China to strengthen policy adjustments, guide loan rates lower: PBOC Governor

China will strengthen its economic policy and counter-cyclical adjustments and continue to push to lower interest rates on loans, central bank Governor Yi Gang said.

Yi, in an interview published by the central bank on Tuesday, said China's economic fundamentals are unchanged despite many uncertainties and reiterated that the central bank's prudent monetary policy will be more flexible.

The economy shrank 6.8% in the first quarter, the first contraction in decades, hit by the outbreak of the new coronavirus, and analysts say it could take months for broader activity to return to pre-crisis levels.