Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-10-13 10:20Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the news is the ongoing reform of rural financial institutions in China, particularly the transition of village banks to branches of larger state-owned banks, with recent approvals for Agricultural Bank of China to acquire Zhejiang Yongkang Rural Bank and establish three branches [1][2] - In 2023, three major state-owned banks have participated in the "village to branch" reform, with over 200 rural financial institutions having been reduced this year [1][3] - Agricultural Bank of China has previously engaged in similar acquisitions, including the recent approval to acquire Xiamen Tong'an Rural Bank, indicating a trend of consolidation in the rural banking sector [1][2] Group 2 - The number of banking institutions in China has decreased significantly, with a total of 4,070 institutions reported as of June 2025, down by 225 from the beginning of the year, with rural financial institutions seeing the largest reduction [3] - The restructuring of rural banks is part of a broader initiative by the National Financial Regulatory Administration to address high-risk institutions and promote governance and management reforms [3][4] - Experts suggest that the pace of structural reorganization among village banks will accelerate, with a focus on preventing large banks from exerting a negative impact on smaller banks through non-market behaviors [4]