Saudi Arabia to Open First Financial Center with Unified Policies, Guidelines

The Leadership Forum for the Transformation to Accrual Accounting was organized by the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh on Tuesday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Leadership Forum for the Transformation to Accrual Accounting was organized by the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh on Tuesday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia to Open First Financial Center with Unified Policies, Guidelines

The Leadership Forum for the Transformation to Accrual Accounting was organized by the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh on Tuesday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Leadership Forum for the Transformation to Accrual Accounting was organized by the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh on Tuesday. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Chairman of the Steering Committee at the Ministry of Finance, Abdulaziz Al-Furaih, announced on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia was preparing to open the first financial center, which will be based on an integrated system of unified and harmonized standards, policies and guides at the national level.

Al-Furaih noted that the move aims to increase the efficiency of the government’s financial and accounting performance, adding that converting the entity to the accrual basis according to the new system would provide accurate and comprehensive financial information that supports decision-making.

“It also enables performance evaluation, setting targets and accountability, objectivity, and other benefits that improve the capabilities of the entity and the system in all financial and economic fields,” he underlined.

Al-Furaih’s remarks came during the opening of the Leadership Forum for the Transformation to Accrual Accounting, which was organized by the Ministry of Finance in Riyadh on Tuesday.

He pointed to the issuance of more than 190 opening balance lists for the year 2022, equivalent to 95 percent of the target in the number of lists, and more than 180 transitional financial lists for the same year, or 90 percent of the target.

He stressed that the transformation achievements would be followed by additional steps that emphasize the sustainability of business on an accrual basis and enhance the gains.

Deputy Minister of Finance for Financial Affairs and Accounts Hamad Al-Kanhal said the shift to the accrual basis is one of the Vision 2030 initiatives, adding that it is the appropriate basis for building financial information that supports the decision-making process.

Al-Kanhal stated that the Accounting Merit Pioneers program is one of the transformation management tools that was launched at the Merit Center to support and create competitiveness among government agencies with the aim of stimulating and accelerating transformation within the concerned entities.



China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
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China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)

Chinese lawmakers are deliberating a draft of the country's first basic law specifically focused on the development of the private sector, the country’s Xinhua news agency reported.

“The law will be conducive to creating a law-based environment that is favorable to the growth of all economic sectors, including the private sector,” said Justice Minister He Rong, while explaining the draft on Saturday during the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature.

The draft private sector promotion law covers areas such as fair competition, investment and financing environments, scientific and technological innovation, regulatory guidance, service support, rights and interests protection and legal liabilities.

The draft has incorporated suggestions solicited from representatives of the private sector, experts, scholars and the general public, the minister said.

China left its benchmark lending rates unchanged as expected at the monthly fixing on Friday.

Persistent deflationary pressure and tepid credit demand call for more stimulus to aid the broad economy, but narrowing interest margin on the back of fast falling yields and a weakening yuan limit the scope for immediate monetary easing.

The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept at 3.10%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.60%.

In a Reuters poll of 27 market participants conducted this week, all respondents expected both rates to stay unchanged.

Morgan Stanley said in a note that the 2025 budget deficit and mix are more positive than expected and suggest Beijing is willing to set a high growth target and record fiscal budget to boost market confidence, but further policy details are unlikely before March.

Last Friday, data released by the country's central bank said total assets of China's financial institutions had risen to 489.15 trillion yuan (about $68.03 trillion) by the end of third quarter this year.

The figure represented a year-on-year increase of 8%, said the People's Bank of China.

Of the total, the assets of the banking sector reached 439.52 trillion yuan, up 7.3% year on year, while the assets of securities institutions rose 8.7% year on year to 14.64 trillion yuan.

The insurance sector's assets jumped 18.3% year on year to 35 trillion yuan, the data showed.

The liabilities of the financial institutions totaled 446.51 trillion yuan, up 8% year on year, according to the central bank.

Separately, data released by the National Energy Administration on Thursday showed that China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose by 7.1% year on year in the first 11months of the year.

During the period, power consumption of the country's primary industries increased by 6.8% year on year, while that of its secondary and tertiary sectors rose by 5.3% and 10.4%, respectively.

Residential power usage saw strong growth of 11.6% during this period, the administration said.

In November alone, power usage climbed 2.8% from one year earlier, according to the data.