Both ratios rose during the 1990s, and both reached a peak in late 2001. Since then, however, they have receded slightly on net, an indication that households, in the aggregate, have been keeping an eye on repayment burdens. Moreover, delinquency rates for a wide range of household loans have continued to drift down this year and lie below recent highs in 2001.
The financial restructuring of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China are basically finished and the ICBC will be restructured to become a share-holding company within this year. The pilot reform of rural credit cooperatives has extended to 29 provinces (region and municipalities), with improved operation and strengthened capital quality.