Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying’s Visit to Jersey

The former Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying, visited Jersey in November 2009. Representatives from Jersey Finance met Her Excellency and Madam Jiang Fan, Minister-Counsellor for Trade, at a reception held by the Chief Minister.

The visit by Her Excellency Madam Fu, Minister Counsellor Jiang and their colleagues came a week after the opening of Jersey Finance’s Greater China Office in Hong Kong, established to support the promotion of Jersey as an international finance centre in the Asia Pacific region. It also came soon after the announcement that Jersey companies are approved for listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

Although Jersey has been a leading international finance centre in the European time zone for more than 40 years, it has also worked with institutional clients and international investors across the world, including many in Greater China during this time.

Senior finance industry representatives in Jersey have been working in partnership with colleagues based in China and Hong Kong for many years, given recent developments there is now more scope than ever to establish firmer commercial links.

Geoff Cook, Chief Executive of Jersey Finance, commented:

‘We were delighted to welcome Her Excellency Madam Fu and her colleagues to Jersey today. Their visit marks a significant step in establishing much stronger ties between Greater China and Jersey.

‘The visit was particularly timely as we have just opened a Greater China Office in Hong Kong. This will now act as a hub for Jersey Finance to communicate the breadth and depth of its financial services across the Asia Pacific region. It serves as a permanent base for Jersey’s finance industry to develop its contacts with leading financial intermediaries, regulators and Government officials both in Hong Kong and mainland China.’

China, as stated in the recent Cap Gemini – Merrill Lynch Wealth Report, has one of the fastest growth rates for High Net Worth Individuals in the world with its business economy growing at a rate only dreamed of in the West (8% to the end of Q3 2009).  Securing links with such an economic tiger is vital to securing the future prosperity and success of Jersey’s finance industry.

To read selected speeches by Jersey delegates involved in the visit, click here.