The Chinese central bank plans to launch trials for large-scale cash management in Hebei province, Zhejiang province and the city of Shenzhen.
On 5 November the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) issued the draft version of the “People’s Bank of China Notice Concerning the Undertaking of Large-sum Cash Management in the Trial Areas of Hebei Province, Zhejiang Province and Shenzhen Municipality” (中国人民银行关于在河北省、浙江省、深圳市试点开展大额现金管理的通知（公开征求意见稿）) for the solicitation of opinions from the public.
According to PBOC cash demand has grown in recent years despite the rapid development of non-cash payments in China, leading to concerns about the use of large cash amounts for illegal activities including corruption, tax evasion and money-laundering.
“China’s large-sum cash management suffers from weak links including limited regulatory coverage and insufficient legal effectiveness, and urgently requires strengthening, ” said PBOC.
The Notice outlines measures including:
- Establishment of a large-sum cash analytical report system;
- Establishment of a large-sum cash monitoring and investigation system;
- Formulation of industry and enterprise large-sum cash transaction records and reports;
- Individual cash revenue reports;
- Large-sum cash cross-border monitoring.
The trials are scheduled to run for a period of two years, kicking off first in Hebei province before launching in Zhejiang province and Shenzhen municipality at an “appropriate time.”
According to PBOC Hebei province was selected because its “banking sector financial institutions have comparatively strong foundations for management of large-sum cash operations,” while Zhejiang province and Shenzhen municipality are both “key regions for cash release in China.”
“The large-sum cash usage situation in some of Zhejiang’s industries and for individual accounts is pronounced, and cross-border renminbi cash flows between Shenzhen and Hong Kong are widespread.”
