中國建行被定爲英國首家人民幣清算銀行

Britain’s bid to become the leading centre for offshore trading in the renminbi is set to receive a boost with the designation of China Construction Bank, the country’s second-largest lender, as a clearing bank in London for the Chinese currency.

隨着中國第二大銀行中國建設銀行(CCB)被指定爲人民幣在倫敦的清算銀行，英國成爲主要人民幣離岸交易中心的競爭力又獲提升。

The move – filling a gap in the UK’s infrastructure for trading the currency – will embellish London’s credentials as a global centre for foreign exchange trading, as financial capitals around the world vie for a slice of the fast-growing offshore renminbi trade.

這彌補了英國的人民幣交易基礎設施缺陷，將完善倫敦作爲全球外匯交易中心的資格。現在全球金融資本都想在快速增長的人民幣離岸交易上分一杯羹。

The decision is expected to be announced around the time of a trip to London next week by the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

該決定預計將在下週中國國務院總理李克強訪問倫敦時公佈。

People close to the decision said CCB had been selected as the first UK renminbi clearing bank, despite earlier expectations that it was likely to be local rival Bank of China. “This was a decision taken in Beijing, not in London,” said one. “It’s kind of a matter of sharing things around.” The UK is keen to defend its role as the main offshore renminbi trading centre outside Asia but faces competition from Frankfurt and Luxembourg.

熟悉該決定詳情的人士表示，中國建設銀行已被選定爲英國第一家人民幣清算銀行，此前的預期熱門曾是其本國競爭對手中國銀行(Bank of China)。“這個決定是北京方面、不是倫敦方面作出的。”一位知情人士表示，“這有點像共享。”英國熱衷於捍衛自己作爲人民幣在亞洲以外主要離岸交易中心的角色，但要面對來自法蘭克福和盧森堡的競爭。

The change will allow investors to cut the risk from making overseas payments in renminbi, and should make trading it more efficient and liquid. It may attract Chinese companies keen to invest in Europe, as well as making it easier for investors to gain access to China’s onshore capital markets.

這一變化將幫助投資者減少以人民幣進行海外支付的風險，而且應會提高人民幣海外交易的效率和流動性。它可能會吸引渴望在歐洲投資的中國公司，也讓投資者進入中國國內資本市場更加方便。

George Osborne has been courting the Chinese as he attempts to build up the City of London’s renminbi business.

英國財政大臣喬治•奧斯本(George Osborne)一直在向中國示好，努力想增強倫敦金融城的人民幣業務。

The renminbi’s share of trading in the $5tn a day foreign exchange spot market, although still modest, has climbed steadily in recent years. CCB’s London representative office declined to comment, as did the Bank of England. The People’s Bank of China could not be reached for comment.

現在外匯現貨市場日均交易量爲5萬億美元，人民幣在其中的份額雖然仍不高，但近年來一直在穩步攀升。中國建設銀行倫敦代表處及英國央行(Bank of England)拒絕對此作出評論。記者無法聯繫到中國人民銀行(PBoC)置評。