(Yicai Global) Nov. 8 -- The first high-grade environmental, social, and governance-themed bond index in the Yangtze River Delta region was jointly released by China Central Depository and Clearing and Bank of Communications at this year’s China International Import Expo.

The CCDC-Bank of Communications Yangtze River Delta ESG Preferred Credit Bond Index covers 105 issuers in the Yangtze River Delta region with 775 securities samples and has a market value of CNY1.7 trillion (USD265.7 billion). It provides the market with an intuitive, dynamic, traceable, and replicable investment tool.

The joint release of the index is the pair’s latest achievement in green financing and integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. It will empower the integrated ecological and green development of the region with financial innovation services.

Over 160 hard-tech companies from the Yangtze River Delta are listed on the Shanghai’s Nasdaq-like Star Market, accounting for 47 percent of the country’s total, said Wu Qing, deputy mayor of Shanghai.

In the future, Shanghai will lead China’s development plan for the Yangtze River Delta, enhance the interactive cycle of technology, finance, and manufacturing in the region, and support financial institutions to innovate products and services, Wu noted. Meanwhile, it will better serve the ecological, low-carbon, and green development, and accelerate the exploration of the integrated development of green finance, he added.

Bank of Communications is one of the largest institutional investors, bond underwriters, and market makers in China’s inter-bank bond market, and has a leading position in the industry in terms of bond issuance, underwriting, and investment scale.

Editor: Futura Costaglione