Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has successfully acted as the lead underwriter for CIMB Bank of Malaysia's inaugural panda bond issuance in 2026. The bond, valued at 3 billion yuan, carries a two-year maturity and was issued in China's interbank market. This transaction also marks Malaysia's first panda bond issuance this year, underscoring ongoing financial cooperation between the two nations and advancing the internationalization of the yuan.

Malaysia has been an early and active supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative. CIMB Bank, the country's second-largest commercial bank, formally joined the Belt and Road Bankers Roundtable (BRBR) in 2025. The panda bond attracted strong subscription from a wide range of domestic and international investors, reflecting global financial institutions' confidence in China's capital market openness and renminbi-denominated assets.

As a key underwriter in China's interbank bond market, ICBC has assisted 69 overseas issuers in completing nearly 250 panda bond transactions to date, participating in nearly half of all such market offerings. The bank continues to support the high-level opening of China's bond market. Leveraging its global network spanning 69 countries and regions, along with its cross-border integrated service capabilities, ICBC will further promote the quality development of panda bond business through multilateral platforms such as the BRBR, contributing to the financial market's internationalization.