OREANDA-NEWS. April 11, 2012. The People's Government of Beijing Municipality and Agricultural Bank of China Limited (ABC) signed a strategic cooperation memorandum for the 12th Five-year Plan period. Mr. Liu Qi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee, attended the signing ceremony. Mr. Jiang Chaoliang, Party Secretary and Chairman of ABC, and Mr. Guo Jinlong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Mayor of Beijing, delivered speeches. Mr. Ji Lin, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and Executive Vice Mayor, and Mr. Zhang Yun, Deputy Party Secretary, Vice Chairman and President of ABC, signed the memorandum on behalf of the two parties, reported the press-centre of ABC.

Chairman Jiang said in the speech that in recent years, ABC has been closely adhering to the positioning of "Environment-friendly Beijing, Culture-enriched Beijing and Technology-empowered Beijing" and the aim of "serving as the economic support for the capital". It has also actively supported urban building of the capital, and facilitated the development of key enterprises under the municipality, SMEs, emerging industries and suburban areas. According to the agreement, in the next five years, ABC will strengthen and deepen the cooperation with Beijing Municipal Government in various fields in accordance with the 12th Five-year development plan of Beijing.

Mayor Guo Jinlong said that ABC has persistently driven its business development in both urban and rural areas, taken Beijing as an important strategic cooperative city and a major support area for business development. It has launched special financing plans for major areas such as land reserve, rebuilding urban fringe areas, valley economy development and SME financing, making major contribution to the steady and rapid social and economic development of Beijing and accelerated urban-rural integration. The 12th Five-year Plan period is a key period for promoting scientific development in the capital. Beijing will further optimize financial ecological environment, strive to promote congregation between financial institutions and high-end elements, and facilitate the implementation of strategic cooperation agreement through innovation in work, policy and cooperation mechanism, so as to accelerate the building of a financial center with international influence.

Upholding its historical task of providing services for Sannong (agriculture, rural areas and farmers), ABC has been dedicated to national economic development with constant innovation, making active contribution to the urban and rural integration. ABC Beijing Branch has signed cooperation agreements with Beijing Municipal Government, governments of 16 districts and counties, Beijing Municipal Financial Office, Beijing Municipal Commission of Rural Affairs, Beijing Urban Fringe Area Development Leading Group and Beijing Cultural & Creative Industry Promotion Center, with financing of intent having surpassed RMB500 billion. It provided full support for rebuilding 50 major urban villages, and the loans granted accumulatively topped local commercial banks. While assisting in the development of large-scale major enterprises, ABC also supported that of SMEs, with loan growth for SMEs doubling that of key accounts. Granting of agriculture-related loans has been enlarged, with loan growth approaching 50% in two consecutive years, greatly pushing forward the agricultural development, farmers' income rise and new countryside development.

Signing of the memorandum is an important measure to deepen cooperation between ABC and Beijing Municipal government, providing ABC with more opportunities and larger space for bettering its service for social and economic development of the capital. ABC will take Beijing as a key support area, and tap into its advantage in comprehensive financial services. Focusing on systematic financing cooperation on Zhongguancun National Innovation Model Zone and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated regional development, ABC will prioritize financial support for major projects involved in infrastructure, industrial development and people's livelihood, so as to improve its capability in facilitating the social and economic development of Beijing.