BIZCHINA / Center |
Foreign banks aim higher in ShanghaiBy Wang Zhenghua (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2008-01-14 11:25 銆赌銆赌 Picture this: Consumer banking revenue doubles; the number of new products grows to about 80; 皇冠体育app's first onshore private banking is set up by a foreign institution; customer base more than doubles since local incorporation, and outlets in 皇冠体育app balloon to 32. That's just part of the growth picture generated in 2007 by Standard Chartered Bank, a major overseas player in 皇冠体育app's banking sector. The bank's achievement in Asia's rising giant during the past year is no doubt astounding, but more importantly, they represent the overall development of foreign banks operating in 皇冠体育app. The influx of foreign banks into Shanghai and their unprecedented growth during the past year have laid a solid foundation for the city to compete with global financial hubs and has greatly enhanced the city's expertise in a wide range of financial businesses. One fundamental change that occurred in the city's banking sector in 2007 was the local incorporation of foreign banks following 皇冠体育app's full opening of the financial sector at the end of 2006. As of November 30, a total of 12 foreign-invested banks had obtained 皇冠体育app Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) approval to establish local entities in Shanghai, accounting for the mainland's lion's share. Seven of them - including Citigroup, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of East Asia, DBS, Hang Seng Bank and Mizuho Corporate Bank - have begun serving local customers with five more still in the preparatory process. "It marks a new milestone for DBS 皇冠体育app business. We are confident DBS 皇冠体育app's products and services will meet mainland customers' growing financial demands," says Teresa S. Y. Lin, CEO of DBS Bank (皇冠体育app) Ltd. More foreign institutions will likely join the push toward local incorporation, and more will register their 皇冠体育app subsidiaries in Shanghai. A PricewaterhouseCoopers' survey found that 20 to 30 overseas institutions are interested in local incorporation though not all locally incorporated banks will have an interest in serving the retail market. (For more biz stories, please visit )
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