The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority:

     The Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), Mr Norman Chan, visited China Development Bank (CDB) today (December 20) and met with its President, Mr Zheng Zhijie. Mr Chan welcomed CDB's issuance of its first Belt and Road bond in Hong Kong to finance projects across Belt and Road countries.
 
     "CDB has been an anchor partner of the HKMA Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office (IFFO), and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the HKMA and CDB last December to foster closer collaboration via IFFO," said Mr Chan. "This first ever issuance of Belt and Road bond by CDB in Hong Kong underscores the pivotal role that Hong Kong can play in facilitating the financing of infrastructure projects in the region."
 
     Established by the HKMA in July 2016, IFFO is committed to facilitating infrastructure investments and their financing by working with a cluster of key regional and international stakeholders. As of today, IFFO has 78 partners.
 
About IFFO

     As part of the HKMA, IFFO's mission is to facilitate infrastructure investments and their financing by working with a cluster of key stakeholders. The functions of IFFO are:

• providing a platform for information exchange and experience sharing;
• building capacity and knowledge on infrastructure investments and financing;
• promoting market and product development; and
• facilitating infrastructure investment and financing flows.

     By establishing IFFO, the HKMA can play a valuable role as a catalyst in the facilitation of infrastructure investments and their financings with its mandate to promote Hong Kong as an international financial centre.
 
     For more information about IFFO, please visit www.iffo.org.hk.

Ends/Wednesday, December 20, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:30

NNNN