中國國債吸引澳大利亞央行, 大手筆投資5%外匯儲備

The Australian central bank plans to invest about 5 per cent of its foreign reserves in Chinese government bonds, in the latest move to build closer economic ties between the two countries.

澳大利亞央行(RBA)計劃將其外匯儲備的大約5%投資於中國國債，這是在兩國之間構建更緊密經貿聯繫的最新舉措。

“This decision to invest in China is an important one. It reflects the broader economic relationship between China and Australia and our increasing financial ties”, Philip Lowe, deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, said in a speech yesterday in Shanghai. “It provides greater diversification of our investments and will help with our understanding of the Chinese financial markets.”

“投資於中國是一個重要決策。它反映了中國與澳大利亞的整體經貿關係以及兩國間不斷增加的金融聯繫，”澳大利亞央行副行長菲利普??羅伊(Philip Lowe)昨日在上海發表講話時表示。“此舉將爲我們的投資帶來更高程度的分散化，還將增進我們對中國金融市場的瞭解。”

This month, Australia became only the third country to establish a direct currency trading link with China, after the US and Japan. The RBA and the People’s Bank of China also set up a currency swap facility in March 2012. The RBA had about A$38.2bn ($39bn) in foreign reserves at the end of last month.

本月，澳大利亞成爲繼美國和日本之後，第三個與中國建立直接外匯交易聯繫的國家。此前澳大利亞央行和中國央行已在2012年3月建立貨幣互換安排。截止上月底，澳大利亞央行擁有大約382億澳元（合390億美元）的外匯儲備。

China is Australia’s top export destination and biggest source of imports. Last year more than a quarter of Australia’s exports, mainly commodities, went to China, up from less than 5 per cent during the 1990s, according to the RBA.

中國是澳大利亞的最大出口目的地和最大進口來源。根據澳大利亞央行的數據，去年，澳大利亞出口的四分之一以上（主要是大宗商品）流向中國，而上世紀90年代這個比重低於5%。

Australia will join a growing band of central banks that have looked to China to diversify their foreign reserves. Chile, Japan, and Malaysia are among those holding renminbi assets, while Nigeria’s central bank holds about 10 per cent of its reserves in the currency. In March last year, Japan became the first big developed country to receive approval to invest directly in Chinese sovereign debt.

此舉將使澳大利亞央行加入全球爲數越來越多的央行的行列，這些央行在尋求分散外匯儲備的投資時，都把目光投向中國。智利、日本和馬來西亞的央行都持有人民幣資產，而尼日利亞央行更是將大約10%的外匯儲備投入人民幣。去年3月，日本成爲首個獲准直接投資中國主權債務的大型發達國家。

China has sought to broaden investment channels for renminbi holders as part of its efforts to internationalise its currency. Limited investment avenues have been a factor deterring foreign companies from receiving trade earnings in the Chinese currency. As well as the offshore renminbi bond market, known as “dim sum bonds”, recent regulatory changes have further opened up China’s onshore bond and equity markets to global investors through the country’s investment quota schemes.

中國已尋求爲人民幣持有者拓寬投資渠道，作爲人民幣國際化努力的一部分。投資渠道有限是導致外國企業不敢接受人民幣貿易付款的因素之一。除了有“點心債券”之稱的離岸人民幣債券市場外，近期的監管改革通過投資額度機制，向全球投資者進一步開放了中國的在岸債券和股票市場。