China's foreign exchange reserves reached US$383.9 billion by the end of September this year, up 48.4 percent over the same period last year.

In the first nine months of this year, the country's foreign exchange reserves increased by US$97.5 billion dollars, or US$51 billion more than the same period last year, according to statistics released by the People's Bank of China Thursday.

In September, foreign exchange reserves jumped US$19.2 billion, or US$13.7 billion higher than the corresponding period last year.

Analysts attributed the sharp increase to a number of factors, including a surge of foreign direct investment in the country. 

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2003)