CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT

OF CASH FLOWS

For the year ended 31 December 2022
(All amounts in RMB millions)

Year ended 31 December

Note

2023

2022

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash generated from operations

106,022

103,365

Interest received

2,105

1,747

Interest paid

(1,906)

(1,150)

Income tax paid

(3,830)

(3,425)

Net cash inflow from operating activities

102,391

100,537

Cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of property, plant and equipment, right-of-use assets and
other assets

(a)

(79,375)

(72,470)

Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment and other assets

1,388

1,710

Acquisition of financial assets measured at fair value through profit or loss (FVPL)

(1,230)

(1,741)

Proceeds from disposal of financial assets measured at FVPL

1,707

1,876

Acquisition of debt securities measured at FVOCI (recycling)

(22,980)

(17,630)

Proceeds from disposal of debt securities measured at FVOCI (recycling)

17,397

26,864

Proceeds from equity securities measured at FVOCI (non-recycling)

1

(Increase)/decrease in other financial assets measured at amortised cost

(5,424)

700

Dividends received from financial assets measured at FVOCI (non-recycling)

159

149

Acquisition of interest in associates

(776)

(1)

Acquisition of interest in joint ventures

(5)

Proceeds from disposal of associates and joint ventures

400

Dividends received from associates

1,246

998

Dividends received from joint venture

150

150

Placement of short-term bank deposits and restricted deposits

(11,015)

(9,818)

Release of short-term bank deposits and restricted deposits

12,815

7,300

Lending by Unicom Group Finance Company Limited (Finance Company) to
a related party

(5,700)

(11,800)

Repayment of loans from a related party to Finance Company

5,700

17,600

Net cash outflow from investing activities

(85,543)

(56,112)

Cash flows from financing activities

Capital contributions from non-controlling interests

386

867

Proceeds from bank loans and other obligations

711

330

Proceeds from commercial papers

5,000

Loans from related parties

583

471

Repayment of short-term bank loans

(330)

(385)

Repayment of long-term bank loans

(385)

(420)

Repayment of commercial papers

(5,000)

(6,800)

Repayment of related party loans

(913)

Repayment of promissory notes

(1,000)

Repayment of corporate bonds

(2,000)

Capital element of lease rentals paid

(12,103)

(13,373)

Payment of issuing expense for commercial papers

(5)

Dividends paid to equity shareholders of the Company

(9,546)

(7,986)

Net deposits with Finance Company

949

621

Decrease in statutory reserve deposits placed by Finance Company

1,542

870

Repayment of other obligations

(409)

Net cash outflow from financing activities

(24,515)

(23,810)

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents

(7,667)

20,615

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year

55,297

34,280

Effect of changes in foreign exchange rate

103

402

Total cash and cash equivalents, end of year

29

47,733

55,297

Analysis of the balances of cash and cash equivalents:

Cash balances

Bank balances

47,733

55,297

47,733

55,297

(a)

Major non-cash transaction: On 13 December 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company approved China United Network Communications Corporation Limited (CUCL) and China Tower Corporation Limited (Tower Company) to sign the commercial pricing agreement and the service agreement, which constituted a lease modification under HKFRS 16, Leases, the transaction has no impact on the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ended 31 December 2022. Details of this transaction are set out in Note 16 and Note 45.

The notes on pages 102 to 201 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

The reconciliation of profit before income tax to cash generated from operations is as follows:

Year ended 31 December

2023

2022

Profit before income tax

22,945

20,588

Adjustments for:

Depreciation and amortisation

84,847

86,829

Interest income

(2,105)

(1,747)

Finance costs

1,956

1,046

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

1,181

1,882

Impairment losses under expected credit loss (ECL) model and write-down of inventories

6,356

6,918

Dividends from financial assets measured at FVOCI (non-recycling)

(159)

(149)

Gains on disposal of financial assets measured at FVPL

(14)

(72)

Gains on disposal of financial assets measured at FVOCI (recycling)

(1)

Dividends from financial assets at FVPL

(2)

Investment income from debt securities measured at FVOCI (recycling)

(424)

(438)

Fair value gains on financial assets measured at FVPL

(114)

(24)

Share of net profit of associates

(2,519)

(2,153)

Share of net profit of joint ventures

(1,803)

(1,593)

Expenses for restricted shares of A Share Company granted to the Group’s employees

282

55

Changes in working capital:

Increase in accounts receivable

(18,212)

(13,718)

(Increase)/decrease in contract assets

(28)

147

Increase in contract costs

(8,498)

(5,529)

Increase in inventories

(94)

(338)

Decrease/(increase) in restricted deposits

278

(1,083)

Increase in other assets

(199)

(1,108)

Increase in prepayments and other current assets

(193)

(3,611)

(Increase)/decrease in amounts due from ultimate holding company

(4)

188

Increase in amounts due from related parties

(123)

(195)

(Increase)/decrease in amounts due from domestic carriers

(323)

63

Increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities

12,124

14,866

Increase in other taxes payable

515

742

(Decrease)/increase in advances from customers

(100)

266

Increase/(decrease) in contract liabilities

1,465

(990)

Increase in deferred revenue

1,464

980

(Decrease)/increase in other obligations

(49)

83

Increase/(decrease) in amounts due to ultimate holding company

25

(2,440)

Increase in amounts due to related parties

6,714

4,037

Increase/(decrease) in amounts due to domestic carriers

834

(137)

Cash generated from operations

106,022

103,365

The notes on pages 102 to 201 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.