China's foreign exchange reserves stood at 3.4003 trillion U.S. dollars at the end of September 2026, down 38.1 billion dollars, or 1.11 percent, from the end of August, data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) showed Wednesday.
Last month, the U.S. dollar index rose while prices of major global financial assets generally declined, amid changes in the global macroeconomic environment and monetary policies in major economies, the SAFE noted in a statement.
The combined effects of exchange-rate movements and changes in asset prices led to the decline in China's foreign exchange reserves during the month, the SAFE said.
Despite the decline, the administration said China's economy has remained generally stable, with stronger new growth drivers, an improving economic structure and continued progress in high-quality development, providing support for the country's foreign exchange reserves to remain broadly stable.
Wednesday's data also showed China's gold reserves stood at 77.47 million ounces at the end of September, up 740,000 ounces from the end of August.
The increase marked the 23rd consecutive month that the People's Bank of China had added to its gold holdings.
China's forex reserves remain above 3.4 trln U.S. dollars for six consecutive months
Administrator of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Alexander De Croo has expressed concern regarding Tuesday's drone attacks on two merchant ships in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria, citing global food insecurity, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a daily press briefing.
At around 15:00 on Tuesday, the two merchant ships were attacked with sea and air drones around 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said at the beginning of a meeting with representatives of the Bulgarian institutions.
The first ship, flying the flag of Togo, has sunk, while the second one, loaded with wheat, was on fire, Radev said, adding the 18-member crew on the second ship managed to evacuate and was rescued.
"The UN Administrator for the UNDP, Alexander De Croo, expressed concern on today's attacks on grain-carrying vessels in the Black Sea, stressing that the Black Sea is a vital route for global food supplies. Noting that these attacks violate international law and endanger crews, the administrator warned that the consequences of these attacks reach far beyond the region, deepening food insecurity and undermining development where millions already face hunger, stressing that the world's most vulnerable must not pay the price and food must never be a target," Dujarric said.
The UNDP will publish a detailed policy brief this week that looks into the development impact of the compounding crisis, the spokesman added.
On the same day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a social media post that the situation in the Black Sea is increasingly concerning.
Noting commercial ships and innocent crews are being targeted, she stressed that attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable.
UN voices food security concern after drones attack two merchant ships in Black Sea
