The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) reported on Tuesday that its business profits totaled 74.6 billion yuan (about US$9 billion) in 2004, up 17.4 percent over the previous year.

The ICBC is China's biggest bank by asset size. Its non-performing asset ratio also dropped to 14.32 percent at the end of last year, the bank said in its annual report. 

(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2005)