To give investors reasonable return on investment and help investors develop steady expectation of investment returns, relevant provisions of the Articles of Association of the Bank lay down explicit requirements on dividend policies such as the basis, principles, intervals, methods & conditions and online voting of profit distribution, provide for the minimum proportion of profit distribution to be made in cash under general circumstances, and offer shareholders an online voting platform for participation in voting for the proposals on distribution plans. As such, the Bank fully protects legitimate rights and interests of its minority investors.
The Bank has not distributed profit through transfer of capital reserve to share capital since its IPOs. Cash dividend distribution of the Bank in the past four years is set out in the table below.

Unit: RMB million

Note: The distribution ratio is the ratio of the total amount of cash dividends for the current period to the net profit attributable to the shareholders of the Bank as indicated in the consolidated financial statements.

Th amounts and ratios of dividend distribution for preference shares in the recent three years

Unit: RMB million

Note: (1) The distribution ratio is the ratio of the total amount of dividends paid out to the agreed dividends payable for the current year.

(2) The interest start date was the payment date of the subscribed shares, i.e., 26 October 2016.