By the end of 2000, China's registered outstanding foreign debt was US$145.73 billion (excluding that of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan), decreasing US$6.1 billion or 4 percent from the previous year, according to latest statistics released Monday by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE).

Of the total, medium- and long-term debt accounted for US$132.65 billion, or US$4 billion less than the previous year; short-term debt was US$13.08 billion, decreasing US$2.1 billion.

In 2000 China borrowed foreign debt of US$24.92 billion, and repayed principal of US$29.11 billion. The difference in exchange rate and adjustment was minus US$2.08 billion.

Of the total, the amount of sovereign debt borrowed by ministries under the State Council was US$48.96 billion, up 3.5 percent from the previous year; the debt incurred by domestic financial institutions was US$35.56 billion, down 13.1 percent; that by foreign-invested enterprises was US$46.53 billion, down 1.6 percent; that by domestic enterprises was US$13.52 billion, down 8.1 percent; and other debt was US$1.16 billion, down 28.4 percent.

(21dnn.com 04/03/2001)