On March 30, CZBANK released its 2025 Annual Report. In his address, the Bank's Acting President Lu Linhua stated that discerning trends brings clarity, following trends brings wisdom, and only by mastering trends can one seize development opportunities. Standing at a new historical starting point, only by accurately recognizing changes, responding scientifically, and proactively seeking transformation can the Bank make precise moves in serving the real economy, hold the bottom line when facing risks and challenges, and set the right course amidst the waves of epochal change.
The passage of time marks the journey of hard work, while development bears witness to the power of original aspirations. The year 2025 marked the conclusion of CZBANK's 14th Five-Year Plan. At this critical juncture of cyclical transition and strategic planning for the future, the Bank deeply practiced its five-character action guideline of "Stability, Progress, Innovation, Reform, and Excellence." It navigated cycles with a steady and progressive posture and adapted scientifically with a long-term strategy, demonstrating strong resilience in its operational performance. The Group's total assets approached 3.5 trillion yuan, with business scale showing steady growth. The full-year net interest margin was 1.60%, with a notably narrowed decline. The non-performing loan ratio stood at 1.36%, indicating that asset quality continued its stable and positive trend.
Adhering to the fundamental role of finance and deeply cultivating the fertile soil of Zhejiang, the Bank demonstrated its responsibility and commitment through serving the real economy. It consistently regards serving the real economy as its fundamental purpose, deeply embodies the political and people-oriented nature of financial work, fully serves the overarching development agenda, and strives to provide high-quality, efficient financial services to society. In 2025, the Bank solidly advanced work on the "Five Key Areas," continuously increased support for national major strategies, key sectors of the national economy, and areas of weakness. It built a strong portfolio of businesses, including technology innovation finance and supply chain finance. The Bank insisted on being rooted in Zhejiang, advancing steadily and surely, and fully launched a new three-year "Deep Cultivation of Zhejiang" initiative. It dedicated efforts to serving Zhejiang province, Zhejiang merchants, and the people of Zhejiang, with total financing services in the province nearing 1.2 trillion yuan. For the tenth consecutive year, it received the first-class award for supporting Zhejiang's economic and social development. The Bank strives to be a reliable force for the Party committee and government and a pioneer in policy implementation. Focusing on key areas such as technological innovation, stabilizing foreign trade, and boosting consumption, it introduced specialized measures to ensure policies directly benefit the real economy and improve people's livelihoods. In the new year, the Bank will solidify its strategic positioning, focus on central tasks and the broader picture, concentrate on key sectors and customer segments, and strengthen specialized and comprehensive operations. It aims to build a distinctive competitive advantage through customized products and differentiated services.
The Bank has fortified its risk defenses and adhered to compliance as its bottom line, using prudent operations to ensure steady and long-term progress. It consistently treats risk prevention and control as a perpetual theme and compliant operation as a fundamental requirement, resolutely practicing a "prudent and steady" risk appetite and a "low risk, average return" risk philosophy. In 2025, upholding the principle of "Risk First," the Bank enhanced forward-looking assessments of key regions, industries, sectors, and clients, strictly controlled credit approval access, and strengthened supervision of credit re-examinations to prevent the occurrence of significant new risks. It persisted in resolving risks through development, accelerated the disposal of existing risks, and effectively managed non-performing assets, maintaining a downward trend in the NPL ratio. The Bank continuously improved its risk management systems and mechanisms, establishing an independent, checks-and-balances, vertically specialized risk evaluation system. It refined accountability mechanisms, enhanced risk management mechanisms for small enterprises, and continuously strengthened institutional safeguards. Deepening the concept of "Compliance as the Foundation," the Bank reinforced system leadership and compliance pre-screening, strengthened systematic rectification of issues identified in internal and external inspections, and made every effort to foster a culture of risk and compliance. In the new year, the Bank will consolidate the foundations of risk control and compliance, focusing on controlling new risks, resolving existing ones, optimizing mechanisms, and shaping the right mindset. It will operate steadily under controllable risk conditions and conduct business compliantly within the regulatory framework.
Strengthening Party leadership and deepening management reforms, the Bank has consolidated its foundations to gather momentum for development. It consistently regards Party leadership as the "guiding star" for setting direction and managing the overall situation, and views management reform as the "booster" for implementing plans and driving development, fully mobilizing strong synergy from top to bottom and internally and externally. In 2025, the Bank conducted in-depth study and education to implement the central leadership's eight-point decision on improving conduct, continuously strengthening the construction of a healthy political ecosystem. It accelerated the formulation of a new Five-Year Plan, systematically mapping out the development strategy for the next phase. The Bank fully launched the "Strengthen the Head Office" initiative, building a powerful head office that emphasizes leadership, empowerment, and control equally. It accelerated the implementation of the "Core Renewal and Foundation Strengthening" project, continuously enhancing AI empowerment. Advocating "Taking the Bank as Our Home, Taking Pride in the Bank," it increased efforts in talent pipeline development and internal cultivation, fostering an employment orientation where "the competent are promoted, the mediocre are demoted, and the inferior are eliminated." In the new year, the Bank will solidify the foundation of internal management, adhere to a problem-oriented and goal-oriented approach, comprehensively deepen reforms, and further enhance the quality and efficiency of its management and operations.
Discerning trends brings clarity, following trends brings wisdom, and only by mastering trends can one seize development opportunities. Standing at this new historical starting point, only by accurately recognizing changes, responding scientifically, and proactively seeking transformation can the Bank make precise moves in serving the real economy, hold the bottom line when facing risks and challenges, and set the right course amidst the waves of epochal change. In 2026, CZBANK will firmly practice the principles of strengthening through management, excelling through service, revitalizing through technology, and empowering through talent. It will remain customer-centric in providing comprehensive financial services, accumulate strength by consolidating its foundation, and break new ground by deepening reforms. With the capabilities of finance, it will serve the needs of the nation and respond to the expectations of the people, contributing financial strength to the Chinese path to modernization.
Comments