CIMB and China Merchants Bank in a strategic partnership to scale cross-border investment and trade across China-Malaysia-ASEAN

28 May 2026

Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Bank Berhad (“CIMB Bank” or “CIMB”) has recently signed a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) with China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd. (“China Merchants Bank”) to establish a comprehensive framework that will leverage the strengths of both banks for a wide range of cross-border client solutions. In line with CIMB’s Forward30 strategy, the collaboration supports the expansion of end-to-end banking services between China, Malaysia and ASEAN. 

The signing of the collaborative agreement between CIMB and China Merchants Bank will allow clients to access a comprehensive range of cross-border solutions, benefitting from a broad menu of banking services covering trade, payments, and cross-border financing to support their operations and expansion across markets. 

The partnership will further explore enhanced cash management capabilities, trade finance and settlement, supported by stronger head office connectivity to streamline cross-border treasury operations. In addition, the banks will also expand mutual client referrals and collaborate on investment banking and advisory services for regional expansion, covering market entry, investment structuring and regulatory requirements. This will be complemented by potential collaborations in syndicated loans across global primary and secondary markets, providing clients access to broader financing opportunities. 

Clients from both corporate and retail segments stand to benefit from greater access to international banking services. The collaboration will be further strengthened by more streamlined processes and enhanced service levels that collectively drive added value for clients.  

Chu Kok Wei, Chief Executive Officer, Group Wholesale Banking, CIMB said, “We are delighted to embark on this holistic banking collaboration with China Merchants Bank. By leveraging CIMB’s strong ASEAN footprint and expertise, this partnership strengthens our role in advancing regional financial connectivity. As a key link between Malaysia, ASEAN and China, CIMB is in a position of strength to facilitate seamless financial flows across the China–ASEAN corridor, enabling us to better support our clients with integrated, end-to-end solutions as they expand and capture growth opportunities across the region.”

Chu Kok Wei, Chief Executive Officer, Group Wholesale Banking, CIMB (left) and Lei Cai Hua, Executive Vice President, China Merchants Bank at the ceremony to formalise the collaboration between the two banks.