中国银行保险监督管理委员会发布修订《中国银保监会外资银行行政许可事项实施办法》，进一步推动银行业更高水平对外开放；银保监会将坚持对外开放与审慎监管并重，在有效防范金融风险的同时，促进银行业健康平稳发展。

银保监会新闻稿称，修订后的《办法》与《外资银行管理条例》衔接，允许外国银行在中国境内同时设立分行和外资法人银行、取消外国银行来华设立营业性机构需满足的总资产要求、放宽中外合资银行中方主要股东选择范围。

另外，《办法》将外资银行部分董事、高管人员任职资格核准和分行开业审批权限进一步下放或调整；取消管理型支行行长任职资格核准审批；缩短两级审批事项的审批时限；简化外资银行赴境外发债的部分申请材料要求。

除此之外，按照中外一致原则，《办法》在相关许可章节中，相应增加了股权管理及反洗钱和反恐怖融资审查的要求，进一步强化了审慎监管，并对股东变更的内涵进行修订。同时办法亦为自贸区等特定区域实施进一步简政放权措施预留政策空间。

2019年11月8日至12月8日，中国银保监会就《办法》（征求意见稿）向社会公开征求意见，对社会各界的反馈意见进行了认真研究，充分吸收各项科学合理的建议。

China banking regulator eases market access for foreign lenders

China’s banking and insurance regulator (CBIRC) has released new rules which make it easier for foreign lenders to enter the Chinese market.

The measures cancel the total asset requirements for foreign banks to set up businesses in China and relax limitations on shareholders of joint venture lenders, according to a notice posted on the CBIRC official website late on Friday.

Foreign lenders will also be able to open both branches and wholly foreign-owned banks at the same time in China, it said.

Meanwhile, the requirements for equity management and anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing have been tightened, it added.

China said in October it planned to remove business restrictions on foreign banks, brokerages and fund management firms.

The country is currently locked in a tit-for-tat trade battle with the United States in which China has been touting its free trade credentials. But the two sides have agreed on a partial deal which could be signed soon.