From Sept.1, the current deposit accounts of personal savings are being automatically reclassified as settlement accounts including those of foreigners in Chinese banks, according to a new bank account regulation by the People's Bank of China.

The new rule stipulates that individuals need to open separate clearing accounts for settlement and checking purposes. The major banks, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the China Merchants Bank (CMB), are automatically changing all the accounts for current deposit and bank card accounts into clearing accounts unless otherwise instructed by individual customers.

Personal accounts for time deposit were treated as personal savings accounts if customers raised no objections, a source with CMB said.

Individual customers can confirm the change or open new clearing accounts with valid identity cards at any time. Foreigners should take their passports or relevant legal documents to the bank.

The personal clearing accounts also allow for savings account functions such as deposits and cash withdrawals, according to the new regulation. There is no charge for opening or designating clearing and savings accounts.

The measure is aimed at keeping abreast of the changing payment needs of the Chinese people and will help banks improve their competitiveness, as reported by the China Daily on Aug. 29.

It is expected to boost the use of personal checks and online payments as well, according to some analysts.

The China Daily report also said the new regulation would control cross-account transfers of funds by differentiating personal clearing accounts and corporate clearing accounts, which would, to some extent, prevent money laundering, financial fraud and other illegal transfers of funds.

(Shenzhen Daily September 3, 2003)