Bank of East Asia has rolled out a dozen trust funds in China as part of a plan to gain a wider share of the Chinese market.

Through its Mainland-based associate firm Founder BEA Trust, BEA has since September 2010 launched 12 trust funds in the country. Founder BEA was formed alongside Peking University Founder Group and Wuhan Economy Development Investment Group, with BEA having a 19.99 per cent stake, Founder Group 70.01 per cent, and Wuhan 10 per cent.

The business provides professional investment and financial services for both private and institutional investors, particularly those involved in high technology and fast-growing industries. To date, most of Founder BEA's activities are concentrated in Wuhan and surrounding regions in central China.

Under current Chinese regulations, trust companies can provide a wider range of services compared to other types of financial institutions, such as commercial banks, insurance firms, and securities firms.

Depending on the size of the registered capital and net asset value, trust firms can provide insurance infrastructure funds, special purpose trusts, securitisation, enterprise annuity plans, and qualified domestic institutional investor services, in addition to the standard fare.