
China's digital currency and physical banknotes will coexist for a long time, said a central bank official on Sunday at the Bund Summit in Shanghai.
Mu Changchun, the head of the People's Bank of China (PBOC)'s digital currency research institute, said, "The central bank will not stop the supply of paper banknotes as long as people still have the demand of using banknotes."
China has been in a leading role in the global race toward digital currency. Earlier this year, the second-largest economy began testing its digital currency in selected cities.
Two weeks ago, 50,000 randomly selected citizens in South China's Shenzhen received a total of 10 million yuan ($1.5 million) worth of digital currency in a digital lottery, indicating advancement in the use and application of China's digital yuan.
"The issuance of digital RMB is not enforced by administration, but should follow the market rules," Mu said, clarifying that the scale of China's digital currency issuance will be based on people's needs.
Mu also said there is no competition between digital currency and electronic payments, such as Tencent's WeChat Pay or Alibaba's Alipay, adding that the two "are not in the same dimension."
"WeChat and Alipay are financial infrastructures, or wallets, while digital RMB is a payment tool, or the things inside the wallet," said Mu.
On Saturday, China's central bank included the digital RMB in the latest version of the proposed banking law, providing more legal grounds for the regulation of electronic currency.
The two-day Bund Summit kicked off in Shanghai on Friday, bringing together government officials, financial experts and academics to discuss global economic transformation and China's financial opening-up.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses