BNP Paribas SA expects to increase its staff in China by more than 50% by 2008 as part of its expansion strategy, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoted Jacques d'Estais, head of corporate and investment banking, as saying. The bank which gets around 20 percent of its global corporate and investment-banking revenue from Asia expects to grow quickly in mainland China, Mr. d'Estais said. He said China contributed 30 percent to 40 percent of the bank's Asian revenue in the past year. BNP Paribas holds a stake in Changjiang BNP Paribas Peregrine. The securities joint venture, registered in Shanghai, is 66.7 percent-owned by Changjiang Securities Co. BNP Paribas holds the rest. In 2004, BNP agreed to buy a 19.2 percent share in Nanjing City Commercial Bank, which is aiming for an initial public offering of stock in Shanghai by year end.