Chen Haolian: HKEX and Guangzhou Power Exchange Center sign cooperation agreement; Hong Kong's first batch of cross-border green certificate centralized transactions totals about 100,000 certificates.

On October 14, Chen Haolian, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of Hong Kong, traveled to Guangzhou to attend the launch event for Hong Kong's first batch of cross-border green electricity certificate (green certificate) centralized transactions, and witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between HKEX and Guangzhou Power Exchange Center, marking a new milestone in the alignment between Guangdong and Hong Kong in green finance and electricity markets. During the event, Chen Haolian met with Gui Xiaoyang, Deputy Director-General of the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, and representatives from the Shenzhen Municipal Development and Reform Commission, exchanging views on deepening green and sustainable finance cooperation between Guangdong and Hong Kong. It is understood that the first batch of cross-border green certificate centralized transactions was conducted through HKEX's Core Climate platform under a "dual agency" model, with approximately 100,000 green certificates successfully traded, involving nearly 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. Participating institutions included Hong Kong SAR government departments, banks, property management companies, and the education sector, greatly enriching the application scenarios for green certificates in overseas markets. Following the signing of the cooperation agreement between HKEX and Guangzhou Power Exchange Center, the two parties will establish a regularized cross-border green certificate trading channel, focusing on trading arrangements, practical application scenarios, knowledge sharing, and market development, to advance green market connectivity in the Greater Bay Area. Chen Haolian noted that Hong Kong has become a leading green finance center in Asia. In 2025, the total amount of green and sustainable debt issued in Hong Kong exceeded US$76 billion, and Hong Kong has been the largest international green and sustainable bond issuance arrangement center in Asia for eight consecutive years. This cooperation further extends Hong Kong's financial infrastructure and professional services advantages to cross-border green certificate trading, implementing the policy directives of the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address. Chen Haolian emphasized that looking ahead, Hong Kong will continue to leverage its advantages as a "super connector" and "super value-adder." In addition to providing local enterprises with compliant and standardized green rights products and helping Hong Kong move toward its 2050 carbon neutrality target, Hong Kong will also strive to align cross-border green certificate policies and standards, assist the country's green certificates in entering the international market, and inject new momentum into the nation's green transition.