China has broadened overseas investors' access to its bond market by facilitating their bond repurchase or repo transactions, a new landmark move of financial market opening-up, according to the People's Bank of China (PBOC), the country's central bank, on Friday.
In a joint announcement with the China Securities Regulatory Commission and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the PBOC said overseas institutions eligible for spot bond trading in the onshore market may now participate in bond repo transactions in the Chinese mainland.
This widens the scope of participation by overseas institutions in onshore bond repos. Previously, foreign sovereign institutions, overseas Chinese yuan clearing banks and overseas banks participating in cross-border Chinese yuan settlements were allowed to conduct repos in the interbank market since 2015. Earlier this year, an offshore repo program was also launched under Bond Connect with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.
In recent years, China's bond market has achieved positive results in opening up. The number of overseas institutional investors investing in China's bond market and their bond holdings have both increased, leading to a growing demand for liquidity management through bond repo operations.
By the end of August, 1,170 overseas institutions from 80 countries and regions had entered China's bond market, holding about 4 trillion yuan (561 billion U.S. dollars) in bonds, official data showed.
The central bank said repo business models will be aligned more closely with international practices, enable the transfer and use of underlying bonds and provide greater convenience for overseas institutional investors in conducting repo transactions.
China broadens access by overseas institutions to bond market with repo facilitation
The three astronauts of China's recently-returned Shenzhou-20 mission on Friday shared the experiences of their dramatic 204-day space mission, including detailing the emergency procedures which were implemented to bring them safely home after their return capsule was struck by space debris.
The trio -- Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie -- met with the press in Beijing on Friday afternoon, marking their first public appearance since returning to Earth in November.
When detailing the emergency response mechanisms which were enacted prior to their scheduled return, the astronauts explained that upon discovering a triangular crack on the spacecraft's viewport window, they immediately took photos for documentation and transmitted them to the ground team, who swiftly activated an emergency plan to get the trio home safely.
Experienced mission commander Chen Dong explained how the crew had complete faith in their colleagues on the ground to find a solution to these unforeseen circumstances which led to their return being delayed.
"First, we must trust the ground team, who would anticipate everything and develop the safest return plan for us. Second, we must believe in ourselves; as well-trained astronauts, we have the ability to manage various unexpected failures. I believe that with the collaboration of astronauts and researchers on the ground, our space home will surely go farther, more steadily, and for a longer time," he said.
Following their extended stay in space as a result of the debris incident, the Shenzhou-20 crew spent a total 204 days in orbit, setting a new record for the longest duration by a single group of Chinese astronauts.
During their mission, they completed multiple payload operations, conducted extensive scientific experiments, and carried out four extravehicular activities.
"Our crew worked together with the ground team in unity and coordination, completing four extravehicular activities, several payload entry and exit tasks, and a large number of scientific experiments. It was a fulfilling yet challenging mission. The path to exploring the heavens is long and arduous, but I firmly believe that China's space missions will succeed," said Chen Zhongrui, a former air force pilot who was making his first spaceflight during the mission.
"From the ground to space, from learning to application, I have deeply felt the solid progress of Chinese space endeavors and the quiet dedication of countless personnel behind the scenes. In the future, I will accomplish each mission with full commitment, living up to the trust of the motherland and the people," said fellow astronaut Wang Jie, who was also making his debut spaceflight.
After returning to Earth on Nov 14, the trio successfully completed their isolation recovery and rehabilitation and will now resume normal training following health assessments.
The crew's return, originally scheduled for Nov 5, was postponed due to safety concerns, with the astronauts later using the return capsule belonging to their successor crew of the Shenzhou-21 mission to get back to Earth. China later launched the unmanned Shenzhou-22 spacecraft which will serve the future return of the crew now aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
Shenzhou-20 astronauts share experiences after safely returning from debris incident
