Chinese SOEs expand share purchases, buybacks to consolidate market confidence

China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) said on Tuesday it fully supports central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in expanding share purchases and buybacks to safeguard shareholders' rights and consolidate market confidence.

These remarks were made after several listed companies held by central SOEs announced share buybacks on Monday and Tuesday.

The regulator will actively advise central SOEs and their listed subsidiaries to strengthen efforts in share purchases and buybacks, and enhance corporate value, said an official with the SASAC.

The commission also pledged to intensify guidance concerning market value management for central SOEs, driving them to provide quality investment targets that are responsible, performance-driven and sustainable for investors, while making further contributions to the healthy and stable development of the capital market.

Multiple central SOEs have rolled out share purchase initiatives, underscoring their robust confidence in the long-term prospects of the country's economy and capital market.

China Reform Holdings Corporation Ltd. has announced its plan to increase its holdings of ETFs, SOE, and sci-tech innovation stocks through a special re-lending facility for share buybacks. The initial amount allocated for this initiative is 80 billion yuan (around 11 billion U.S. dollars).

China Electronics Technology Group Corporation said it had already completed over 2 billion yuan in buybacks for its listed subsidiaries and pledged to accelerate further acquisitions to strengthen sci-tech innovation synergy and safeguard shareholder interests.

The National Council for Social Security Fund, which handles the assets of the National Social Security Fund, said it is firmly optimistic about the development prospects of China's capital market, adding that it has recently increased its holdings of domestic stocks, and will continue to increase the holdings in the near future.

China National Energy Group announced on Tuesday its confidence in the development prospects of the Chinese capital market, emphasizing its role as pilot state capital investors in driving the high-quality development of its holding listed-companies.

China National Coal Group detailed a multi-tiered investment strategy that included respective injections of up to 80 million yuan and 50 million yuan into its subsidiaries China Energy and Shanghai Energy, while it planned to advance ongoing repurchases for Xinji Energy.

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) on Tuesday disclosed multiple subsidiaries buyback plans to safeguard investor interests and uplift market value.

Ping An Insurance on Tuesday vowed to leverage its large-scale, long-term funds to expand investments in strategic emerging industries, advanced manufacturing, and new infrastructure.

The People's Insurance Company of China (PICC) said on Tuesday that it is committed to accelerating long-equity pilots, and pledged to act as a "market stabilizer" through systematic stock acquisitions.

China Life Insurance announced on Tuesday that it is firmly optimistic about the bright future of China's economy and the development prospects of the capital market, and will continue to actively support the development of the capital market, and increase the entry of medium- and long-term funds into the market.

China Life Asset Management Co., Ltd. is firmly optimistic about the value of A-share allocation in the long term, China Life Insurance said.

Analysts believe the coordinated moves sent a clear signal about China's resolve to support the capital markets.

Chinese SOEs expand share purchases, buybacks to consolidate market confidence

Members of the Trade and Development Board of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), at a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, voiced their opposition to unilateralism and trade protectionism, expressing concern over the current tensions in global trade, and over the negative impacts of tariff abuses and trade frictions on developing countries, particularly the least developed countries.

Addressing the special meeting focused on economic development in Africa, Ambassador Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, stated that the United States has imposed tariffs unilaterally, triggering worldwide trade tensions, with escalating trade conflicts increasingly impacting Africa and other regions.

Chen said that the U.S. abuse of tariffs as a means of exerting maximum pressure and pursuing its selfish interests is a clear example of unilateralism, protectionism, and economic coercion. He cautioned that these actions would significantly obstruct the socioeconomic progress of developing countries, including those in Africa, and undermine global efforts to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Chen highlighted that UNCTAD members are both participants in and beneficiaries of economic globalization. An open, fair, and stable international economic and trade order aligns with the collective interests of all. He called on all parties to uphold true multilateralism, foster solidarity and cooperation, speak with a unified voice, and resolutely defend a rules-based multilateral trading system to guide globalization in the right direction.

China's statement resonated widely among participants. The representatives of many countries echoed the call to uphold multilateralism, back the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and oppose unilateralism and trade protectionism, in order to create an international economic environment conducive to sustainable development and shared prosperity.

UNCTAD members oppose unilateralism, trade protectionism