Feb. 2, 2007 (China Knowledge) – Agricultural Bank of China (ABC) would invite foreign investors if its overseas listing is possible, said vice-president Han Zhongqi

Many big foreign banks have approached ABC. However, it is still too early to decide if these banks would have a stake in ABC as listing plans have yet to be finalized, Han told the South China Morning Post on Thursday.

Han’s comments refuted an earlier report from the Securities Times stating that ABC is unlikely to seek a foreign strategic investor and would list in Shanghai rather than Hong Kong.

All of the three Big Four banks which are listed in Hong Kong have sold shares to foreign banks – China Construction Bank (CCB) <939> to Bank of America Corp, Bank of China (BOC)<601988><3988> to Royal Bank of Scotland, and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)<601398><1398> to Goldman Sachs.