國內銀行開拓中國大陸農村金融市場之機會與挑戰

The Opportunities and Challenges for Taiwan’s Banks in Mainland China’s Rural Financial Market

2010年3月12日，台灣開放國內銀行可以分行、子行及參股投資等三種方式進入中國大陸市場；6月29日兩岸簽署經濟合作架構協定（ECFA），銀行業已列入早收清單內。而2006年底中國大陸開放設置村鎮銀行、貸款公司和農村資金互助社等新型農村金融機構，其中村鎮銀行提供國內金融機構進軍中國大陸的另一個選項。而國內金融機構由於經歷信用合作社經營和改制為銀行的豐富經驗，從事村鎮銀行業務並不陌生；但另一方面，中國大陸目前法規仍然限制村鎮銀行的貸款對象為農戶及個體戶，尚未能擴及企業（包括台商）。在當地風土人情仍未能熟悉的情況下，其商機與風險仍應審慎評估。

On March 12, 2010, Taiwan’s government started to allow domestic banks to set up branches or sub-branches, or invest in local banks, in mainland China; and banking services were included in the early harvest list of the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) signed on June 29, 2010. Since mainland China liberalized the establishment of rural banks, loan companies and rural credit cooperatives in late 2006, Taiwan’s banks can also consider rural banking as another option for entry to the mainland, having already acquired ample experience of operating credit cooperatives and turning them into banks, and being no strangers to the operation of rural banking. However, mainland China’s regulations currently restrict rural bank lending to loans to farmers and individual households, and do not yet allow them to lend to business enterprises (including Taiwanese businesses). Under the current circumstances, and given their unfamiliarity with local customs and practices, Taiwan’s banks must carefully assess the opportunities and risks of entering this market.