The credit boom began to ease in July, but economists have warned that reckless lending could leave banks saddled with bad loans.

The government worries excess lending might be driving dangerous overexpansion in some industries.

Banks were told maintain a "stable and sustainable pace" of lending through the end of the year, the China Banking Regulator Commission said on its website.

It gave no financial targets.

Banks lent about 1.0 trillion yuan (US$125 billion) per month in the first half of the year after the government ordered them to expand credit to support its 4.0 trillion yuan (US$586 billion) stimulus.

Lending fell to less than half that level since July after banks were ordered to scrutinise borrowers more carefully.

- AP