The People's Bank of China, together with the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and the Guangdong Provincial People's Government, issued a policy package setting out 30 measures to expand financial support for Guangzhou Nansha’s role in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area cooperation and wider financial opening. The measures span innovation and entrepreneurship finance, public services finance, development of specialised financial services, cross-border market connectivity, cross-border innovation and exchange, and strengthened regulatory mechanisms. Key initiatives include expanding cross-border payment and account access for Hong Kong and Macao residents by widening the witness account-opening pilot and exploring video verification for credit cards, alongside promoting digital renminbi applications and participation in the multi-CBDC Bridge. Cross-border credit support would be enhanced through cooperation between credit reporting agencies and pilot schemes for intra-group cross-border data flows for banks with branches in both Nansha and Hong Kong or Macao, including parent-bank credit information sharing with customer consent. Market and product measures include improving and expanding the free trade account system, supporting cross-border futures cooperation between the Guangzhou Futures Exchange and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, facilitating cross-border insurance services and products, and piloting simplified, potentially online, processes for cross-border equity investment. Opening-oriented measures include studying work to accelerate the establishment of an international commercial bank for the Greater Bay Area, promoting renminbi settlement facilitation, allowing settlement banks to handle renminbi capital injection settlements for eligible foreign-invested enterprises without opening a dedicated renminbi capital account, and permitting funds in certain offshore institutions’ renminbi settlement accounts in Nansha to be placed in time deposits and used to purchase large-denomination certificates of deposit. Implementation is to be advanced jointly by the People's Bank of China and the Guangdong Provincial People's Government with relevant departments, with Guangdong-based offices of national financial regulators authorised to work with local government to develop implementing rules or detailed measures.
Central Bank of the Republic of China 2025-05-12
People's Bank of China and agencies issue 30 measures to deepen Hong Kong-Macao financial cooperation in Guangzhou Nansha
The People's Bank of China, with national and provincial authorities, issued 30 measures to boost financial support for Guangzhou Nansha in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Initiatives include expanding cross-border payment access, promoting digital renminbi applications, and facilitating cross-border financial services. Implementation will be coordinated by the People's Bank of China and the Guangdong Provincial People's Government, with local offices developing detailed measures.