Global bankers pledge expertise to foster standardised Silk Road bond

The International Capital Market Association has pledged to lend its expertise towards the development of a standardised Silk Road bond, setting a pathway for new issuance and international trade in the fixed-income markets of “One Belt, One Road” countries.

Among participating financial institutions, Bank of China, DBS, Goldman Sachs, and Standard Chartered Bank will be part of a working group to support the setup a framework for the new standardised format.

Law firm Clifford Chance, mainland rating agency Dagong Global Credit and audit firm EY will also take part in the pan-industry initiative.

The ICMA previously developed the international green bond format, which at the end of last year had reached US$42 billion of issuance.

“We now know the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank is a positive driver for infrastructure development. But AIIB can only play a part in spearheading the investment. The bulk of the capital should still come from the capital markets,” Guan Jianzhong, chairman of Dagong Global Credit Rating told the Post on the sidelines of a conference on Thursday.

“It’s next to impossible to raise funds from the capital markets for new infrastructure projects,” Guan said. “This is so even in mature western markets. Rating agencies can only give ratings to mature, already developed and operating projects that already generate cash flow.”

The work group is seeking to set up a standardised format for infrastructure bonds that could be traded internationally to help developing countries tap a wider source of funds.