Premier Li Keqiang announced on March 24 at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia that China will start the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect program “at an appropriate time” this year.

The opening also means reform, the Premier said. We will strive to open up to the outside world, including further opening the service sector and financial industry in an orderly way, to help make China a top destination for foreign investors, Premier Li added.

The Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect was formally announced by the Premier at the Boao Forum for Asia two years ago.