China's foreign debts (excluding those of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) totaled 281.04 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2005, up 13.56 percent over the previous year.

Figures from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange show that mid and long-term foreign debts rose 614 million U.S. dollars to 124.9 billion dollars, up 0.49 percent.

Short-term debts increased by 32.94 billion dollars over the end of 2004 to 156.14 billion dollars, making up 55.56 percent of the total.

Registered foreign debts totaled 190.25 billion U.S. dollars, and trade debts were 90.8 billion dollars.

Administration officials said China's foreign exchange reserves had surged to 818.9 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2005, up 34.3 percent year on year, thus ruling out any risk of failure to meet repayments.

China's foreign debts soared by a record 35 billion dollars in 2004, up 18 percent over 2003.

Source: Xinhua