BEIJING — China’s central bank on Feb 19 pumped 163 billion yuan (about $25 billion) into the financial system in open market operations via medium-term lending facility (MLF).

The MLF is a liquidity tools the bank introduced in 2014 to help commercial and policy banks maintain liquidity by allowing them to borrow from the central bank by using securities as collateral.

The fresh funds were injected into 20 financial institutions, according to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). MLF worth 110 billion yuan had been due on the same day.

Among the new funds, 47.5 billion yuan is for 3 months, 62 billion yuan for 6 months, and 53.5 billion yuan for 1 year, at interest rates of 2.75 percent, 2.85 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

The bank lowered the 6 month rate from 3 percent to 2.85 percent, and that for 1-year from 3.25 percent to 3 percent. The 3 month rate remained unchanged.

The PBOC injected more than 1.5 trillion yuan into the market in January via MLF, the standing lending facility and pledged supplementary lending operations.