Bank body sees steady year ahead

For Chinese banks, this year will be steady as their assets will likely grow by around 10 percent and non-performing loan ratio will be below 2 percent, according to a report of the China Banking Association released on Friday.

"China's steady and upbeat economic conditions, prudent and neutral monetary policy and the banking industry regulator's effective regulatory measures have all contributed to the healthy operation of the Chinese banking industry," said Lian Ping, chief economist of Bank of Communications and a principal author of the CBA report.

The report said Chinese banks had total assets worth 181.7 trillion yuan ($27 trillion) in 2016, up 16.6 percent year-on-year.