BEIJING — China’s central bank on May 16 announced a 3-year work program (2017-2019) on aid for small businesses.

“Accounts receivable is an important liquid asset for small and micro-sized businesses,” said the program by the People’s Bank of China, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Commerce, State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, China Banking Regulatory Commission and State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

The central bank started an online receivables financing platform for small businesses on Dec 31, 2013.

By the end of March 2017, a total of 1.6 trillion yuan (about $233 billion) of financing was made by the platform, accounting for 35 percent of the total financing of small and micro-sized businesses.

According to the program, training courses and intensified policy support for receivables financing will be provided.

Small enterprises are very important for job creation in China.