BEIJING, April 3 -- China issued its first-ever overseas RMB-denominated sovereign green bond in London on April 2 London Time, China's Ministry of Finance said on Thursday.

The deal totals 6 billion yuan (about 833.33 million U.S. dollars), including 3 billion yuan for a three-year term with an interest rate of 1.88 percent, and 3 billion yuan for a five-year term at an interest rate of 1.93 percent. Both rates are lower than the yields on comparable treasury bonds in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region secondary market.

Notably, the London offering spurred strong demand from international investors -- drawing a diverse range of participants across various regions. Total subscriptions hit 41.58 billion yuan, 6.9 times the issuance value.