Kong and Seremban branches, plans were afoot to establish branches in Batavia and Shanghai, and to acquire its own premises for the Muar and Malacca branches. By the time of its tenth annual general meeting on 3 May 1927, Ho Hong Bank had established branches in Batavia and Shanghai. The bank now had nine (9) branches and had set their sights on opening a branch in Surabaya (Indonesia), but that was postponed and by 1928 premises for that branch had been acquired. Ho Hong Bank was appointed receiving agents for the sale of the Rehabilitation Short Term Bonds of the Ministry of Finance of the Nationalist Government of China in August 1928. First Malayan Chinese bank to go international Seow Poh Leng focused his efforts towards bringing the Ho Hong Bank in line with the well-established "exchange banks" of the Straits Settlements and relying solely on his own study and observation cautiously began foreign exchange activities. He was joined in his efforts, in 1923, by Dr. H. L. Huang who had existing practical exchange experience. The Ho Hong Bank was the first Chinese bank in Malaya to engage in international banking. Ho Hong Bank enhanced its foreign exchange business by establishing branches in Hong Kong and later Shanghai. This, together with close co-operation of the South East Asian (Nanyang) offices and correspondents, transformed this local bank into an important exchange bank in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Malaya. The Ho Hong Foreign Exchange Training Program The opening of the Shanghai office offered opportunities to send Bank staff there to experience modern exchange operations, a far-sighted policy, the brainchild of Lim Peng Siang and Seow Poh Leng. Among those sent over to learn under the program implemented by Ko Leong Hoe and Dr. H. L. Huang, included bankers like Chua Keh Hai (), Kwa Siew Tee (), Tan Chwee Lee (), Tan Ee Leong () and Yeo Tiam Siew (). Merger Difficulties brought on by the Great Depression forced the Ho Hong Bank to merge in 1932 with the Oversea-Chinese Bank (OCB) and the Chinese Commercial Bank (CCB) to form the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC). Timeline 1917: Lim Peng Siang founded the Ho Hong Bank Limited, opening branches simultaneously in Singapore, and Muar and Malacca in what is now Malaysia. It then opened branches in Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Batu Pahat and Penang. Ho Hong rapidly opened branches in Batavia and Palembang in