RE:When safe application was made"In practice, SAFE approval is usually obtained within two weeks." according to nortonrosefullbright.com (link below). So it would seem that there has been a delay from the "usual" - or at least what was "usual" when they composed that webpage. Some posts here have alluded to a throttling of FX transactions by the Chinese for the purpose of exchange rate stabilization. https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/knowledge/publications/62023/outbound-chinese-equity-investments-understanding-the-regulatory-approval-process