China: Bank Loans Jump 8% in the First Half of 2025 to Support the Economy and Strategic Sectors
Follow-up
Forty-two publicly listed banks in China increased their loan volume by nearly 8% in the first half of 2025, clearly indicating the central role of the banking sector in financing the economy.
According to data from Chinese television CCTV, the total volume of loans reached 25 trillion dollars (184,380 billion yuan), reflecting an increase of 7.96% compared to the same period last year.
This growth, at 5.89% compared to the end of 2024, confirms that banks are directing their capital intensively toward the real economy, particularly toward sectors deemed a priority by the government. Major state-owned banks lead this progress, with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), China Construction Bank (CCB), Agricultural Bank of China (ABC), and Bank of China (BOC) all recording continuous growth in their loan portfolios.
Loans are significantly directed toward the country’s strategic sectors: loans to the manufacturing industry increased by 12.99%, while emerging industries such as technology and innovation saw a remarkable increase of 22.92%. Green loans continue to expand, with ICBC alone surpassing 6,000 billion yuan in loans allocated for clean energy projects, green transport, and energy efficiency.
Experts note that this dynamic results from a deliberate policy by monetary and regulatory authorities, encouraging banks to channel their capital toward technological innovation, environmental transformation, consumption, and small and medium enterprises, aiming to support “high-quality” economic growth for the remainder of the year.
