BEIJING — China will expand the Stock Connect scheme that links the mainland and Hong Kong markets, a further step to boost cooperation between the two capital markets, an official said on Sept 2.

Fang Xinghai, vice-chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) made the remarks at a forum during the ongoing 2022 China International Fair for Trade in Services.

The CSRC will include more eligible Hong Kong primary-listed foreign companies and more companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges into the Stock Connect program, Fang said.

The commission will study the introduction of more renminbi securities trading counters under the southbound trading of the Stock Connect to push the internationalization of the yuan.

Moreover, the CSRC will support the issuance of mainland government bond futures in Hong Kong and boost the two-way opening-up of the mainland treasury bond futures market to realize coordinated development in two markets, Fang said.

For the next stage, Fang said the CSRC will coordinate development and security, and strive to stabilize the economy with stronger opening-up measures to promote the high-quality development of the capital market.