BOC’s overseas lending outgrows domestic loans

countries and regions more than $180 billion. By the end of last year, it followed up around 420 major projects along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative, extending credit support of nearly $60 billion to relevant economies.

“We set a target to extend credit totaling $100 billion along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative from 2015 to 2017, and we have confidence to achieve our goal,” Huang said.

Currently, BOC has nearly 600 overseas branches and representative offices, the profit after tax from which exceeded 30 percent of its overall profit after tax in 2016.

Ren Li, chief manager of the bank’s human resources department, said: “Our medium and long-term target is to increase that proportion to 40 percent.”

“We are good at building connections between our domestic and international markets and clients,” she added.

PETER NICHOLLS / REUTERS British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond (center), Bank of China chairman Tian Guoli (second right) and London Stock Exchange Group CEO Xavier Rolet (left) open the markets for the start of trading at the London Stock Exchange on Nov 10, 2016.