Banking

I just moved to China and am trying to open an account with HSBC (for convenience, am banking with them in other countries) and they are asking for a tax number to open an account. The company is telling me the tax number will be assigned once the first salary is transferred to my bank account. But I can’t open an account without a tax number? Does this make sense and do you know of a way around it, other than opening an account with another bank that doesn’t ask for a tax number?