The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Norman Chan, visited three retail bank branches in northern Tin Shui Wai area today (August 17) to understand the situation of branch services from bank representatives and staff, and chatted with customers to understand their feedbacks on the newly added banking facilities.

     The HKMA attaches importance to the accessibility of basic banking services for the general public, and has been encouraging the banking industry to put the spirit of financial inclusion into practice when developing their banking networks, in particular, to take special care of the needs for basic banking services of the residents living in remote areas and public housing estates, fulfilling their social responsibilities.

     The HKMA has been actively following up and coordinating with retail banks with a view to further enhancing the coverage of banking networks in remote areas and public housing estates, and we have received positive responses from the banks.  In northern Tin Shui Wai area, apart from one existing bank branch there, all the three new bank branches in today's visit provide general banking services with some of them also providing a video teller machine and cardless ATM cash withdrawal service, or setting up lower-height bank counters customised for the convenient use of people who are physically challenged.

     Mr Chan said, "I am glad to visit today three bank branches opened in Tin Shui Wai recently to better understand their work and operations after commencing business.  I commend Bank of East Asia, China Construction Bank (Asia) and Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong), as well as other retail banks that enhanced services in remote areas earlier, for responding positively to the HKMA's call for increasing the coverage of physical branch networks to provide basic banking services for the public in remote areas. More retail banks will enhance the services in remote areas in the coming months."

     Two note-issuing banks launched two mobile branches earlier. Apart from the branches included in today's visit, the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank and Bank of China (Hong Kong) also recently opened a branch and deployed a mobile branch as well as a video teller machine in public housing estates in remote areas.  The HKMA expects that retail banks can continue to, via branch channel and flexible utilisation of new technologies, further enhance the coverage of banking networks and address the needs for basic banking services of the general public.

Ends/Thursday, August 17, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:40

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