(Yicai Global) March 25 -- Expanding the opening-up of China's finance sector is the country's  independent choice, Yi Gang, governor of the People's Bank of China,  noted during the annual meeting of this year's China Development Forum  yesterday. This is not only the demand of this sector's own growth, but  also a requirement of deepening the financial supply-side reform and  achieving high-quality economic development, he added. 

China's financial departments have been fully prepared for  opening-up, Fang Xinghai, vice-chairman of China's Securities Regulatory  Commission, said at the China Development Forum on March 23, adding  that "securities and funds sectors can both take part in the opening-up  and competition, we can also accelerate the process if the US complains  that we are too slow." He continued, stating 'the opening-up will be  beneficial for both China and the US and various other parties as well,  so the finance sector possesses great potential for such processes." 

The bilateral trade volume between China and France during the  first two months of the year grew by nearly one-fifth to USD10.6  billion. It exceeded USD60 billion last year, hitting a historic high,  Gao Feng, spokesperson at China's commerce ministry said on March 21,  adding that imports of French farm produce, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics  and high-and-medium-end branded garments have grown rapidly. 

Shanghai Stock Exchange disclosed the first batch of nine companies  whose applications for listing on sci-tech board have been accepted on  March 22. 

 A publicly offered fund product issued  by two well-known fund partners attracted purchases of CNY70 billion  (USD10.4 billion) on March 21, beating insiders' expectations. 

 Plans for substantial shareholders and executives to cut their holdings of shares have emerged  in succession after the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index hit the  3,000-point threshold. A total of 463 listed firms have issued 870 plans  for cutting holdings since the start of this year.