On August 29th, Bank of Communications held its 2025 interim results briefing. Deputy President Yang Tao, responding to media inquiries, highlighted that as the only major commercial bank headquartered in Shanghai, BANKCOMM's Party Committee has diligently implemented central strategic deployments, leveraging its headquarters advantage and seizing Shanghai's pilot policy opportunities to fully support the city in building a more globally competitive international financial center.
First, the bank deeply participates in and improves Shanghai's financial market infrastructure construction. BANKCOMM's Bond Connect and Swap Connect trading volumes rank among the market leaders, and the bank obtained Southbound Bond Connect custody and clearing bank qualification in the first half of the year, further enhancing cross-border financial infrastructure layout.
Second, the bank fully utilizes Shanghai's pilot policy opportunities to provide high-level cross-border trade services. The innovative "BANKCOMM Trade Connect" platform was launched, creating a service hub for domestic and international dual circulation. Data shows that as of the end of June, the bank's cross-border trade financing balance increased by nearly 40% compared to the beginning of the year.
Third, leveraging the group's comprehensive license advantages, BANKCOMM provides one-stop "full lifecycle, full-chain, and globalized" comprehensive financial services around key client groups in technology cross-border trade sectors, represented by Shanghai's three leading industries.
Yang Tao introduced that leveraging the investment functions of BANKCOMM Group, BANKCOMM Investment, and BANKCOMM Guoxin, BANKCOMM's equity investment scale in Shanghai's technology enterprises grew significantly in the first half of the year. The bank also led the underwriting of the first technology innovation bond in the interbank market. BANKCOMM has established 23 technology-featured branches in Shanghai, better serving the city's three leading industries and supporting Shanghai's global innovation center development.
Yang Tao stated that under the leadership of financial regulatory authorities and the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Government, BANKCOMM will further implement central strategic deployments, focus on building distinctive advantages in fintech, cross-border finance, and offshore finance, and comprehensively support Shanghai's international financial center construction and high-level opening-up.