Sound Bites

It is risky for banks to lend money to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the crisis, as the companies' financial statements are not very well regulated. Plus, banks have to consider the opinion of their shareholders, and, of course, think of profits. That said, the SMEs are extremely important for the economy. So, banks need to set up special branches for SMEs, so that they can work closely with each other.

Ma Weihua

President of China Merchants Bank