Four overseas banks have received the green light for their Shanghai branches to prepare to offer Renminbi business to Chinese enterprises, a significant breakthrough in China's banking market liberalization.

The banks -- Citibank, Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp (HSBC), the Hong Kong-based Bank of East Asia and Japan's Mizuho Corporate Bank -- were among the first five groups to apply to conduct Renminbi business with Chinese enterprises, said Zhang Rongfang, an official  with the Shanghai Banking Regulatory Bureau.

By the end of last year, 11 foreign banks had handed in their applications.

The move is in accordance with China's World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments. It joined the trade bloc in 2001. Under the WTO pact, China said it would allow foreign banks to handle Renminbi business for Chinese enterprises two years after its entry.

"The move allows us to enter a business arena with enormous potential," said Dandan Chang, spokeswoman of HSBC in China, which received approval from the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) on Friday.

Although only its Shanghai branch is able to conduct Renminbi services with Chinese enterprises, HSBC can actually provide the services in all 13 Chinese cities that are open to foreign banks, as well as Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

"But we still hope our additional applications for our six other branches will be approved soon," Chang added.

According to the CBRC's provision, all of the successful international banks should be prepared for inspection in four months. After that, they will receive the final license to serve their Chinese clients.

"Given our seven years' experience in offering Renminbi business to foreign clients, we have a sophisticated team already involved in conducting Renminbi business. I think it will take us less than four months to be prepared for the new business," said Chang of HSBC.

So far, foreign banks are able to handle foreign currency business with Chinese enterprises and individuals.

(China Daily February 12, 2004)