XN000022-1992-07-24 — Page 5

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FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1992

4 LICENCE GRANTED TO FUKUTOKU BANK

THE FUKUTOKU BANK, CONDUCT BUSINESS IN HONG (FRIDAY).

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LTD HAS BEEN GRANTED A BANKING LICENCE TO KONG,

GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY

THE FURUTOKU BANK, LTD IS THE 69TH LARGEST BANK IN RANKS 366TH IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF CAPITAL.

JAPAN, AND

PRIOR TO THE GRANTING OF THE LICENCE, THE BANK OPERATED A REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN HONG KONG, THE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE WILL

BE UPGRADED TO A BRANCH.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CONTINUING INTEREST OF FOREIGN BANKS IN ENTRRING THE LOCAL MARKET REFLECTED HONG KONG'S CONTINURD IMPORTANCE AS A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE.

THE LICENCE FOR THE FUKUTOKU BANK IS THE SRCOND BANKING LICENCE GRANTED THIS YEAR.

THERE ARE NOW 162 LICENSED BANKS IN HONG ARE INCORPORATED OUTSIDE THE TERRITORY.

KONG, OF WHICH 132

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ONE VIETNAMESE NETTED

AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FROM VIETNAM WAS INTERCEPTED ON WEDNESDAY IN THE BORDER AREA, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VIETNAMESE ARRIVALA TO NINE THIS YEAR.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE MAN WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE TRAVELLED OVERLAND FROM VIETNAM TO CHINA BEFORE SNEAKING INTO HONG KONG.

THE CASE BRINGS TO 67 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ARRIVALS FROM VIETNAM SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE AGREEMENT ON ORDERLY RETURN ON OCTOBER 29 LAST YEAR.

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