In the face of intense competition, Japan's Mizuho Financial Group pursues strong growth potential in China's evolving securities market.

Chairman Seiji Imai said the country's market scale, demographic shifts, and ongoing economic transformation are driving rising demand for securities services, making it essential for the group to actively expand its presence.

Attending the International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai for the first time, Imai reaffirmed Mizuho's long-term commitment to the Chinese market amid a complex global environment.

On Sept 30, the group received regulatory approval to establish Mizuho Securities (China) Co Ltd, the first wholly foreign-owned securities firm approved in China this year, and the first Japanese-owned firm of its kind.

In recent years, China has gradually lifted ownership restrictions on foreign securities firms, attracting more global players to expand in the country.

In an interview on Oct 11, Imai expressed Mizuho's willingness to leverage the strengths of both Japan and China to support cross-border investment, financing, mergers and acquisitions, among other areas. The group plans to build efficient business platforms for enterprises from both countries, with a focus on cooperation in manufacturing, technology innovation, healthcare, and green energy.

At this year's IBLAC meeting, Imai offered insights on how finance can help address social challenges such as population aging and declining birthrates.

He said Mizuho aims to advance green finance and environmental, social, and governance practices by supporting green bond issuance, project financing, and ESG evaluations, helping companies pursue sustainable development.

According to the Securities Association of China, 16 foreign-invested securities firms operate in China, with total assets and profits both showing double-digit growth in the first half of the year.

Source: yicai.com