China lifts foreign ownership limits on financial firms

The Chinese government on Friday said it will raise foreign ownership limits in domestic financial firms, a long-anticipated step that grants greater access to overseas investors into the Asian giant’s financial services market.

The move, announced by Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao, comes a day after US President Donald Trump reiterated calls for better access to Chinese markets in meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The changes include raising the limit on foreign ownership in jointventure firms involved in the futures, securities and funds markets to 51 per cent from the current 49 per cent. They will take effect immediately following the drafting of specific related rules, Zhu told a news conference. The foreign business community welcomed the news but urged caution until it was clear how rules would be implemented.

“Financial services further opening definitely has been high on our list,” said Ken Jarrett, President of American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai.

“Its a step in the right direction. We will have to see the detailed rules. In China you always have to pay attention to the fine print to see how quickly it moves, but to finally ease up on the cap is something that is welcome.” A JPMorgan spokesperson said the firm “welcomes any decision made by the Chinese government that looks to liberalise its financial sector further.”

The plan to ease ownership restrictions comes as Beijing faces mounting pressure from Western governments and business lobbies to remove investment barriers and onerous regulations that restrict overseas companies’ operations in its markets.

During his trip to Beijing this week, Trump said that trade between the two nations was unfair, and called for greater market access for US companies.

“We really have to look at access, forced technology transfer, and the theft of intellectual property, which just, by and of itself, is costing the United States and its companies at least $300 billion a year,” Trump said.

“Both the United States and China will have a more prosperous future if we can achieve a level economic playing field. Right now, unfortunately, it is a very onesided and unfair one.”