Chinese banks are under strain as their deposits shrink in the wake of a regulatory crackdown on offering deposit rates higher than regulatory caps, reports Caixin.

In the first half, many Chinese mainland-listed commercial banks saw a decline in their net cash flow generated from operating activities - a key indicator of lenders' liquidity - Caixin calculations based on their interim reports show.

Among China's "Big Six" state-owned banks by assets, only Postal Savings Bank of China managed to keep the gauge positive - at about CNY131 billion (US$18.4 billion) for the period - with a year-on-year increase.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the largest of the "Big Six," reported the biggest drop of nearly CNY1.3 trillion to CNY27 billion, blaming a decline in client deposits.