Goldman Sachs (Shenzen): Chinese company set up with near-identical name to US bank

Chinese version uses near identical typeface as the US investment bank – but the pair aren't linked at all

The US bank has no ties with the Shenzhen company and is investigating the firm (Reuters)

China has been accused of pirating movies, handbags, Rolexes and even cars. Now Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank, can be added to the list.

Goldman Sachs (Shenzhen) Financial Leasing Co has been operating from Hong Kong using a nearly identical English and Chinese name to that of the New York-based financial institution. Its website claims it is one of the city of Shenzhen’s largest financial-leasing firms.

A receptionist at the company declined to give her own name over the phone but said that the firm was not affiliated to the US bank and stressed that the word “Shenzhen” was included in its title.

According to official records, the Shenzhen company has been operating since May 2013 and uses the same Chinese characters, gao sheng, as Goldman Sachs, with an English typeface evocative of that used by the US bank. Its office is located in a gleaming high-rise business park in the fishing village-turned-global manufacturing powerhouse.

Connie Ling, a Hong Kong-based spokeswoman for Goldman Sachs, confirmed there were no ties between the two companies and said her firm was looking into the matter.

Bloomberg