arrangements for the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle? Will there be regional financial policy support? At the same time, I have also paid attention to the recent exposures of consumer loan variants such as the "betrothal gift loan" and the "cemetery loan" by small and medium-sized banks. Will the central bank regulate the behavior of small and medium-sized banks and how will they be regulated? Thank you.

Liu Guiping:

In fact, you have also raised two questions. The first question is about the certain considerations on the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle. I will invite Mr. Wang Xin to answer it. The latter one is also a recent hot topic, involving some views on the innovation of related credit products. I will ask Mr. Zou Lan to answer it.

Wang Xin:

Thank you for your question. The construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle is a major strategic deployment made by the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core. It is a major regional development strategy. Deputy Governor Liu also just introduced a number of major regional development strategies, including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay, the Yangtze River Delta, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the Xiong'an New Area. The Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle is another major regional development strategy, that is of great significance for further promoting the development of western China, and accelerating the economic and financial development of the western region. The People's Bank of China has done a lot of work in the building of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle. According to the deployment of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the central bank actively participated in the drafting and compilation of the outline for the construction of the twin-city economic circle in Chengdu-Chongqing region, and the in-depth research on financial-related issues. At the same time, we are now working with relevant departments, as well as those of Sichuan province and Chongqing municipality, to further study the major strategic deployment of financial support for the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle and support for Chengdu and Chongqing to jointly build a western financial center. Chongqing and Chengdu have different development characteristics, and each has its own characteristics in terms of finance. Therefore, when we research and formulate financial support policies, we will give better play to their respective characteristics on the basis of commonality and integrated development. We will further explore innovative measures for financial reform and opening up, and better promote the development of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle. Thank you.

Zou Lan:

I will answer your second question. Loans for "engagement gifts" and "graveyard purchase" have caused a stir. We believe that some banks, under the banner of so-called financial innovation, are challenging social pain points, leading people to over-indebtedness, touching the bottom line of public order and good morals, and detracting from the intended function of finance serving the real economy. These loans are in essence consumer loans, which are advertised to gain customers through the creation of gimmicks. It also reflects the lack of service capabilities of some small and medium-sized banks and some difficulties faced by financial development. Therefore, we should pay attention to the issue, even though it is caused by the behaviors of individual banks. We consider the issue from three aspects.

First, we will continue to supervise financial institutions to optimize their credit structure, focus on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and adhere to the duty of serving the real economy. 

Second, the PBC will continue to work with the CBIRC and some other government departments to supervise and guide the financial innovation of small and medium-sized banks and business services access. Under controllable risk and prudent regulation, the PBC will support financial innovations by banks and rectify illegal acts that are against the public order and good morals as well as major guidelines and policies.

Third, the PBC will take multiple measures to improve the abilities of small and medium-sized banks to serve the real economy and ensure that those banks have the capability, willingness and know-how to offer financial loans. This is my answer.

Liu Guiping:

I'd like to also add a few words. I am very grateful to our friends from the media for their supervision and reporting on financial services and innovation. It helps us keep abreast of relevant information to innovate products and provide high quality services for the real economy as well as for urban and rural residents. Thank you.

China Daily:

We are also concerned about financial support for the development of the real economy. Under the background of fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, what policies will financial supervision departments introduce to support high-end manufacturing? What new measures will be taken to promote the upgrading of the overall manufacturing level? Thank you.

Liu Guiping:

I will pass the question to Zou Lan, head of the financial market department at the PBC, to explain this for the journalist.

Zou Lan:

Thank you for your question. As we know, the manufacturing industry is the main body of national economy. Improving the strength of the manufacturing industry will lay an important foundation for fostering a "dual circulation" development paradigm. In line with the decisions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the PBC and other financial supervision departments have taken multiple measures to fuel growth in medium and long-term loans in recent years, and I have just briefly introduced some new data.

The requirement to raise the proportion of loans to the manufacturing sector is clearly stated in this year's government work report. Next, we will carry out this requirement in three aspects:

First, we will urge and guide financial institutions to optimize the credit structure of the manufacturing industry, to clarify the objectives and tasks of "increasing the proportion of loans to manufacturing industries" and "maintaining a reasonable growth rate of medium and long-term loans to high-tech manufacturing industries." We will guide financial institutions to increase credit supply to high-tech manufacturing and strategic emerging industries, while also supporting the equipment renewal and technological upgrading in traditional manufacturing industries.

Second, we will improve financial services for high-tech manufacturing. We will guide financial institutions to develop skills of industry analysis and risk assessment in line with the features of the high-tech manufacturing industry such as light-assets, high intelligence, high-risk and high returns. We will boost their capacity to increase product and service innovation such as investment and loan linkage, intellectual property pledge loans and supply chain finance. We will optimize internal management mechanisms and channel more credit resources into the high-tech manufacturing industry.

Third, we will support financial services for enterprises and industries aiming for breakthroughs in key and core technologies. We will provide financial services for enterprises undertaking major national scientific and technological innovation tasks, while upholding market-oriented and law-based principles. Thank you.

Liu Guiping:

There is actually a big issue in the former part of your question just now. I did not miss it, so I had invited the head of the Financial Market Department to respond to it first. Regarding the PBC's policies on the regional development strategy and possible future ones, I will quickly brief you.

On one hand, we have introduced special financial policies to support regional development together with relevant government departments in accordance with the overall strategic arrangement of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council. The policies involve the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the construction of the Xiongan New Area, the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port. On the other hand, we are working on policies to support the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin City Economic Circle in financial terms and their joint construction of a financial center in western China, together with relevant government departments. Related work is underway.

In short, the PBC will effectively perform its functions as the central bank in light of the country's established regional development strategy, and support and facilitate its implementation, both in accordance with the overall requirements of following a new development philosophy and fostering a new development paradigm to achieve high-quality development as China enters a new development stage. In particular, the PBC will effectively help foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other, to benefit the Chinese people and the world more. Thank you.