ING joint-venture life insurer expands in China's capital.

ING Groep N.V. said its life insurance joint venture ha China has opened its Beijing branch after getting regulatory approval to expand to China's capital.

The Beijing branch of ING Capital Life Insurance Co. Ltd. has hired 300 agents to sell 17 categories of life and health insurance products directly, ING said. Some of those products will include protection, savings and profit features. In mid-May, ING Capital Life also started selling two bancassurance products through Bank of Beijing's 118 branches. ING said it plans to expand the bancassurance product range to include unit-linked and traditional life, short-term accident insurance and personal loan products. ING, the Dutch financial services giant, owns a 19.9% stake in Bank of Beijing.