HANG SENG BANK LAUNCHES ezLINK FINANCIAL SERVICES

Hang Seng Bank has launched ezLink Financial Services for customers who have to manage their personal finances in Hong Kong from mainland China. Customers who are foreign passport holders or citizens of Hong Kong, or Taiwan working or residing in mainland China can apply for ezLink Prestige Banking or ezLink Bank-In-One Account. These integrated accounts offer savings and time deposits in HKD and foreign currencies accounts, a current account in HKD, securities trading, investment funds and stand-by overdraft facilities. Mr Mok Wai-kin, Managing Director and General Manager of the Bank, said: "With the closer economic integration between Hong Kong and mainland China and China's entry into the World Trade Organization opening up increasing business opportunities, more people from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other places are expected to work or travel to the Mainland." "ezLink Financial Services are offered to fulfil the growing needs of customers to manage their finances in Hong Kong from the Mainland," he said. To ensure customers enjoy a high degree of cash flow liquidity, the accounts offer an Express Remittance Service which allows customers to remit funds instantly from their ezLink accounts in Hong Kong to a designated Hang Seng Bank account in the Mainland via Phone Banking Services or the Bank's selected Mainland branches. A consolidated monthly statement, which provides an at-a-glance financial summary, will be sent to the designated Mainland address free of charge. Customers can enjoy 24-hour banking convenience and access their accounts in Hong Kong through Hang Seng e-Banking, phone banking, mobile banking and ATMs. ezLink Prestige Banking customers can enjoy professional and personalised services from the Bank's Customer Relationship Managers in Hong Kong and the Mainland branches. The account opening amount for ezLink Prestige Banking and ezLink Bank-In-One Account is HK$500,000 and HK$5,000 respectively. If the average total relationship balance over the past 12 months is HK$1,000,000 or above for ezLink Prestige Banking, or HK$100,000 or above for ezLink Bank-In-One Account, the annual fee of HK$480 and HK$350 respectively will be waived. The total relationship balance includes deposits, securities, investment funds and utilised overdrafts under ezLink Prestige Banking and ezLink Bank-In-One Account, and the balances of other Hang Seng deposit accounts in Hong Kong bearing the customer's name. Customers can apply for ezLink Prestige Banking or ezLink Bank-In-One Account through any Hang Seng Bank branch in Hong Kong or the Mainland, or call the Bank's Customer Service Hotline (852) 2998-9898 or the 24-hour Mainland toll free number 10800-852-0736 for further information. The Bank's Mainland branches also offers personal banking services ranging from HKD and foreign currency savings and time deposit accounts to remittances and foreign currency mortgage financing. Customers who have opened a Mainland account at any of the Bank's four Mainland branches can enjoy extra financial flexibility by conducting transactions at any Mainland branch. Customers who open a Mainland account through any of the Bank's branches in Hong Kong can enjoy a remittance fee waiver on remitting their initial deposit to the Mainland account. Founded in 1933, Hang Seng Bank, a principal member of the HSBC Group and the second largest listed bank in Hong Kong, operates 155 branches and automated banking centres in Hong Kong; branches in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Fuzhou; and representative offices in Beijing, Xiamen and Taipei. With consolidated assets of HK$482.6 billion at the end of June 2001, the Bank reported a profit attributable to shareholders of HK$5.38 billion for the first half of 2001, and HK$10 billion for the full year of 2000. For further information on Hang Seng, please visit the Bank's website at www.hangseng.com.