FSDC co-organised a financial session under the theme “RMB Internationalisation: An Emerging Currency for Payment, Investment and Financing” at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s “In Style. Hong Kong” roadshow in Jakarta on 17 September.
The progress in RMB internationalisation has been accelerating in recent years, with the solid expansion in cross-border RMB trade settlement activities and the robust “dim-sum” bond market established in Hong Kong. According to SWIFT, RMB overtook the euro to become the second most used currency in global trade finance after the US dollar in 2013, and it also entered the top five of world payment currencies in late 2014. The launch of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect Programme in November 2014 further promoted the use of RMB as an investment currency as well as augmented the gradual opening up of the Mainland China’s capital accounts. In this session, a panel of industry experts explored the developments and opportunities in using RMB for payment, investment and financing.