China's preliminary third-quarter current account surplus $81.5 billion

A Chinese national flag flutters in front of the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, China's central bank, in central Beijing, May 16, 2014. REUTERS/Petar Kujundzic

BEIJING (Reuters) - China posted a current account surplus of $81.5 billion (51.0 billion pounds) and a $81.6 billion deficit on its capital and financial account in the third quarter of 2014, preliminary data from the foreign exchange regulator showed on Thursday.

The figures, published by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange(SAFE) on its website, are subject to revisions.

(Reporting By Xiaoyi Shao and Koh Gui Qing; Editing by Kim Coghill)