(Bloomberg) — China’s securities regulator called for talks with its American counterpart after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission increased disclosure requirements for initial public offerings of Chinese companies amid nearly a $1 trillion share selloff last week.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission is seeking to step up communication with the SEC to find a suitable resolution, it said in a statement Sunday, after the U.S. regulator said it would require Chinese companies seeking listings to improve risk disclosures. The Chinese watchdog called for mutual respect and collaboration on the issue.
In response to Beijing’s clampdown on private industry, SEC Chair Gary Gensler asked staff to seek additional disclosures from Chinese firms before signing off on their registration statements to sell stock. China had earlier proposed new rules requiring virtually all companies wanting to list in a foreign country to undergo a cybersecurity review, a move that would vastly increase oversight over its private enterprises.
Shares on the mainland and Hong Kong continued to drop on Monday. The Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.5% while the Hang Seng Index declined 0.2% as of 10:00 a.m Hong Kong time. Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Meituan both lost more than 3%.
The crackdown on overseas listings comes after Didi Global Inc. pushed ahead to list in the U.S., despite reservations from Beijing over the ride-hailing giant’s data security, Bloomberg News previously reported. Days after Didi’s debut, Chinese regulators announced a probe into the firm and removed its apps from Chinese mobile stores, driving a sell-off in the tech giant’s shares. The losses for American investors have fueled calls that the SEC increase oversight of Chinese IPOs.
China has all along adopted an open-minded approach to listing locations, the CSRC said, adding that the current scrutiny over certain industries is aimed at coordinating development and safety. The securities watchdog will carry out close communication with relevant departments to further improve transparency and predictability of policies.
The statement echoed comments made by CSRC Vice Chairman Fang Xinghai on a hastily arranged call with major international banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and UBS Group AG last Wednesday, as the regulator attempted to ease market fears about Beijing’s crackdown.
It’s also adding to signs that Chinese authorities have become uncomfortable with a selloff that sent the nation’s key stock indexes to the brink of a bear market. State-run media have published a series of articles suggesting the rout is overdone, while some analysts have speculated government-linked funds have begun intervening to prop up the market.
State-run Xinhua News Agency said in a commentary over the weekend China should properly handle the relationship between opening up and ensuring security in supervising Chinese companies’ overseas listings, and improving oversight is the necessary step to help prevent and resolve related risks.
In its Sunday statement, the CSRC also reiterated a pledge to open up the country’s financial industry and said that it sees the prospects for Chinese capital markets as predictable, sustainable and healthy.
(Updates with shares in fourth paragraph, Xinhua commentary in penultimate paragraph.)
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