China has established a linkage mechanism among banks to solve consumers' complaints in a timely, efficient manner in the host cities of the Olympics, officials at the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) said on Thursday.

The CBRC, the China Banking Association and commercial banks will cooperate to solve complaints lodged by consumers in the main host city of Beijing and five mainland co-host cities -- Qingdao, Tianjin, Shanghai, Qinhuangdao and Shenyang -- CBRC officials told Xinhua.

Banks in the six cities will open around-clock hotlines and e-mail addresses for consumers'complaints.

Consumers can lodge complaints with banks and if these complaints aren't handled to their satisfaction, they can file complaints to local banking associations or banking regulatory commissions, the officials said.

CBRC ordered local commissions, banking associations and bank branches to record consumers' complaints carefully and closely cooperate to respond in a timely fashion.

This approach will better protect consumers' legal rights and help banks learn more about consumers' demands and improve their services, the CBRC officials said.

The five biggest commercial banks have set up hotlines for complaints: 95588 for the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, 95599 for the Agricultural Bank of China, 95566 for the Bank of China, 95533 for China Construction Bank and 95559 for the Bank of Communications.

(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2008)