China expands lending to fund-hungry small firms

 　　BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese banks have extended more loans to small firms to ease their financial predicaments as the government tightens¹ monetary² supply, a banking³ regulator said Wednesday.

　　Outstanding loans to small firms grew 26.6 percent year-on-year to hit 9.85 trillion yuan (1.55 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of July, said Xiao Yuanqi, an official in charge of financial services for small enterprises at the China Banking Regulatory Commission.

　　The growth was 10 percentage points higher than that of the banks' total outstanding loans, Xiao told Xinhua.

　　More than 100 commercial banks have set up special operations to ease small firms' difficulties getting access to bank credit, he noted⁴.

　　The figures came at a time when China is trying to balance the missions of countering inflation and sustaining the growth of small enterprises.

　　The People's Bank of China, or the central bank, has raised the benchmark interest rate three times this year and increased the reserve requirement ratio six times.

　　The measures bit into small, cash-strapped companies, which are already disadvantaged in seeking bank support due to insufficient⁵ collateral⁶.

　　Only 15 percent of China's small enterprises could get loans from banks and half of them had to resort to private lenders, according to a report by the National School of Development with Peking University in July.

　　With tighter liquidity⁷ and stricter regulatory requirements on capital-adequacy ratios and loan-deposit ratios, banks are more reluctant to lend to small firms, said Ai Min, a retail⁸ banking general manager with China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd.

　　Besides, the expanding size of lending to small firms may lead to higher risks, said Ai.

　　He suggested banks improve the risk evaluation⁹ and collateral system for loans to small firms.

1 tightens   

收紧( tighten的第三人称单数 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• One set of provisions tightens emission standards. 一套使排放标准更加严格的规定。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Requires no special tools or fittings; hand tightens to relief valve outlet. 不需要专用工具或管件；用手将其紧固到安全阀上即可。

2 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

3 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

6 collateral   

adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品

参考例句：

• Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
• Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押，这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。

7 liquidity   

n.流动性，偿债能力，流动资产

参考例句：

• The bank has progressively increased its liquidity.银行逐渐地增加其流动资产。
• The demand for and the supply of credit is closely linked to changes in liquidity.信用的供求和流动资金的变化有密切关系。

8 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

9 evaluation   

n.估价，评价；赋值

参考例句：

• I attempted an honest evaluation of my own life.我试图如实地评价我自己的一生。
• The new scheme is still under evaluation.新方案还在评估阶段。