Customers communicate with Citibank specialists via video phones. [Photo/Zhang Xiaomin]

Citibank (China) Co Ltd opened its first sub-branch on Friday in Dalian. It is Citibank's first Smart Banking outlet in this coastal city of northeast China's Liaoning province.

The new sub-branch underscores Citibank's confidence in the ongoing economic advancement of Dalian and Northeast China, Jonathan Larsen, Head of Consumer Bank and Cards for Citi Asia Pacific, said at the opening ceremony.

"By introducing this state-of-the-art Smart Banking outlet, we bring innovation to our growing customer base here that make banking and wealth management services more relevant and accessible," he added. The Dalian Xinghai Bay outlet is Citibank's 11th Smart Banking outlet in China. It is equipped with a number of interactive touch screens, apple computers, iPad sales pads, and tablet PC, to enable customers to easily obtain information about Citibank as well as its latest product and service offerings. With long distance video conferencing facility, the customers can obtain additional expert opinion and consultation from Citibank specialists at other locations on a real time basis via video phones.

According to Andrew Au, Chief Executive Officer of Citi China, Citi has been expanding across multiple lines of business in Dalian. It has a branch in downtown Dalian and a lending company in Wafangdian, as well as branches of Citicorp Software and Technology Services and Citi Data Processing Center.

"Citi is committed to continued investment in China, and the opening today embodies our dedication of growing with Dalian's construction development progress as it seeks to become a regional financial center," he said.

US-based Citi, a leading global financial services company, has operations in more than 160 countries and regions around the world. At present, it has 12 corporate bank branches and 39 consumer bank outlets in China.