Business news

MINSK, 4 May (BelTA) – Belarus intends to offer sovereign bonds on the domestic financial market of China by the end of 2018, BelTA learned from Belarusian Finance Minister Vladimir Amarin on 4 May.

According to the source, penetrating China’s domestic financial market with Belarusian sovereign bonds in the form of panda bonds is an important area of work for the Belarusian Finance Ministry. “We are now working with Chinese rating agencies to get a Chinese rating score. I think if we get it by the end of this year and get a positive decision from China’s central bank, we will be able to penetrate the Chinese domestic financial market for the first time ever by the end of 2018 or early next year,” said the Belarusian finance minister.

In 2018 Belarus is expected to finish the procedure of joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). “I think we will become an AIIB member by the end of the year,” noted Vladimir Amarin.

On the whole, Belarus is interested in switching to more vigorous investment cooperation. Projects to set up a Chinese-Belarusian investment fund are under consideration. Belarusbank will participate in it on the Belarusian side. The Chinese side will be represented by CITIC Construction. The initial investments are expected to reach $50 million.