the Dutch East Indies. 1923: Branch opened in Hong Kong. 1925: Branch opened in Shanghai. 1930: CCB, Ho Hong and OCB agree a mutual support pact. 1932: The United Kingdom leaves the gold standard and devalues the pound sterling. This leaves Ho Hong and OCB in financial trouble and they approach CCB for help. OCBC is born as the result of the merger of Chinese Commercial, Ho Hong and OCB. Ho Hong and OCB branches in Malaya are converted to OCBC Bank branches. 1933: OCBC starts functioning on 2 January 1933. OCBC emerges as the biggest and strongest bank in the Straits Settlements. The Ho Hong and OCB branches in Malaya eventually become OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Bhd. References Tschoegl, Adrian E. 2002. "The internationalization of Singapore’s largest banks". Journal of Asian Business 18 (1): 1-35. External links Application of the Ho Hong Bank Ltd. For Permission To Acquire Immovable Property In Hong Kong Application From The OCBC Ltd For Exemption From The Payment of Ad Valorem Duty On The Transfer To Them, Of Their Premises, 13 Queen's Road Central By Ho Hong Bank Ltd. OCBC Group Fact Sheet First Local Bank Engaged in International Banking OCBC 2001 Annual Report OCBC History Chinese In Singapore The International Expansion of Singapore's Largest Banks Paper Prepared to the Annual Conference on ‘Chinese Cities in Transition: The Next Generation of Urban Research: Part 4,’ Shanghai Academy of Social Science, Shanghai, 7-9 July 2005 Defunct banks of Malaysia Banks established in 1917 1917 establishments in British Malaya Banks disestablished in 1932 1932 disestablishments in British Malaya