China Welcomes Foreign Banks' Entry

　　中共中央政治局常委、国务院副总理黄菊11日在中南海会见了法国巴黎银行集团首席执行官博杜安·普罗一行。黄菊指出，随着中国金融业对外开放不断扩大，中国与法国金融服务领域的合作具有很大的增长潜力，这将进一步促进中欧经贸关系的发展。中国政府欢迎外资银行积极参与中国的经济建设和金融改革，扩大双方在银行、保险、证券等领域的合作。

Vice-Premier Huang Ju said in Beijing Thursday that China welcomes foreign banks to take an active part in its economic development and banking reform, increasing cooperation with it in the banking, insurance and securities sectors. Huang made the remarks during a meeting with Baudouin Prot, chief executive officer (CEO) of the BNP Paribas, the largest French banking group and the first European bank which set up a representative office in Beijing back in 1980. At present, Huang noted, China's economy still maintains a good momentum for growth, reform in the banking sector has further sped up, and substantial progress have been made in the reform of State-owned commercial banks, all these provide important business opportunities for foreign financial companies, he said. China and France share a very great potential for banking cooperation along with continuous opening-up and expanding of Chinese financial sector, Huang acknowledged, adding that it will contribute to the growth of Sino-European economic and trade ties. Baudouin Prot appreciated China for the achievements it had made in its economic development and financial reform, saying that the BNP Paribas confides in exploring further in the Chinese market.