Building a World Top Green and Sustainable Bond Hub

28 Hong Kong’s Transition Towards a Green and Sustainable Finance Center: Building a World Top Green and Sustainable Bond Hub information on low-carbon investment portfolios. Similarly, the Shanghai Stock Exchange has set up a green channel for green corporate bond issuers to review and list more efficiently. Market research shows that Hong Kong’s infrastructure for green bond issuance and trading is insufficient, and this has become an important factor affecting issuers’ choices. A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Green Finance Association found that more than 50% of respondents believed that Hong Kong’s infrastructure to support green bond issuance and trading was insufficient. Interviewees pointed out that, unlike other exchanges, the HKEX does not have a green and sustainable bond sector. To catch up, HKEX launched STAGE in December 2020, a platform featuring three major sections: a product database, a resource center and a news center. The platform effectively fills the gap. As other financial centers continue to improve green infrastructure, the HKEX needs to go further to better support the green and sustainable financial market in Hong Kong by improving the market foundation and facility of green bond issuance and trading.