China Minsheng Bank Launches its First JCB Credit Card, ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’

China Minsheng Bank Launches its First JCB Credit Card, ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’

China and Tokyo, Japan, March 26, 2008–JCB and its international subsidiary JCB International (JCBI) today announced the launch of ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’ with China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd. (Minsheng), its sixth Chinese issuing partner, and Shiseido Liyuan Cosmetics Co., Ltd. (SLC), a major cosmetics company in China. Minsheng starts marketing the new JCB credit card from today, targeting Chinese consumers who are interested in beauty and cosmetics.

JCB and JCB International have been expanding the JCB brand acceptance network in cooperation with Bank of China and other major banks and financial institutions in China since 1982. Currently JCB has alliances with ten partner banks and financial institutions for acquiring operations and a network of approximately 70,000 merchants that accept JCB brand cards. In recent years, China’s remarkable economic growth has driven demand for international brand card issuing in the country, and in 2005 JCB began granting issuing licenses, starting with Bank of China, Bank of Shanghai, China Everbright Bank, China Merchants Bank, and Shanghai Pudong Development Bank. Now more than one million residents of China carry a JCB brand card.

Mr. Hirohiko Sugiyama, board director and executive vice president, head of regional headquarters, Asia Pacific at JCBI said, “The alliance behind the ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’ leverages JCB expertise as one of Japan’s major credit card issuers, the international acceptance of the JCB brand, and a powerful synergy between a major commercial bank, Minsheng, and prestigious SLC, a major cosmetics company in China. The new ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’ design features a sparkling cubic zirconia embedded in the card surface. We are confident that this fashionable new card offers consumers an attractive combination of JCB’s international acceptance, China Minsheng card services, and SLC’s attractive point program tailored specifically to beauty and trend-conscious Chinese consumers.”

JCB and JCBI are proud to offer the knowledge, skills and network built over 40 years in the card business to partner financial institutions in China for JCB brand card issuing, and are committed to providing China’s consumers with high-quality service that meets their needs and lifestyles.

About ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’

Major Functions:

  • Available in two types: standard card and gold card

  • International acceptance and JCB brand services

  • Dual currency (USD and RMB)

  • China Minsheng credit card functions and services

  • Available to residents of China

Major Benefits for Cardmembers:

1) AUPRES point program that SLC offers

  • Cardmembers automatically join the AUPRES point program of SLC, and enjoy various kinds of reward programs

  • Receive double points when purchasing AUPRES products in your birth month

  • Enjoy privilege of testing new AUPRES products

  • Join free make-up lectures

  • Receive gift when purchasing products with the card twice in the same store in the first three months after application

2) Free gifts and incentives when applying the ‘Minsheng Lady Flower – Aupres Co-branded Card’

  • The first 60,000 applicants receive cosmetics package (only one per person)

  • Receive cosmetics in accordance with expenditure on AUPRES products in each month. Note: this benefit is limited to the first year of application of the card

  • The first 30,000 applicants who use the card three times and spend RMB88 or more in each purchase- within the first two months receive cosmetics package

About JCB Co., Ltd.

JCB is a major global payment brand and leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan. JCB launched its card business in Japan in 1961 and began expanding overseas in 1981. Its merchant network includes 13.53 million merchants and spans 190 countries and territories. JCB cards are now issued in 19 countries and territories, with more than 58.08 million cardmembers. As part of its international growth strategy, JCB has formed alliances with more than 350 leading banks and financial institutions globally to increase merchant coverage and cardmember base. As a comprehensive payment solution provider, JCB commits to provide responsive and high-quality service and products to all customers worldwide. For more information, visit: http://www.jcbcorporate.com/english.

Contact

Deb Montner
Montner & Associates
203-226-9290
dmontner@montner.com