A renminbi clearing bank in London is on the horizon, the UK chancellor of the exchequer said on Thursday. The move is expected to boost the supply of yuan products in Europe and boost the development of the offshore renminbi market.

"The UK and Chinese governments are in active discussions about the appointment of a renminbi clearing bank in London," said George Osborne, UK finance minister, when addressing the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong. He said the first international renminbi conference in London will be hosted this summer.

London is now the only offshore renminbi center without an exclusive channel to obtain yuan liquidity and clearing service. Standard Chartered Bank joined with the Agricultural Bank of China in December to provide the services.