1, rural credit cooperatives (rural credit cooperatives, rural credit cooperatives) refers to the rural cooperative financial institutions established with the approval of the People's Bank of China, which are composed of members' shares, implement democratic management, and mainly provide financial services for members. Rural credit cooperatives are independent enterprise legal persons, which are responsible for the debts of rural credit cooperatives with all their assets and enjoy civil rights according to law. Its property, legitimate rights and interests and business activities carried out according to law are protected by state laws. Its main task is to raise idle funds in rural areas and provide financial services for agriculture, farmers and rural economic development. In accordance with national laws and financial policies, organize and standardize rural funds, support agricultural production and comprehensive rural development, support various forms of cooperative economy and family economy, and limit and crack down on usury. Rural credit cooperatives are divided into the following departments: Rural Credit Cooperatives, International Finance Department of Rural Credit Cooperatives, Zheng Tong Rural Credit Cooperatives Training School, Credit Department of Rural Credit Cooperatives, etc. It is a department under the dual leadership of CBRC and the State Council.

Basic concepts:

2. Rural credit cooperatives are banking financial institutions. The so-called banking financial machine rural credit cooperatives, also known as deposit institutions, deposit money banks. They are characterized by taking deposits as their main liabilities, granting loans as their main assets, and handling transfer and settlement as their main intermediary business, and directly participating in the creation process of deposit currency. Rural credit cooperatives are also credit cooperative institutions. The so-called credit cooperative institutions are cooperative financial institutions whose main purpose is mutual assistance, referred to as "credit cooperatives", which carry out deposit and loan business among members for the purpose of mutual assistance and self-help.

Main features:

(1) Farmers and other individuals in rural areas jointly form cooperative financial organizations whose main purpose is mutual assistance. Its business operation is managed and operated by the personnel designated by the members on the basis of democratic election, and is responsible to the members. Its highest authority is the member congress, and the executive body responsible for managing specific affairs and business operations is the Council.

(2) The main sources of funds are the shares paid by cooperative members, the retained provident fund and the absorbed deposits; Loans are mainly used to solve the capital needs of its members. At first, it mainly issued short-term production and living loans and consumer loans. Later, with the economic development, it gradually broadened the channels of borrowing, and now it is no different from commercial bank loans.

3. Because the business object is a cooperative member, the business process is simple and flexible. The main tasks of rural credit cooperatives are to organize and regulate rural funds, support agricultural production and comprehensive rural development, support various forms of cooperative economy and member family economy, and limit and crack down on usury according to the provisions of national laws and financial policies.