CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT

OF CASH FLOWS

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

Year ended 31 December

Note

2022

2021

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash generated from operations

103,365

114,414

Interest received

1,747

1,215

Interest paid

(1,150)

(1,324)

Income tax paid

(3,425)

(3,669)

Net cash inflow from operating activities

100,537

110,636

Cash flows from investing activities

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

(a)

(72,470)

(72,047)

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

1,710

2,267

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

(1,741)

(2,294)

Proceeds from disposal of financial assets measured at FVPL

1,876

646

Acquisition of debt securities measured at FVOCI (recycling)

(17,630)

(28,930)

Acquisition of equity securities measured at FVOCI (non-recycling)

(8)

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

26,864

26,494

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

1

Net cash inflows from addition of subsidiaries

1,462

Acquisition of other financial assets measured at amortised cost

(21,328)

(61,463)

Proceeds from disposal of other financial assets measured at amortised cost

22,028

60,762

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

149

179

Acquisition of interest in associates

(1)

(2,328)

Acquisition of interest in joint ventures

(45)

Proceeds from disposal of associates and joint ventures

8

Dividends received from associates

998

813

Dividends received from joint venture

150

Increase in short-term bank deposits and restricted deposits

(2,518)

(400)

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

(11,800)

(11,400)

Repayment of loans from a related party to Finance Company

17,600

11,500

Net cash outflow from investing activities

(56,112)

(74,784)

Cash flows from financing activities

Contributions from non-controlling interests

867

10

Proceeds from short-term bank loans and other obligations

330

685

Proceeds from commercial papers

5,000

6,800

Loans from related parties

471

207

Repayment of short-term bank loans

(385)

(740)

Repayment of long-term bank loans

(420)

(763)

Repayment of commercial papers

(6,800)

(7,000)

Repayment of related party loans

(2,507)

Repayment of promissory notes

(1,000)

Repayment of corporate bonds

(2,000)

(1,000)

Capital element of lease rentals paid

(13,373)

(12,727)

Payment of issuing expense for commercial papers

(5)

(5)

Dividends paid to equity shareholders of the Company

(7,986)

(8,690)

Net deposits with Finance Company by related parties

621

980

Decrease in statutory reserve deposits placed by Finance Company

870

171

Net cash outflow from financing activities

(23,810)

(24,579)

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

20,615

11,273

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year

34,280

23,085

Effect of changes in foreign exchange rate

402

(78)

Cash and cash equivalents, end of year

29

55,297

34,280

Analysis of the balances of cash and cash equivalents:

Cash balances

Bank balances

55,297

34,280

55,297

34,280

(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 a commercial pricing agreement and a 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 106 to 205 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

2022

2021

Profit before income tax

20,588

17,927

Adjustments for:

Depreciation and amortisation

86,829

85,652

Interest income

(1,747)

(1,215)

Finance costs

1,046

1,308

Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment

1,882

3,749

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

6,918

3,301

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

(149)

(179)

Gains on disposal of financial assets measured at FVPL

(72)

(15)

Investment income from debt securities measured at FVOCI (recycling)

(438)

(850)

Fair value (gains)/losses on financial assets measured at FVPL

(24)

39

Share of net profit of associates

(2,153)

(1,862)

Share of net profit of joint ventures

(1,593)

(1,448)

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

55

136

Changes in working capital:

Increase in accounts receivable

(13,718)

(4,243)

Decrease in contract assets

147

454

Increase in contract costs

(5,529)

(3,038)

Increase in inventories

(338)

(359)

(Increase)/decrease in restricted deposits

(1,083)

250

Increase in other assets

(1,108)

(826)

Increase in prepayments and other current assets

(3,611)

(1,747)

Decrease/(increase) in amounts due from ultimate holding company

188

(88)

Increase in amounts due from related parties

(195)

(75)

Decrease in amounts due from domestic carriers

63

1,658

Increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities

14,866

7,053

Increase/(decrease) in other taxes payable

742

(307)

Increase/(decrease) in advances from customers

266

(225)

(Decrease)/increase in contract liabilities

(990)

3,063

Increase in deferred revenue

980

1,108

Increase in other obligations

83

71

(Decrease)/increase in amounts due to ultimate holding company

(2,440)

2,388

Increase in amounts due to related parties

4,037

2,763

Decrease in amounts due to domestic carriers

(137)

(29)

Cash generated from operations

103,365

114,414

The notes on pages 106 to 205 are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.