By the end of March, China's outstanding foreign loans had reached 287.905 billion U.S. dollars, up 2.44 percent or 6.86 billion U.S. dollars over the end of last year, according to a press release of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Outstanding short-term loans that should be serviced within a year were valued at 161.043 billion U.S. dollars, representing an increase of 4.9 billion dollars, or 3.14 percent, over the end of last year.

Outstanding loans for long and medium terms in contrast stood at 126.862 billion U.S. dollars, up 1.57 percent for an increase of 1.96 billion dollars over the end of 2005.

Between January and March, China borrowed 4.096 billion U.S. dollars in registered loans of long and medium terms, down 3.17 percent, declining by 134 million U.S. dollars over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, China paid back 3.357 billion U.S dollars in principal, up 27.64 percent year-on-year, and 526 million U.S. dollars in accrual interest, up 10.04 percent year-on-year for an increase of 48 million dollars.