Huang Xihua, deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC),
said Friday she was delighted that the controversial cross-bank ATM
inquiry fee had been scrapped, adding "it is the result of efforts
by a lot of people".
Huang and more than 50 other NPC deputies recommended the
scrapping of the fee at the annual full session of the NPC, China's
parliament, which sparked a new round of debate nationwide.
"The NPC Standing Committee listened to our suggestion and
transferred it to relevant authorities," Huang said.
Officials with China Banking Regulatory Commission and People's
Bank of China held discussions with Huang and other deputies during
and after the NPC session that concluded on March 16.
"I had dreamt of the cancellation of the fee, but never imagined
it would happen so soon," Huang said.
On June 1 last year, many of China's commercial banks began
charging card holders from other banks 0.3 yuan (3.9 US cents) each
time they checked their bank account at an ATM. The charge
triggered a hot debate in China and an avalanche of criticism from
bank clients.
Banks defended their action by saying the charge would help them
boost their ATM networks. Analysts said the big commercial banks
were reluctant to see their extensive ATM networks used for free by
clients from smaller banks.
The China Banking Association said on Friday that "member banks
have agreed to stop charging the inquiry fee before April 20 in
response to customer feedback."
(Xinhua News Agency April 7, 2007)