At the end of September 2008, China 's outstanding external debt (excluding that of Hong Kong SAR, Macao SAR, and Taiwan Province ) reached USD 441.952 billion, up by 18.29 percent compared with that at the end of 2007. Specifically, the outstanding long- and medium-term external debt reached USD 161.909 billion, up by 5.45 percent compared with that at the end of 2007, accounting for 36.63 percent of the total outstanding external debt. The outstanding short-term external debt totaled USD 280.043 billion, up by 27.24 percent compared with that at the end of 2007, accounting for 63.37 percent of the total outstanding external debt.
Of the outstanding registered external debt of USD 288.152 billion, the outstanding sovereign debt borrowed by ministries under the State Council totaled USD 34.550 billion, accounting for 11.99 percent; the outstanding debt of Chinese-funded financial institutions was USD 108.215 billion, accounting for 37.56 percent; the outstanding debt of foreign-funded enterprises was USD 93.214 billion, accounting for 32.35 percent; the outstanding debt of foreign-funded financial institutions in China was USD 47.294 billion, accounting for 16.41 percent; the outstanding debt of Chinese-funded enterprises was USD 4.502 billion, accounting for 1.56 percent; and the outstanding debt of other institutions was USD 377 million, accounting for 0.13 percent.
From January to September 2008, long- and medium-term external borrowing amounted to USD 27.38 billion, an increase of USD 1.908 billion, or 7.49 percent, over that in the same period of the last year. The principal repayment was USD 13.784 billion, a decrease of USD 977 million, or 6.62 percent, over the previous year. The interest payment was USD 2.956 billion, an increase of USD 290 million, or 10.88 percent, over that in the previous year(End).