China mulls easing of controls on gold imports: sources

Beijing

CHINA's central bank has circulated a draft plan to ease restrictions on gold imports, said people with knowledge of the matter, in a move that may lead to lower prices in the world's biggest market for bullion.

The People's Bank of China drafted a plan that will open up gold imports to qualified miners as well as all the banks that are members of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the proposal hasn't been made public. China Gold Coin, a maker of commemorative gold and silver coins, could also qualify to import bullion, they said.