Former FT in the PRC
- 2016-04-15
You have chosen to be in China. Things are different here. You should accept this. You have no right to complain about the BOC rules and regulations.
Stop moaning and adjust to your chosen environment!
I fear for FTs in China who have to exit fast for a variety of unforeseen reasons, and don't realize the pitfalls that may prevent them from doing so, viz:
1) The Chinese employer can't get them a previously promised proper visa, by design or by accident. They must leave on the one they've got, which will expire fast, but the FT hasn't got the readies to do so. He/she must depend on incoming transferred foreign currency to effect this fast. However, incompetent foreign currency transferors (Citibank springs to mind) and unco-operative Chinese banks ( BOC for one) could leave him/her wanting and facing visa violation by overstay thereby. Such Chinese employers are likely to be Chinese agents or Chinese language mills.
2} There is an emergency situation in the FT's homeland that requires his/her fast return, such as the impending death of a loved one. However, the transferee's foreign currency doesn't come through in time for the same reasons as in 1) above.
3) A Chinese employer who had promised an end-of-contract bonus rescinds, leaving the FT short of the necessary funds to exit China before visa expiration.
Nobody else has grasped (or chosen to grasp) the potential pitfalls re the necessity of fast unimpeded currency transfer for foreigners in China. So I have given myself carte blanche to spell it out!
As for me, I'm goin' nowhere and I'm fortunate enough to have offshore funds available fast to bale me out financially if I am prevented from obtaining my teacher's pension fast coz of an uncaring governmental agency, namely the SPPA who in its wisdom, sic, has chosen a sloppy American bank, namely Citibank, to get my pension here in good time.
So, my advice is to bank with a Chinese bank that won't give you BS when the sending bank makes a relatively minor error, such as abbreviated names instead of full names of the beneficiary as shown on the beneficiary's passport despite the bank account number advised by the transferor matching the account number of the potential beneficiary.
Now, if I am wrong, please respond. Otherwise, belt up, and please, please don't say you haven't had any problems with your Chinese bank, or if you did have, but you were careless. In that event, you've been lucky!
Former FT in the PRC
- 2016-04-12
Yes, in fact BOC workers are indoctrinated and brainwashed idiots who hate foreigners. Never met any friendly people the whole time I was dealing with them. They are arrogant snobs who know nothing about public relations or customer service, regardless of the fake smiles you see in their crappy and cheap advertisements.
Actually, here in Hohhot at the Inner Mongolia branch, the tellers have very good manners. The problem for them is that they are treated like dirt by their bosses. There is a customer service and PIN number kind of pad which the bosses expect each teller to score highly in terms of stars.
Tellers' salaries have declined in recent years, but they are still paid well when compared to tellers working for western banks.
When my wife and I engaged a boss in a lengthy and heated quarrel at the counter, I didn't notice any anger on the faces of any teller. I got the impression they were pleased my wife and I were giving that hard taskmaster of theirs a verbal lashing in Chinese and in English!
Former FT in the PRC
- 2016-04-10
Every one of the tens of thousands of employees at the BOC are the same. They receive headquarters indoctrination in abusing foreign customers.
Shocking - so we should avoid the BOC like the plague!
If Chinese citizens would simply follow the instruction of FTs, whose knowledge is particularly common, China would have solve its financial industry problems.
Agreed! Teachers have common sense in abundance and logical minds, especially China's foreign teachers. They are a breed on their own with lots of cultural experience!
I like Australians because
they don't pull their punches! That's the best way to live.
I like Australians because having driven drunk across a lawn, crashing into an old couples living room, they possess the Aussie Innate Arrogance to complain about the idiotic location of the house.
But I don't like those kinds of Australians!
Paul Greene
- 2016-04-11
Yes, in fact BOC workers are indoctrinated and brainwashed idiots who hate foreigners. Never met any friendly people the whole time I was dealing with them. They are arrogant snobs who know nothing about public relations or customer service, regardless of the fake smiles you see in their crappy and cheap advertisements.
San Migs
- 2016-04-10
Yeap, absolutely and completely useless, that is most banks in China. The BOC has long had a reputation for being tied to the party line and unhelpful, especially where foreigners are concerned. An aussie guy I knew in the rag trade many moons back was always whinging about them, and how hard they made things. Look at the amount of paperwork/red stamping needed just to close a bank account. Opening one is the easy part, it's normally done instantly, problems can arise later.
