28 Sep 2006

Bank of () and Visa International join hands to pioneer the launch of VISA BOC Olympic Games Card five-ring-five-color series in the Hong Kong and Macau Regions

Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BOCHK”) and VISA International today announced the launch of VISA BOC Olympic Games Card five-ring-five-color series. This is the first series of credit card series featuring the Olympic five-ring colors in the Hong Kong and Macau regions, and is designed specially for those sports enthusiasts and Olympic aficionados. BOCHK has also invited Jun and , the champions in Mixed Doubles at two Olympic Games, to act as its official ambassadors of the VISA BOC Olympic Games Card.

The launch ceremony of VISA BOC Olympic Games Card five-ring-five-color series was held today at the Lobby of Bank of China Tower. Officiating guests include Mr He Guangbei, Vice Chairman & Chief Executive, Bank of China (Hong Kong); Ms Prudence Chan, Country Manager, Hong Kong and Macau, Visa International; The Hon Timothy Fok, GBS, JP Chairman of Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China, and Vice President of the Equestrian Committee (Hong Kong) of the Beijing Organising Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad; Mr Ye Yi Xin, General Manager, Bank of China Macau Branch; Mr Zhu Jun, Deputy Head of Olympic Office, Bank of China; Ms Wendy Mui, Deputy General Manager, BOC Credit Card (International) Limited as well as Mr Zhang Jun and Ms Gao Ling, Olympic Ambassadors of Bank of China (Hong Kong). Ms , Mr Ng Wei, Ms Yip Pui Yin and Mr Chan Yan Kit of the Hong Kong Badminton Team have also attended the ceremony, and conducted a friendly skills exchange with Zhang Jun and Gao Ling.

Addressing the audience at the launch ceremony, Mr He Guangbei said, “BOCHK fully supports the Beijing Olympic Games and shares in the pride that all Chinese have for this event. Today, we are honoured to announce the launch of the VISA BOC Olympic Games Card five-ring-five-color series. The rings signify the union of the five continents and athletes’

Page 1 of 5 friendship. We sincerely hope that people in Hong Kong and Macau will be able to experience the joy and excitement of the Olympic Games that we bring with this new series of credit cards.

“It is our great pleasure today to welcome Mr Zhang Jun and Ms Gao Ling, the champions in Badminton Mixed Doubles at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, to act as our Olympic Ambassadors and officiate at the ceremony. BOCHK has given its full support to the development of badminton sports in Hong Kong. Since 1999, BOCHK has been sponsoring the Badminton Promotion Scheme which is well received by the general public. It is our sincere wish that both Hong Kong and China Badminton Team Members, by upholding the Olympic spirit of ‘Higher, Swifter and Stronger’, will achieve excellent results in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games”, Mr He added.

Prudence Chan, Country Manager, Hong Kong and Macau, Visa International, said at the ceremony that “Since 1986, Visa has been the global sponsor and exclusive payment brand of the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games is the world’s most important sporting event. As the world’s leading payment brand, Visa is proud to continue this partnership through to 2012 including the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Sponsorship of the Olympic Games has been Visa’s most successful marketing strategy. Our sponsorship not only incorporates the ideals and values of the Olympics into the Visa name, but also provides our members with a marketing platform that helps increase their profit. Visa members have so far issued more than 21 million Visa cards bearing the exclusive Olympic rings. Visa will continue to work with its members to enable cardholders to experience the excitement of the Olympics,” said Prudence Chan, Country Manager of Visa International Hong Kong/Macau.

The VISA BOC Olympic Games Card five-ring-five-color series, featuring the Beijing Olympic Logo with Olympic five-ring colors of blue, yellow, black, green and red backgrounds, is ideal for both collection and commemoration. Echoing this theme, BOC Credit Card (International) Limited has prepared an array of Olympic-related monthly rewards for cardholders. From October 1, 2006 to January, 2007, the cardholder who accumulates the highest spending amount with the VISA BOC Olympic Games Card in each month will be rewarded a “3 day / 2 night Beijing 2008 Olympic Games tour package for two persons” and the cardholder who

Page 2 of 5 accumulates the second highest spending amount will be rewarded a “5 day / 4 night Beijing Olympic Preview Trip for two persons”. These tour packages will enable cardholders to share the excitement of the Beijing Olympic Games. In addition, the cardholders who accumulate the 3rd to 502nd highest spending amount with the VISA BOC Olympic Games Card in each month will receive “Visa BOC Olympic Games cards Commemorative Collection” gift set, which is ideal for collection.

