Beijing clears way for tech firms to list overseas
Yan Bojin, chief risk officer at Chinese Securities Regulatory Commission, says authorities will provide support to aid tech firms in listing overseas. Photo: RTHK
Vice Minister of Science and Technology Qiu Yong says pilot technology finance programmes shall be prioritised in key regions, including the Greater Bay Area. Photo: RTHK
People's Bank of China deputy governor Zhu Hexin says that over 100 institutions have issued 'sci-tech innovation bonds' amounting to over 250 billion yuan. Photo: RTHK
Mainland authorities said on Thursday the country will provide a more transparent, efficient and predictable regulatory environment, along with funding support, to aid technology firms in listing overseas.
This came as China's technology, banking, finance and regulatory authorities rolled out a slate of measures and programmes, as well as credit support for technology firms, to drive domestic innovation.
Speaking at a press briefing in Beijing, Yan Bojin, chief risk officer at China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), said 242 enterprises have completed their filings for listings overseas over the past two years since new regulations governing them have been implemented.
"Among the firms, 83 are technology enterprises, mainly concentrated in fields such as information technology, biomedicine, new energy and advanced manufacturing," he said.
"The CSRC will work with relevant departments to continue supporting eligible technology enterprises to develop in an orderly manner through domestic and overseas capital markets.
"We will also provide a more transparent, efficient and predictable regulatory environment to support such technology enterprises to go public overseas."
The regulator also noted that the country will further strengthen the security of funds raised by listed companies to ensure their allocation towards the main business rather than other purposes.
Vice Minister of Science and Technology Qiu Yong noted that authorities will also continue to deepen reforms in the tech-heavy Nasdaq-style STAR Market in Shanghai, as well as the ChiNext board in Shenzhen, to encourage the so-called red-chip technology firms to return to domestic markets.
A "national venture capital guidance fund", which Qiu said will be an investment vehicle with public-private partnership, will be set up to focus on "hard technology".
Qiu also stressed that pilot technology finance programmes shall be prioritised in key regions, including Beijing, Shanghai the Greater Bay Area, as well as the innovation centres of Chengdu-Chongqing, Wuhan and Xi'an.
"These regions should take the lead in breaking through and solving the key and difficult problems in science and technology finance, especially conducting pioneering trials in the areas of marketisation and rule of law, and exploring innovative policies related to science and technology finance," Qiu said.
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