to open up its economy, it wanted its currency to be used in the international market to settle trade and financial transactions, but without fully opening up its capital account. Hong Kong, which has served as an international hub for mainland China, naturally happened to be a great place for an offshore renminbi market. Singapore, Taiwan, and London have since developed their own offshore renminbi markets. It began with the development of the personal renminbi banking business in 2004, when renminbi deposits were allowed in Hong Kong. Bank of China (Hong Kong) was designated as the sole offshore renminbi clearing bank sometime in 2004.