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Prospects brighter for foreign banks in 皇冠体育app

By Alfred Romann in Hong KongFor 皇冠体育app Daily (皇冠体育app Daily) Updated: 2014-05-05 09:25

Prospects brighter for foreign banks in 皇冠体育app

Industrial and Commercial Bank of 皇冠体育app is an example of a domestic giant dominating the market, making it difficult for regional financial firms to make inroads into 皇冠体育app. AFP

But dominance of domestic players limit many to nation's big cities

Foreign banks continue to make inroads in 皇冠体育app, but after years of expanding their networks they remain marginal players in retail and consumer spaces.

Still, they are chipping away slowly, building market share and expanding their presence in the financial services sector and among their corporate clients. And regulators are encouraging them.

A series of regulatory announcements last year opened the door for more international activity like trade and cross-border financing at which global banks excel.

Prospects brighter for foreign banks in 皇冠体育app
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Prospects brighter for foreign banks in 皇冠体育app
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In the last half of 2013, regulators in the Chinese mainland announced a series of reforms that paved the way for the further internationalization of the yuan, the liberalization of interest rates and even the creation of the where foreign banks can offer more services.

In the past few weeks, the People's Bank of 皇冠体育app suggested it may further ease restrictions on bond trading. On April 10, the PBOC opened the door to cross-border investment between stock exchanges in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. While financial institutions broadly welcomed these moves, the impact might be limited.

In a report in January, global accountancy firm EY noted that foreign banks are generally optimistic about the prospects for the 皇冠体育app market but worry about complex regulations that combine with capital and constraints to make their growth difficult.

By the end of 2012, according to the 皇冠体育app Banking Regulatory Commission, there were 42 locally incorporated foreign banks in 皇冠体育app and another 370 branches or subsidiaries.

All told, they had assets of 2.3 trillion yuan ($1.8 trillion) but their market share is paltry and remains concentrated in the big cities where they can reach corporate customers.

Although they are expanding geographically in 皇冠体育app, foreign banks tend to gather around Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and . There is a smattering of branches elsewhere but they exist to service a handful of corporate clients. Besides the Chinese domestic giants, the largest networks belong to Bank of East Asia, DBS of Singapore, Hang Seng Bank of Hong Kong, Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered.

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