OREANDA-NEWS. Moscow Exchange (MOEX) has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with two leading Chinese securities firms, CITIC Securities and Galaxy Securities, as part of an initiative to strengthen bilateral cooperation between China and Russia on capital markets and investment.

The agreements were signed during an investment conference held by Moscow Exchange and Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) on 22 December in Shanghai.

Under the agreements, the parties will cooperate on cross-border investments between Russia and China, with the two Chinese firms starting to provide access for their clients to Russian securities traded on Moscow Exchange. The MoU also includes assistance for Chinese corporates that want to list their securities in Moscow.

Alexander Afanasiev, CEO of Moscow Exchange, said: "We are delighted to be back in Shanghai today for Moscow Exchange"s second annual joint forum with Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE). China is an important trading partner for Russia, and we see great potential to continue growing stronger and deeper ties on investment and capital markets. We continue to build out a suite of RMB products traded on Moscow Exchange. And just this week we signed an agreement for SSE subsidiaries to become the official distributor and licensor of Moscow Exchange market data in mainland China and ICBC Standard Bank became an International Clearing Member of Moscow Exchange. The agreements we have signed today represent the next step forward, and we look forward to welcoming more Chinese investors and issuers to the Russian market."

Yin Yanwu, Deputy General Manager of Galaxy Securities, said: "A senior management delegation from our company visited Russia for the first time in September 2012, and was introduced to the Moscow Exchange. Four years later, it is an honour and a great pleasure for us to see our MoU signed, and we are confident that this is the beginning of a long-term relationship that will benefit not only our mutual clients, but also the development of China-Russia cooperation on capital markets and investment."