Russo-Chinese Bank

Under the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) that ended the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing empire had to pay a significant indemnity to Japan.

French and Russian were involved in the syndication of Chinese government borrowing to raise the indemnity funds, and soon felt the need for a dedicated institution to handle the corresponding loans.

[3] The bank brought together Russian shareholders (for 37.5 percent of the initial capital) and French interests pooled by the Banque de Paris et des Pays-Bas (for 62.5 percent), with participation also from Crédit Lyonnais, the Comptoir national d'escompte de Paris, and Banque Hottinguer.

[4][5][6] Whereas its board of directors met in Paris, Saint Petersburg was its legal place of incorporation and the seat of its executive management.

[11] Following the Russo-Japanese War's conclusion in 1905, the bank pared down much of its business in China and was principally active in Northern Manchuria, as well as Central Asia and the Russian Far East.