Date: 2 April 2001

HKCB Bank-Cert Creates A Secure On-line Banking Environment

(Hong Kong, 2 April 2001) - The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited (HKCB) and Hongkong Post today announced the launch of the HKCB Bank-Cert which enables customers to access the one-stop e-banking service of The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited.

The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited is one of the pilot banks in Hong Kong to accept both Hongkong Post e-Cert and HKCB Bank-Cert in its on-line banking transactions which require the use of digital signature to authenticate the identities of the customers before the conducting of fund transfer, card payment, placing time deposit, bill payment, and in the near future, remittance.

From now on, customers can apply for a HKCB Bank-Cert directly from any of the 21 branches of The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited. The use of HKCB Bank-Cert ensures that customers can safely conduct any on-line banking transactions, and it can also save their time and effort.

"It is our mission to provide our customers with a comprehensive and sophisticated on-line banking service," said Mr. Raymond LEE, Managing Director and Chief Executive of The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited. "The HKCB Bank-Cert is a significant component of our one-stop e-banking service."

Mr. LEE added, "one of the most frequently asked questions on e-banking is about security. We have virtually eliminated this problem by using the latest encryption technology when we launched our e-banking services last year. But we believe we could do more. The newly launched HKCB Bank-Cert can streamline the whole application process for the digital certificate."

Mr. P C LUK, Postmaster General said, "we are pleased to co-operate with The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited to launch the HKCB Bank-Cert. By using the Bank-Cert, customers of The Hongkong Chinese Bank, Limited can be confident that they can conduct their banking transactions safely."

The potential of the HKCB Bank-Cert is limitless. In the near future, it can be used for Internet stock trading (AMS/3 of Hong Kong Exchange) and to conduct transactions at the web site of Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) for government services.

From now until 30 April 2001, the fee for applying the HKCB Bank-Cert will be waived for the first year.