CRI听力:Chinese Traditional Banks Take Advantage of Internet Finance Wave 

Traditional banking in China is facing a constantly changing operating environment due to China's economic transition and industrial restructuring.

The marketization of interest rates is speeding up, posing threats to banking's traditional profit model, which is gaining the interest spreads of deposit and loan.

Meanwhile modern technologies such as the internet, big data and cloud computing are increasingly employed in various sectors and internet finance is rapidly growing.

Yu Xuejun, head of the National Shareholding Banks Supervision Department under China Banking Regulatory Commission says all these factors also prompt the traditional banking system to seek new growth points.

"Besides the traditional P2P mode, the establishment of WeBank and MyBank is grabbing public attention recently. They're using their online resources and advantages to offer small loans for small and medium enterprises as well as individuals. This sets a good example for the future development of traditional banks."

China's largest commercial bank- the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China - is taking measures to find its place in internet finance.

It has already established an internet finance marketing center and a financial center targeting individual credit consumption.

Gao Zhixin with the bank says another internet financing center targeting small business is set to open in September:

"The internet financing center will offer online financing products for individuals and legal personnel. This will meet the need of small businesses."

Meanwhile, some problems and hidden risks have cropped up in China's burgeoning peer to peer sector.

New guidelines have been released to tighten the regulation of P2P businesses, through measures including new registration rules, requiring third-party fund trusteeship, and external audits.

Xue Hongjian, who's in charge of product innovation management at ICBC, says the move provides a growth point for banks.

"The guidelines have made it clear that banks should be chosen as fund depository agents for P2P platforms. ICBC is now studying funds trusteeship relevant to P2P and are getting ready to provide businesses concerning trusteeship."

Analysts say it is necessary for commercial banks to embrace internet and push forward reforms.

For CRI, I'm Wang Wei.