San Migs
- 2016-04-10
Interesting that there are many current and ex China FT's on these boards.
amused
- 2016-04-10
The BOC in particular is a useless bank in China. The staff are rude, lazy , incompetent,
and hate foreigners.
Every one of the tens of thousands of employees at the BOC are the same. They receive headquarters indoctrination in abusing foreign customers.
bank staff who are unwilling to listen to common sense from bank customers
If Chinese citizens would simply follow the instruction of FTs, whose knowledge is particularly common, China would have solve its financial industry problems.
I like Australians because
they don't pull their punches! That's the best way to live
I like Australians because having driven drunk across a lawn, crashing into an old couples living room, they possess the Aussie Innate Arrogance to complain about the idiotic location of the house.
Paul Greene
- 2016-04-10
I am a person who is very critical of the Chinese. However , the young ladies at CEB were extremely friendly, helpful ,professional. There is no comparison between Everbright and Bank of China. BOC is an utterly useless organization!
Former FT in the PRC
- 2016-04-10
The BOC in particular is a useless bank in China. The staff are rude, lazy , incompetent, and hate foreigners. The main Gucheng lu branch in Nanning city, Guangxi province, in particular, is a disgrace. China Everbright Bank is ten times better. [edited] and [edited]
I'm not surprised that you have had bad experiences at the BOC. It can be very frustrating to deal with bank staff who are unwilling to listen to common sense from bank customers. Good that you switched your bank to Everbright.
In my case I have arranged my financial matters so that I will only have to visit the BOC twice a year. So, the benefits of switching would be minimal for me.
I hope that our fellow forum readers will avoid using the BOC for their own sakes. Thanks again for your contribution. I believe you are Australian. I like Australians because they don't pull their punches! That's the best way to live, especially here in the PRC!
Paul Greene
- 2016-04-09
The BOC in particular is a useless bank in China. The staff are rude, lazy , incompetent, and hate foreigners. The main Gucheng lu branch in Nanning city, Guangxi province, in particular, is a disgrace. China Everbright Bank is ten times better. [edited] and [edited]
Former FT in the PRC
- 2016-04-08
You have chosen to be in China. Things are different here. You should accept this. You have no right to complain about the BOC rules and regulations.Stop moaning and adjust to your chosen environment!
I was expecting a Citibank wire transfer to be instigated on March 30 as March 31 was Easter Friday. I waited until April 4 before visiting the BOC. They told me there had been no transfer to my account. That was a lie. The previous day they had rejected the transfer due to the abbreviations in my name. But they had acted the daft laddie on Tuesday 4 April, on which date they told me nothing except that there were no transfers to my account. Unhelpful and sneaky.
As for SPPA. they were sneaky when they replied to my e-mail enquiring as to why no transfer had been made. At that time they must have known that the BOC had returned the transfer to Citibank.
Yes, the BOC has its unique regulations for foreigners. For example. if your spouse is Chinese and you wish to transfer foreign currency from your account to your spouse's account, you'd better have retained the passport whose number appears on your marriage certificate, and your spouse must have retained his/her Chinese ID card whose number appears on the marriage certificate. Without them, the BOC will refuse to process any such currency transfers!
My advice is not to open a bank account for foreign currency with the BOC. They will likely give you grief at one time or another.
Elaine
- 2016-04-08
I also blame the BOC for rejecting the transfer even though the bank account number matched mine. Surely that far outweighs the abbreviated name error!
You have chosen to be in China. Things are different here. You should accept this. You have no right to complain about the BOC rules and regulations.
Stop moaning and adjust to your chosen environment!
Former FT in the PRC
- 2016-04-08
What I have noticed is that they prefer the name exactly as it printed on your passport. If
you use 'Alex' rather than 'Alexander' or an initial for your middle name and this is on
your passport I don't see a problem.
You don't see a problem. However, my branch of the BOC does. I receive GBP transfers from an offshore account and from another occupational pension provider. Both of them always use my full name, which I had previously provided, as shown in my passport. What is galling about the SPPA, is that, unlike the other GBP providers to my account, that agency made me complete a Cross Border Wire Transfer form in pdf format. Having done that, I wouldn't have expected the SPPA, especially as it is a government agency to manage to mess things up, in conjunction with Citibank by adulterating the correct information that I had provided. Just to add, I think there is a certain entitlement mentality within said agency that precludes their staff from apologising!
I also blame the BOC for rejecting the transfer even though the bank account number matched mine. Surely that far outweighs the abbreviated name error!