The "bridge" that started at Xiamen – a 40-year chronicle of Xiamen International Bank
Xiamen International Bank
XIAMEN, China, Dec. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the past four decades, a financial bridge in Xiamen that began in the early days of reform and opening-up has extended from the Xiamen Special Economic Zone across Fujian and onward to overseas Chinese communities around the world. Established in 1985, Xiamen International Bank has taken root in the Special Economic Zone, expanded nationwide, and built global connections, actively participating in and witnessing the development of China's financial opening-up.
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Bridge of the special economic zone: linking Xiamen to international financial markets from the very beginning
In its early years, Xiamen International Bank supported the construction of the Special Economic Zone while helping to bring in international capital. In 1986, the bank served as the issuing agent for the first phase of bonds for the Xiamen Bridge. This issuance was particularly significant because it introduced a new financing model in China: for the first time, highway construction was funded through a combination of state investment and locally issued bonds. The bonds were enthusiastically subscribed by compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao as well as local residents, providing vital funding for Xiamen's cross-island development. Around the same period, the bank introduced the expertise of Hong Kong and Macao banks in mortgage lending and became one of the first banks in China to offer housing mortgage loans. It also opened a remittance channel via the United States at a time when direct cross-strait clearing had yet to be established, enabling telegraphic transfers from Taiwan to be credited within two days.
Bridge across Fujian: deepening its presence across the province and serving its development
Guided by the principle of being based in Xiamen, connecting domestic and international markets, focusing on Fujian, and extending services nationwide, Xiamen International Bank established its first mainland branch in Fuzhou in 1992 and subsequently expanded its network across all prefecture-level cities in Fujian. As of the end of June 2025, the bank and its affiliate, Chiyu Banking, operate more than 50 branches in Fujian with over 3,000 employees, contributing over 14 billion yuan in tax revenue over the past decade.
Bridge for overseas Chinese: expanding financial services for overseas Chinese and strengthening cross-border finance
One of the founding shareholders of Xiamen International Bank is Panin Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong-based company controlled by the patriotic overseas Chinese Mr. GEORGE M.K. LEE from Southeast Asia. Its affiliate, Luso International Banking, was founded by Mr. GEORGE M.K. LEE while Chiyu Banking was initiated by Mr Tan Kah Kee, esteemed as a prominent representative of the overseas Chinese community and a source of national pride. In recent years, the bank has drawn on its overseas Chinese heritage to strengthen services for overseas Chinese communities while expanding its cross-border financial operations. As of the end of September 2025, its overseas Chinese financial business reached nearly 230 billion yuan; it has assisted over 120 Chinese non-financial enterprises in issuing offshore bonds equivalent to more than 240 billion yuan; and its international business accounts for more than one-third of total operations, making it the small-to-medium bank in China with the highest proportion of international business.
In the 2024 Global 1000 Banks ranking by The Chinese Banker, Xiamen International Bank ranked 156th by total assets and 168th by Tier 1 capital.
Source: Xiamen International Bank
Contact person: Ms. Pan, Tel: 86-10-63074558
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