tinyurl.com/r5fu8 -> www.chinaknowledge.com/news/news_print.aspx?ID=3779&cat=general
This move follows US financial restrictions against North Korea to halt alleged counterfeiting activities. In April, China's central bank warned lenders to be on guard against high-quality counterfeit US$100 bills that Washington says are being made by North Korea. The statement by the People's Bank of China did not specify the origin of the fake currency, but said it came from outside China. The US Treasury Department in September designated Macau financial institution Banco Delta Asia SARL (BDA) as being connected to criminal activity by North Korea, including counterfeiting. The announcement sparked a two-day run on the bank during which customers withdrew around US$38 million, or about 10% of total deposits. Although BDA denied US accusations of illegal North Korean activities, it ended all business with North Korea in February, saying it had improved its anti-money laundering policies. This move was praised by US Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Glaser in Hong Kong in June, when he said that BDA had produced encouraging results, and that many Asian governments and banks were moving to cut ties with illegal North Korean businesses. The BOC's move has significant meaning as it is headquartered in the Mainland under Beijing's direct control.
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