(RTTNews) - China's central bank is expected to cut the reserve requirement ratio in the first quarter of 2012, Huang Jifa deputy head of the investment banking department at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China reportedly said Thursday.

The small and medium sized companies face tight liquidity, Huang said.

Yesterday, the People's Bank of China reduced the reserve requirement ratio for six rural banks in Zhejiang province to 16 percent, with effect from November 25.