The renminbi's slow move towards becoming a global currency has gathered momentum in the past 12 months, and with China's new premier signalling his intention to smoothen this process even further, the currency appears destined to achieve reserve status in the not-too-distant future.
The Chinese bond market must achieve greater diversity – of issuers and investors – if it is to facilitate the successful internationalisation of the renminbi, which requires the government to relax its rules on foreign participants, something it is already starting to do.
As Dubai has grown, so has its role in the global transaction services industry, with the emirate now serving as the nerve centre of all trade taking place across the Middle East and north Africa. And as Dubai sets out its stall to become the next renminbi hub, this role only looks set to grow.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has experienced incredible growth in the past year, and is now the number one bank in The Banker's Top 1000 World Banks ranking, the first Chinese bank to hold this position. Stephen Timewell charts this rise and speaks to the bank's chairman.
HSBC China has expanded rapidly since being established in 2007. Its chief executive and deputy chairman, Helen Wong, says it wants to retain its position as the largest foreign lender in China, and boost its ties with Bank of Communications, in which HSBC has a large stake. She insists, too, that the outlook for the country's economy is rosy.
The Banker has identified 13 banks to keep an eye on in the coming year based on a variety of factors. China-based Bank of Inner Mongolia was one of the fastest movers in The Banker’s Top 1000 rankings in 2012, and its most recent published figures suggest this growth will continue, making it one to watch in 2013.
US authorities require Chinese companies listed in the US to abide by certain accounting standards. Many of these Chinese companies are unable to meet such demands because the information contained within their accounts is deemed to be a state secret. Recent fraud accusations involving Chinese companies have only served to highlight this problem, but any sort of resolution appears to be some way off.