维京群岛遭遇"反洗钱"压力

2014-09-24 18:15:29来源：可可英语

　　The British Virgin Islands has long attracted Chinesecompanies looking to incorporate offshore but theCaribbean haven is facing pressure in Hong Kongfrom a global push to tackle money laundering.

　　被称作“避税天堂”的加勒比海英属维京群岛(British VirginIslands，简称BVI)正面临来自香港的反洗钱运动压力。长期以来，维京群岛一直对试图创办离岸公司的中国企业有着很大吸引力。

　　HSBC and Standard Chartered, two internationalbanks with a significant Hong Kong presence, havemade it very difficult for BVI companies to open bankaccounts in the Chinese territory over the past two years, according to lawyers involved insetting up companies in the offshore financial centre.

　　那些参与过BVI公司注册业务的律师表示，过去两年，BVI的公司很难在香港的汇丰银行(HSBC)和渣打银行(Standard Chartered)创建银行账户。这两家国际银行在香港都占有极大市场份额。

　　“You are seeing stronger compliance and the banks themselves are being more risk-averse sothey are making it harder to open accounts,” said Elise Donovan, head of the BVI office in HongKong responsible for Asia.

　　BVI负责亚洲事务的驻港办事处主任埃利塞•多诺万(Elise Donovan)表示：“一方面合规要求越来越高，另一方面银行自身的风险厌恶倾向也越来越强。因此，创建银行账户变得越来越难。”

　　Europe and the US are stepping up anti-money laundering measures to crack down on taxevasion and terrorism funding, which is forcing banks to strengthen compliance. G20finance ministers are expected to discuss reforms to tackle tax avoidance when they meet inCairns this weekend.

　　为打击避税和对恐怖活动的资金支持，欧美正在加大反洗钱力度。此举迫使银行加强合规方面的要求。本周末，二十国集团(G20)的财长将在凯恩斯会晤，预计他们将会讨论应对避税问题的改革措施。

　　HSBC has become more cautious since 2012 when it paid $1.9bn in fines for processing drug-trafficking money and sending funds through countriesfacing sanctions. Last month StandardChartered agreed to suspend clearing services for high-risk clients in Hong Kong in a deal withUS regulators.

　　自2012年被罚款以来，汇丰银行变得愈发小心。该行当年曾因经手贩毒资金和允许资金流过受制裁国家，被处以19亿美元罚款。渣打银行则在上个月与美国监管机构达成协议，同意暂停为香港高风险客户的结算服务。

　　Christopher Bickley, a partner at the law firm Conyers Dill & Pearman, said banks werenow making it “torturous” to open BVI accounts, spurring companies to incorporate in Samoaand the Seychelles. Fiona Le Poidevin, chief executive of Guernsey Finance which promotesthe island as a financial centre, said it was “quite a telling story” that HSBC was refusing toopen BVI accounts.

　　康德明律师事务所(Conyers Dill & Pearman)合伙人克里斯托弗•比克利(Christopher Bickley)表示，开设BVI账户正因银行业的举措而变得“痛苦不堪”，这促使企业转而在萨摩亚群岛和塞舌尔群岛开办公司。耿西金融岛(Guernsey Finance)首席执行官费奥纳•勒普瓦德万(Fiona Le Poidevin)表示，汇丰银行拒绝创建BVI账户“能说明很多问题”。

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