Snow urges faster China reform (Reuters) Updated: 2005-10-19 07:14
China could accelerate its shift to a market-based economy by giving foreign
firms a freer hand in its financial services sector, U.S. Treasury Secretary
John Snow said on Tuesday.
Speaking to the Securities Industry Association at the close of a week-long
visit to China, the U.S. Treasury chief said China now was committed to a more
flexible currency.
U.S. Treasury Secretary
John Snow, left, shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao during their
meeting in Beijing Monday, Oct. 17, 2005. [AP]
|
But it also needed more access to financial services and a more robust
capital market to keep its economy expanding.
"China can quickly move forward with further liberalisation of its financial
services sector by allowing foreign securities firms to establish wholly owned
subsidiaries, and by expanding the scope of products securities firms can
offer," Snow said.
His remarks amplified a theme Snow has been developing during his travels
from the coastal hub of Shanghai to the western city of Chengdu and the capital,
Beijing: that the economic dialogue with China needs to focus on more than
currency issues to include less restriction on operations of U.S. banks,
insurance and securities firms in China.
Speaking shortly after Snow, Chinese securities regulator Shang Fulin said
the country was committed to opening up its financial markets, but added that
reform would be gradual to avoid shocks to the economy.
"Fair competition and a win-win situation is our objective. But we should go
about opening our capital markets in a sound and cautious way, to protect our
own industries and the stability of China's economic growth," Shang said.
"Opening of financial markets should be mutually
beneficial, but at the same time, developing countries face more competition and
risk."
|