From now until January, 2007, each successful applicant of any five-ring-five-color series VISA BOC Olympic Games Card will be eligible to enjoy a 3-year annual fee waiver and a welcome gift. Upon fulfilling the transaction amount (inclusive of retail purchase, cash advance, balance transfer, Cash Before Card or online bill payment) of HK$2,000 or above within the first two months of card issuance and there have to be spending in each month, each cardholder is entitled to receive a HK$300 adidas gift voucher. Each primary cardholder will receive 18,000 Gift Points upon successful application for a supplementary card within the first three months of card issuance.

For BOC Credit Card’s latest promotional offers, please call our 24-hour promotion hotline at (852) 2108 3288 or visit www.boci.com.hk.

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About Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited

Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BOCHK”), established on 1 October 2001, is a leading listed commercial banking group in Hong Kong. With about 280 branches and 450 ATMs and other distribution channels in Hong Kong, it offers a comprehensive range of financial products and services to retail and corporate customers. BOCHK is one of the three bank note issuing banks in Hong Kong. In addition, BOCHK has 14 branches and sub-branches in the Mainland of China to provide cross-border banking services to customers in Hong Kong and the Mainland. BOCHK was appointed by the People’s Bank of China as the only Renminbi (RMB) Clearing Bank in Hong Kong on 24 December 2003.

Page 3 of 5 BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited, BOCHK’s holding company, began trading on the main board of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on 25 July 2002, with stock code “2388”, ADR OTC Symbol: “BHKLY”.

About BOC Credit Card (International) Limited

BOC Credit Card (International) Limited (“BOCCC”) was established in 1980 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BOCHK. All credit cards issued by BOCCC are collectively called BOC Credit Cards. BOCCC has issued various international credit cards and revolving loan cards, and is now the card issuing and acquiring processing centre for BOCHK and its subsidiary banks (Nanyang Commercial Bank Ltd and Chiyu Banking Corporation Ltd), as well as other institutions and organisations. BOCCC plays an important role in the credit card business in the Mainland of China, Hong Kong and Macau.

BOCCC provides a wide variety of products to serve different market needs. Its product family includes the VISA and MasterCard Platinum Card, Gold Card, Classic Card, Business / Corporate Card, Purchasing Card, Co-branded Card (with over 20 co-branding corporations and organisations), U-point Credit Card, y not Credit Card, Intown Virtual Credit Card, BOC RMB Credit Card and BOC Express Cash Card. It also took the lead in launching the UnionPay Card Payment Service in Hong Kong in January 2004.

About Visa International

Visa connects cardholders, merchants and financial institutions through the world’s largest electronic payments network. Visa products allow buyers and sellers to conduct commerce with ease and confidence in both the physical and virtual worlds. As an association owned by 20,000 member financial institutions, Visa is committed to the sustained growth of electronic payment systems to support the needs of all stakeholders and to drive economic growth. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.

About Visa Asia Pacific

In Asia Pacific, Visa has a greater market share than all other payment card brands combined with 62 percent of all card purchases at the point of sale being made using Visa cards. There are currently

Page 4 of 5 277 million Visa-branded cards in the region. For the 12 months ended December 2005, US$579 billion was spent at point of sale or withdrawn from ATMs in Asia Pacific using Visa cards. Visa Asia Pacific’s Internet address is www.visa-asia.com.

About Visa in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, there are about currently 7.8 million Visa Cards in circulation, generating a retail sales volume of more than HK$153 billion from the point of sale for the 12 months ended 31 December 2005. Visa Hong Kong’s Internet address is www.visa.com.hk.

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