"我们看到大湾区的居民的财富增长非常快。今年上半年，（东亚银行）在大湾区内地分行富裕群体的 客户增长有39%。另外，南下香港的客户增长54%，南向跨境理财的AUM增长了差不多90%。我们会积 极发展跨境理财业务。"李民斌表示。 （文章来源：21世纪经济报道） 10月16日，东亚银行深圳福田旗舰行开业。东亚银行联席行政总裁李民斌在开业仪式上表示，该旗舰行 临近福田高铁站，为往返深港两地的人才和高净值客户提供金融服务，进一步发挥内地和香港的协同优 势。 21世纪经济报道记者黄子潇深圳报道 ...

Core Insights - Foreign banks in China are rapidly adjusting their retail business strategies, closing over 10 branches while opening flagship branches and wealth management centers in major cities [1][2][4] - The shift towards high-end retail and cross-border wealth management is seen as a new growth engine for foreign banks amid increasing competition in the local market [1][4] Group 1: Branch Adjustments - More than 10 foreign banks have closed branches in mainland China since the beginning of the year, indicating a trend of continuous network contraction [2] - HSBC China has closed 9 branches this year, with over half located in Guangdong province, while Standard Chartered has also reduced its traditional physical branch scale [2][5] - In contrast, foreign banks are accelerating the establishment of flagship branches and private wealth management centers in core cities, focusing on high-net-worth clients [2][3] Group 2: Wealth Management Focus - Standard Chartered plans to invest $1.5 billion over the next five years to expand its wealth management services, targeting affluent clients' needs for diversified investments and wealth inheritance [3][5] - The wealth management market in China is experiencing structural growth, driven by the expansion of the middle-income group and increasing demand for wealth management services [4][5] - As of mid-2024, foreign banks in China had total assets of 3.87 trillion yuan, with a net profit of 14.9 billion yuan, reflecting a 28.4% year-on-year increase, largely driven by wealth management contributions [5] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - Despite the potential of the wealth management market, foreign banks face significant competition from local banks, which dominate basic services like savings and wealth management due to their extensive networks and customer bases [7] - As of the end of 2023, there were only 888 operating foreign banks in China, leading to limited brand recognition and coverage [7] - Some foreign banks have opted to shrink their personal business layouts, with examples including the transfer of personal business by Dah Sing Bank and Citibank's sale of its personal wealth management business to HSBC [7] Group 4: Future Outlook - The wealth management business of foreign banks in China is expected to continue growing, with a focus on differentiation and specialization [8] - Foreign banks will deepen their high-end and cross-border services, leveraging global networks to meet the complex needs of high-net-worth clients [8] - Digital transformation will be accelerated to enhance service efficiency and compensate for the limitations of physical branch networks [8]