The State Administration of Foreign Exchange has recently released data on banks' foreign exchange sales and settlements and banks' foreign-related receipts and payments for customers for November 2019. SAFE Press Spokesperson and Chief Economist Wang Chunying answered media questions on foreign exchange receipts and payments for the month.

Q: Could you brief us on China's foreign exchange receipts and payments for November 2019?

A: Banks' foreign exchange sales and settlements and foreign-related receipts and payments remained stable in the month, indicating a continued equilibrium in the foreign exchange market. First, banks' foreign exchange sales and settlements stayed stable at large. Although a deficit of USD 5.6 billion was recorded in banks' foreign exchange sales and settlements in the month, which was consistent with the monthly average in the year to date, yet with other supply and demand factors considered, including forward foreign exchange sales and settlements and options, China's foreign exchange market remained in an equilibrium. Second, banks' foreign-related receipts for customers were basically offset by their foreign-related payments for customers. Also in the month the non-banking sectors including enterprises and individuals registered a deficit of USD 500 million in foreign-related receipts and payments.

Market players' desire to settle foreign exchange was strengthened and cross-border capital flows through major channels were further stabilized. In the month, the foreign exchange settlement ratio, a measure of customers' desire to settle foreign exchange, or the ratio of customers' sales of foreign exchange to banks to their foreign-related foreign exchange receipts, hit 63%, up by 3 percentage points year on year; the foreign exchange sales ratio, a measure of customers' desire to purchase foreign exchange, or the ratio of customers' purchases of foreign exchange from banks to their foreign-related foreign exchange payments, was 67%, flat with the same period last year. As far as major channels of cross-border capital flows are concerned, foreign exchange supply and demand were more stable. Also in the month, cross-border receipts and payments under trade in goods represented a surplus of USD 6.9 billion, vs. a deficit of USD 700 million for the same period last year; the surplus in foreign exchange sales and settlements under trade in goods grew 2.1 times year on year; net foreign exchange settlements for direct investment grew remarkably; but individuals' net purchases of foreign exchange went down by 16% year on year.

Currently, China's economic fundamentals are stable and sound, and will remain sound over the long term. Guided by the new development philosophy, we will pursue supply-side structural reform as our main task and work for high-quality development, fueled by reform and opening up. We will endeavor to keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range, and promote all-round opening up to solidify the foundation for stable operations of China's foreign exchange markets. Further, China-US Phase-1 trade talks have achieved progress, which will be favorable for the benign economic and trade growth across the world and provide a more stable external environment for the operations of China's foreign exchange market.