Western Union Financial Services announced Wednesday 76 percent of increase had been reported in distribution network on the Chinese Mainland last year through China Post and the Agricultural Bank of China.

The increase has made the branded money transfer service available in more than 21,000 locations in all provinces and autonomous regions on the Chinese Mainland.

President of Western Union Christina Gold said that Chinese Mainland is a market of tremendous growth and opportunity, and as the mainland has increasingly integrated with the international community, there are more Chinese people studying, working and traveling abroad.

After entering into the Mainland market for over a decade, Western Union and its Chinese cooperating partners represent almost 10 percent of the company's global network locations.

Of the cooperating partner locations on the Mainland, more than 100 of them are authorized flagship locations, which have greater visibility and stronger branding.

"We are dedicated to building a significant presence on Chinese Mainland," said Ian Marsh, Senior Vice President of Western Union Financial Services in Asia Pacific.

"With strong partners like China Post and Agricultural Bank of China, we expect to play a major role in one of the world's fastest growing remittance markets," said Marsh.

As an international leader in money transfer, Western Union and its subsidiary Orlandi Valuta allow consumers and businesses to transfer money within minutes at more than 225,000 agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

The company's Asia-Pacific operation represents 20 percent of the company's global locations, and its revenue contributions have grown fourfold since 2000.

Source: Xinhua