China Construction Bank (CCB) was established on October 1, 1954 (initially named as the People’s Construction Bank of China and renamed as China Construction Bank on March 26, 1996). 

Since the establishment, CCB has experienced three stages of development. 

The fist stage involves the issuing of state financial appropriations. In October 1954, established with the approval of the Government Administration Council of the Central People's Government, CCB undertook the responsibility of handling the state appropriations for basic construction, managing and monitoring the use of the basic construction fund within the national budget and the basic construction fund raised by different departments and organizations independently. Over the decades CCB has made outstanding contributions to raising return on investment and accelerating China’s economic construction and development.

In the second stage CCB was a specialized national bank. Since mid 1980s CCB launched the cash account, individual savings deposit, fixed asset loans, liquid fund loans of industrial and commercial businesses, international finance, mortgage loans and various entrusted businesses in response to the economic and financial system reform and economic growth. The delivery of commercial bank services to the public enriched the functions of the bank and laid down a solid foundation for its transformation into a modern commercial bank.

In the third stage CCB becomes a state-owned commercial bank. In 1994 in line with the requirement of the national investment and financing system reform, CCB transferred its financial functions and the business of extending policy loans for basic construction to the Ministry of Finance and China Development Bank respectively, making a major step towards transiting into a modern commercial bank.

Over more than 50 years of reform and development, CCB has built up the competitiveness in both the Chinese and international markets. By the end of June 2004, the bank’s assets totaled RMB 3.7228 trillion and liabilities amounted to RMB 3.5223 trillion, with the capital adequacy standing at 8.17%. Taking into account both the domestic and overseas business, the NPL balance of the bank was RMB 65.71 billion and NPL ratio was 3.08%, matching up with the 3-5% standards of China Banking Regulatory Commission. CCB has 15401 business outlets inside and outside China including 6 overseas branches and 2 overseas representative offices and altogether 263,000 full-time staff. In addition to controlling 100% of equity of Jian Sing Bank Limited, CCB holds 43.35% of interest in China International Capital Corporation Limited and 75.1% of shares in Sino-German Bausparkasse.

On September 15, 2004, The Central Huijin Investment Company, China Jianyin Investment Limited, State Grid, Shanghai Bao Steel (Group) Co., Ltd. and China Yangtze Power Co., Ltd. held a conference in Beijing and made the decision to jointly incorporate China Construction Bank Corporation, marking that CCB will be restructured from a state-owned commercial bank into a shareholding bank with the state holding the controlling shares.

The restructured shareholding bank with the state holding the controlling shares is named as China Construction Bank Corporation and the abbreviation CCB will remain unchanged. China Construction Bank Corporation will take over the commercial bank services and related assets, liabilities and equity of the former China Construction Bank.

The China Construction Bank Corporation soon to be established will introduce strategic investors, diversify the equity structure and improve corporate governance structure. Meanwhile, it will continue to push forward various management reforms, enhance business performance and try to grow into a modern shareholding commercial bank with adequate capital, sophisticated internal control, safe operation and sound services and performance. The establishment of the Corporation will become a landmark event in the history of CCB.