Jersey Finance is stepping up its promotional campaign in the Far East with
a ten day visit in September, which will include a stopover in Beijing for
the first time.
Shanghai and Hong Kong will also be on the itinerary as Jersey seeks to capitalise
on the growing business links between the region and finance professionals on
the Island.
Representatives from Government and the Island’s regulator, the Jersey
Financial Services Commission, will be joining the delegation to help explore
the potential for regulatory agreements between the authorities in both Hong Kong
and China.
Jersey Finance Technical Director, Rob Kirkby, commented:
"This is part of our continuing strategy to explore market diversification
and identify priority markets. We have had some considerable success, particularly
in the number of Chinese investors setting up Jersey companies in order to list
on exchanges in the West."
"However, at this stage, the level of awareness of
Jersey as an international finance centre is still limited in the region and
we have to build on our series of contacts and re-visit influential intermediaries,
government representatives and regulators, if we are to increase the prospects
for winning new business in the region."
The Jersey Finance delegation is planning to meet with major accountancy firms,
law practices and banking groups that have a substantial presence in one or
more of the cities on the itinerary.
In addition to this, the Jersey Finance team will also be hosting a series
of receptions for local finance professionals and other intermediaries. Meetings
with regulators, tax offices and government departments will also be scheduled.
The visit is a follow up to a fact-finding mission to China by a smaller Jersey
Finance team in April this year, and participation in a specialist Chinese investor
conference held in London earlier in the summer.
Mr Kirkby added:
"We met a number of Chinese entrepreneurs and potential investors when
Jersey Finance was a co-sponsor of the Boao Forum for Asia in London, an event
which enabled Chinese business leaders to learn more about investment opportunities
within Europe."
"We are keen to build on some of the networking opportunities
from that event also and pursue some of the business opportunities that were
identified both during our earlier visit to the region and that two day conference."
The Jersey Finance visit to China will take place from Monday 8th September to
Wednesday 17th September.