BNP Paribas Investment Partners (BNPP IP) has been granted a Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) license in Hong Kong by the China Securities Regulatory Commission for engaging in the domestic securities investment business. This follows the RQFII quota approval of 3 billion renminbi its Paris office received recently - one of the first RQFII licenses granted in France and the Eurozone in mid-September.

The RQFII license will enable BNPP IP to provide its clients with access to invest in China's internationalizing domestic capital markets, including A-shares and onshore bond markets, denominated in renminbi. This will provide direct and straightforward access to the growing Chinese economy to its retail and institutional clients.

Commenting on the announcement, Tino Moorrees, BNPP IP Hong Kong chief executive officer, says: "Having an RQFII licence will provide unprecedented opportunities to participate in China's ongoing market growth. The attainment of the license in Hong Kong - which is the first for BNPP IP in Asia - is an integral component and key building block for our broader Greater China strategy; and a strong affirmation of our unrivalled footprint and continued commitment to work across borders, help connect businesses in Hong Kong to China's capital markets."