China's foreign exchange market saw stable operations despite external impacts in the first half of this year, with a net cross-border capital inflow of 127.3 billion U.S. dollars, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said on Tuesday.
The country's cross-border receipts and payments by non-banking sectors hit a record high following steady growth in the first six months, Li Bin, deputy head of the administration, told a press conference in Beijing.
"In the first half of the year, cross-border receipts and payments by non-banking sectors, including enterprises and individuals, totaled 7.6 trillion U.S. dollars, up 10.4 percent year on year and hitting a record high. In particular, Chinese yuan settlements accounted for 53 percent of all cross-border receipts and payments," Li said.
"In the first half of the year, non-banking sectors, including enterprises and individuals, took a net cross-border capital inflow of 127.3 billion U.S. dollars, continuing the net inflow trend since the second half of last year," he added.
China's foreign exchange market reports steady operations in January-June
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned about the U.S. rhetoric suggesting possible intervention in the situation in Iran, urging all parties to pursue diplomacy and dialogue in line with the principles of the UN Charter, his spokesperson said on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that his administration is weighing "some very strong options," including potential military action against Iran amid the unrest across the Middle East country.
At a press briefing Monday at the UN Headquarters in New York, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, conveyed Guterres' alarm over the remarks.
"The rhetoric that we've heard around the situation in Iran, which is concerning to him (Guterres), and he encourages all to adopt a path of diplomacy and dialogue," said Dujarric.
"We push for dialogue, and I think the [UN] Charter is very clear on your question," Dujarric said when asked whether foreign intervention might help resolve the crisis. The UN Charter enshrines core principles including the sovereign equality of all states, non-intervention in the affairs of other states, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.
These norms were further reinforced by the 1970 Declaration on Principles of International Law, adopted by the UN General Assembly, which explicitly states that no state or group of states has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any other state.
Protests have erupted in several Iranian cities since late December over the sharp fall in the national currency rial and long-standing economic hardships. The reported death toll from the unrest on both sides of the security forces and civilians is mounting.
UN chief urges diplomacy amid US military threats against Iran: spokesperson
