TAIPEI (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Dec. 28, 1999--Standard&Poor's today assigned its triple-'B'-plus long-term and 'A-2' short-term foreign-currency counterparty credit ratings to TAIPEIBANK. The outlook for the long-term rating is stable. The ratings reflect the bank's demonstrated ability to maintain adequate asset quality amid heightened financial market turmoil, as well as its strong capital ratios and conservative liquidity management. Following its recent privatization and the appointment of a new president, the bank is making significant organizational changes to strengthen its competitiveness and overall performance. Concerns over the bank's geographical concentration in Taipei are partially alleviated by the city's role as the financial center of Taiwan, and its consistently stronger and more balanced economic performance than the rest of the
