Govt to help companies issue green bonds overseas

China will encourage more qualified domestic enterprises to issue green bonds overseas, as part of the country's ongoing efforts to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of economic and social development, the country's top economic regulator said on Monday.

As part of the country's preset goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060, the country will support companies with strong comprehensive economic strength, high level of international operation and sound risk prevention and control mechanisms to issue related bonds overseas, said Yuan Da, spokesman with the National Development and Reform Commission.

Yuan, who is also the director of the Department of National Economy of the NDRC, told a news conference in Beijing the commission will strive to guide foreign debts funds to be used for green and low-carbon and circular development. "We will give full play to the supporting role of green finance and promote the green and low-carbon transformation of economic and social development."

In recent years, a growing number of Chinese enterprises have been seeking to issue green bonds overseas. A total of 19 green bonds totaling $8.5 billion were issued by Chinese companies in the overseas market in 2020, said the NDRC.

Specifically, the number jumped significantly this year, as Chinese companies issued 29 green bonds overseas in the first half of 2021, raising about $10.2 billion, the NDRC data showed.