Does the Establishment of Pilot Free Trade Zones Improve the Efficiency of Financial Services for the Real Economy?Empirical Evidence from Four Pilot Free Trade Zones in Shanghai,Tianjin,Guangdong,and Fujian

In the process of the high-quality transformation and development of China's economy,one of the issues that needs to be resolved is how to strengthen the ability of finance to serve the real economy and improve the efficiency of financial operations.Pilot Free Trade Zones(PFTZs),highlands of institutional innovation,have played the role of a natural testing ground for China to deepen its financial supply-side reform and improve the efficiency of financial services in the real economy.On that premise,this paper discusses the policy effects and transmission channels for the financial reform of PFTZs to improve the efficiency of financial services in the real economy within China.The findings of the papar are the followings,(1)The reform of PFTZsshas significantly improved the efficiency offinance in the real economy,having even achieved a sustainable effect.That is to say,with the extension of gment This work wasthe duration of free trade zone constructionand the gradual implementation of financialreform measures,the regional impactof financial services in the real economyhas shown a year-on-year upward trend.(2)The effects of financial agglomeration,financial transparency,and optimizationof financial infrastructure produced by thereform of PFTZs have played a significantregulatory role in the process of improvingthe efficiency of financial services in thefree trade zones.(3)The effect of China'sfinancial reform on PFTZs has fosterednoticeable regional diversity;an importantreason for the diversity of policy effectrests with the difference in transmissionmechanisms.The conclusions of this paper expand the research dimension of theliterature evaluating the effect of policy onPFTZs,and provide policy references fromthe perspective of financial reform in thefree trade zones for China to further deepenfinancial supply-side reform and improvethe efficiency of financial services in the realeconomy.

Drivers of Portfolio Flows into Chinese Debt Securities Amidst China's Bond Market Development

The paper focuses on China's onshore bond market and the drivers of non-resident net portfolio flows into Chinese debt securities.Following a review of China's bond market,a simple theoretical model of push and pull factors driving bond fiows is built.It represents a foundation for the empirical analysis on drivers of bond flows into China.Static and time-varying models are estimated to explain the importance of push and pull factors in China's bond market.While China-specific pull factors,such as domestic economic growth and asset returns,are important drivers of flows,the results reveal that global push factors,such as US interest rates and risk aversion,have recently gained significance as drivers of flows into China.The results confirm China's continued bond market deepening and integration with the rest of the world,which may have financial stability implications.Therefore,increased awareness regarding bond market developments in China is warranted.

In search of currency internationalisation: a perspective from financial openness

This paper examines the role of financial openness for currency internationalisation.We provide a theoretical synthesis on the economic and financial channels that financial openness might affect currency internationalisation.Historical experiences from the UK,the US,Japan and Germany show the essential role played by financial policies to promote one currency’s international status.We collect recent data of a panel of countries to provide an in-depth empirical analysis on how financial openness would affect a currency’s acceptance in international official reserves.We find strong evidence that portfolio positions generally have a larger impact on the currency’s share in international reserves than FDI.Moreover,portfolio positions in the liability side,especially foreign investments in domestic debt securities,have a statistically significant and economically important effect on currency internationalisation.Our results have implications for China,highlighting the specific effects of financial policies on RMB internationalisation.

Premiums between Cross-listed Shares:Determinants and Assessment of Financial Reform Policy Effectiveness

This paper explores determinants of price premiums between A-share and American depositary receipts(ADR)or H-share and sheds light on policies using daily data from cross-listed companies from 2002-2020.Market sentiment and financial openness are critical in explaining both types of price premiums.Expected exchange rate changes significantly impact the A-share versus ADR premium but liquidity is essential for the A-share versus H-share premium.The introduction of Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect in November 2014 has effectively increased the price discovery capacity of the A-share market,and investors were more adaptive to the RMB foreign exchange rate volatility after Chinese exchange rate system reform in 2015.The paper provides insights into future capital market reform in China.