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Q: What bank do you recommend?
I need to open an account in China and am planning on doing it soon.
I see that everyone is paying with their phone around and I wanted to know if there was a bank with easy English online access and perhaps assistance in English and with a decent amount of bank offices around Beijing so I don't have to move across the city... It's a lot of conditions, sorry...
Thanks for the help!!
7 years 46 weeks ago in Money & Banking - Beijing
China Merchants Bank Gold account with Visa/Mc logo.
See thread 'Laowai friendly bank' for more.
http://answers.echinacities.com/question/laowai-friendly-bank-china
'add-it': I am not using it over the phone. You can't make online purchases on Western owned web sites, but at every CMB I was, they have at least one Chinese English speaking employee.
China Merchants Bank Gold account with Visa/Mc logo.
See thread 'Laowai friendly bank' for more.
http://answers.echinacities.com/question/laowai-friendly-bank-china
'add-it': I am not using it over the phone. You can't make online purchases on Western owned web sites, but at every CMB I was, they have at least one Chinese English speaking employee.
Also recommend China Merchants bank but a couple of points to note:
1) Phone app only in Chinese. I can use it to transfer money as my wife taught me how
2) Get them to install the computer online banking software in the bank. I've not been able to download it on my laptop (though phone app works so not needed to)
ironman510:
Accept BOC, that sounds like All banks in China. Which would you use to ship money out of the country? Now I'm required to provide 3 doc's to ship money to America
Hotwater:
Shipping money out is one point I don't have problems with. I use the phone app to transfer money to my wife's account. She goes online, buys Sterling and then transfers it 2 minutes later. Normally in my U.K. account next day, 2days at the latest.
I had an account with BOC for a couple of years. Couldn't get the online banking to work and dealing with staff in the bank was like having teeth pulled without an anesthetic!
I agree....Merchant bank is by far the least hassle. And has almost no queues ever.
icnif77:
Also tea&coffee, snacks, candies in 'Gold account-VIP' area. Very soft, comfortable sofas, so sometimes I just rest there ... 
