Rural banking in China: a case of centralization?

Four types of banking institutions responded differently to the drive to centralize Chinese rural banking operations. In 2009 city commercial and market-oriented banks had a higher density of outlets in economically developed than in less developed counties, as expected, while rural banking institutions had an unexpectedly higher density in non-agricultural than in agriculture-based counties. Circumstantial evidence suggests that the wholly state-owned and policy-oriented Agricultural Development Bank of China has invested in business-oriented activities in non-agricultural counties. These banking sector developments could have long-term policy implications for rural development in China.

四类银行机构对中国农村银行业务集中化的推进举措呈现出差异化响应。2009年，城市商业银行与市场化运营银行在经济发达县域的网点密度高于欠发达县域，符合预期；而农村银行机构在非农县域的网点密度反而高于农业县域，这一结果超出预期。间接证据表明，全资国有且政策导向型的中国农业发展银行（Agricultural Development Bank of China）已在非农县域布局商业化经营活动。此类银行业发展动向或对中国农村发展产生深远的政策影响。