China Construction Bank's board chairman Guo Shuqing (2nd R), Richard Neiman (1st R), superintendent of banks of New York State Banking Department, Chinese Consul-General to New York Peng Keyu (2nd L), and Fan Yifei (1st L), vice governor of China Construction Bank (CCB) attend the opening ceremony of the New York branch of CCB in New York, the United States, June 5, 2009. [Xinhua]

China Construction Bank Corporation (CCB), the world's second largest bank by market value, opened its New York branch on Friday.

The New York branch, CCB's first branch in the United States, extends CCB's global presence and marks a significant milestone in CCB's global strategy, said CCB's Chairman Guo Shuqing to Xinhua after the opening ceremony.

The establishment of CCB's branch in New York, the world's largest financial center, will significantly improve CCB's ability to provide worldwide services to its customers, he added.

The New York branch will engage in wholesale banking activities, including lending, acceptance of wholesale deposits, trade finance, U.S. dollar clearing and treasury, according to the CCB.

As the initial operating platform in the United States, the New York branch will use CCB's extensive financial resources, robust global network and solid infrastructure to provide premium financial services to its clients, including multinational corporations and financial institutions.

"The new branch will also enable CCB to better facilitate Chinese-American economic and trade investment and financial cooperation and will help CCB to make significant progress towards its vision of becoming a truly global bank," said the chairman.

CCB is one of the largest commercial banks in China, ranked second in terms of market capitalization among all listed banks in the world, and is among global industry leaders in terms of profitability.

Chinese Consul General to New York Peng Keyu, Deputy Mayor of New York City Robert Lieber, Superintendent of Banks of the New York State Banking Department Richard Neiman, CCB Chairman Guo Shuqing, CCB Vice President Fan Yifei and some 400 local guests attended the opening ceremony.