Zetland Financial Group Identifies Key Trends in Chinese Banking Sector Reforms

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 27, 2007 -- Hong Kong (PRWEB) August 19, 2007 -- Leading international business consultancy Zetland Financial Group Limited - http://www.zetland.biz - has identified key trends in the ongoing reform of the Chinese banking sector.

The Chinese Government started reforming the banking sector significantly in 2005 by letting the Shanghai-based Bank of Communications ("BCom") list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. BCom was a pathfinder in the reform as HSBC, one of the UK's largest financial groups, was allowed to become its biggest foreign shareholder, holding no more 20% of its shares, the largest percentage allowed under Chinese law for foreign interests.

All subsequent initial public offers ("IPO") in Hong Kong by Chinese state commercial banks followed the model of the Chinese government allowing major foreign bank groups to hold a minority stake in the banks.

BCom's IPO was followed later in the same year by China Construction Bank, one of the big 4 state owned banks. 2006 was a watershed year for the major state-owned banks. Both the biggest (Industrial and Commercial Bank) and second largest (Bank of China) Chinese state-owned banks successfully listed on both the Hong Kong and Shanghai Stock exchanges. Industrial and Commercial Bank's listing had the distinction of being the largest global IPO in 2006.

The Agricultural Bank is the only remaining Chinese state owned commercial bank that remains to be restructured for IPO.

About Zetland Financial Group Limited

Established in 1987 and headquartered in Hong Kong with offices around the world, the Zetland Financial Group - http://www.zetland.biz - is a business consultancy offering personal service and professional advice with total confidentiality. From its base in Hong Kong, the company is in a position to provide clients with the efficiencies and sophisticated infrastructure of one of the most dynamic international cities that is also an integral part of the rapidly growing economy of China.

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