ICBC posts US$4.2b net profit  By Zheng Lifei (China Daily)  Updated: 2006-07-06 08:46  The ICBC was restructured into a joint-stock lender last October and in 
January it picked up Goldman Sachs, Allianz Group and American Express as 
overseas strategic investors, who bought about 10 per cent of the bank at a cost 
of US$3.78 billion.
  "The improved operation and efficiency at the 
country's largest bank, which is shown in its report, is sure to boost foreign 
investors' confidence in China's banking reform and the industry as a whole," 
Zhang said.
  The ICBC officially inaugurated its co-operation with Goldman 
Sachs in March, collaborating with the strategic investors in seven areas such 
as NPL management, asset management and staff training.
  The bank 
announced last month that it would restructure its head office in a further bid 
to improve corporate governance and operational efficiency.
  The revamp 
will focus on three areas  corporate business, financial affairs and 
capital transaction  and the bank will add 10 new departments, including 
credit approval and risk management, and will cut seven other 
divisions.
  The bank's outstanding deposits stood at 5,66 trillion yuan 
(US$708 billion) by the end of last year, up 10.8 per cent, a record increase 
for the lender, the report said.
  Its outstanding loans stood at 3.29 
trillion yuan (US$411 billion), an increase of 5.8 per cent.
  The lender 
spun off a total of 635 billion yuan (US$79.4 billion) NPLs last year during its 
financial restructuring.
  The bank's assets reached 6,45 trillion yuan 
(US$806 billion) by the end of last year, up 28 per cent from the previous year, 
according to the report.
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