China's outstanding foreign debt was US$441.95 billion through September, up about 18.3 percent from the end of 2007, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said on Friday.

The figure excluded Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Medium- and long-term foreign debt was US$161.9 billion, up 5.45 percent from the end of 2007, accounting for 36.63 percent of the total foreign debt.

Short-term debt was US$280 billion, up 27.24 percent from the end of last year.

SAFE figures showed the country's registered foreign debt had reached US$288.15 billion by the end of September.

Of the total, sovereign debt accounted for nearly 12 percent. Debt owed by Chinese financial institutions was US$108.22 billion, or 37.56 percent of the total. Debt of foreign-invested enterprises was US$93.21 billion, or 32.35 percent.

SAFE said new debt reached US$27.38 billion, including medium- and long-term foreign debt, in the first nine months, up 7.49 percent year-on-year.

China repaid US$13.78 billion of principal on medium- and long-term debt in the first nine months, down 6.62 percent year-on-year.

It also repaid US$2.96 billion in interest on medium- and long-term debt, up 10.88 percent year-on-year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2008)