Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has signed a new strategic cooperation agreement with Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) to further enhance market connectivity and facilitate the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Under the expanded agreement, HKEX and SZSE will work closely together to support the development of Hong Kong and mainland China’s capital markets. The two exchanges will conduct joint marketing and promotional activities on a regular basis, such as forums and workshops, on relevant topics including Stock Connect, index and derivatives product development, and cross-border regulatory updates.

Kicking off these activities, the two exchanges on Wednesday (January 12) jointly hosted a cross-border online investment conference with a focus on integrating and driving the development of the Greater Bay Area.

The conference welcomed speeches from SZSE president and chief executive officer Sha Yan and HKEX CEO Nicolas Aguzin, among other exchange and industry experts, attracting participation from a broad range of Chinese and international market participants.

As part of the new agreement, HKEX and SZSE will also take part in reciprocal short-term training and secondment programmes for their employees, to increase the exchanges, and their understanding of the development and operations of the respective markets.

HKEX and SZSE have cooperated in a number of areas over the years, most notably for the launch of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect in 2016. The latest agreement is an expanded version of the Closer Cooperation Agreement signed between the two exchanges on April 8 2009.

Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect marked its fifth anniversary in December, with continuous rapid growth in trading volumes. As of December 5 2021, its cumulative trading volume reached 41.9 trillion yuan (US$6.58 trillion), with an average annual growth rate of 94.5%, making it a key component contributing to the opening up of China’s capital markets.