China Construction Bank opens branch in Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM - China Construction Bank (CCB), one of the largest commercial banks in China, announced Tuesday the opening of its branch in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.

"The CCB's presence in Amsterdam demonstrates our confidence in the prospects for the economic, trade and financial cooperation between China and The Netherlands, representing a steady move and part of the CCB's global growth," Chairman of the CCB Supervisory Board Guo You said.

"As part of the key target market of the CCB's overseas expansion, The Netherlands enjoys pleasant surroundings, a sound ecosystem, a developed economy, vibrant trade activities and a good investment environment," Guo said.

"Amsterdam, known as a financial and business hub in The Netherlands, has abundant financial resources, an excellent investment climate and world-class talents," he added.

According to the banker, the CCB has always considered Europe as its important market for overseas cooperation and development. Since the establishment of CCB Europe in 2013, the bank has expanded its network in The Netherlands, France, Spain and Italy, based on the platform of CCB Europe.

"All these branches have completed their registrations and will open today simultaneously," Guo said.

Founded in 1954, the CCB registered a total asset of 17 trillion yuan ($2.74 trillion) and a profit of more than 67 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) by the end of March this year.

In 2014, it ranked the second in Forbes' 12th annual Global 2000 ranking of the biggest, most powerful and most valuable companies in the world.

Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan welcomed the presence of the CCB in his city, which he said is "a place where sharp business is done with an open mind."

"Amsterdam, as a European hub, has the ambition to belong to the top five regions in Europe by 2020," Van der Laan said. "With the arrival of Chinese companies such as China Construction Bank, Amsterdam is a step closer to achieving this ambition."

"The presence of the CCB in Amsterdam is a sign of the importance of the trade relations between China and The Netherlands. In the coming years, this relationship will become even more significant," he added.