Beijing launched a uniform equity-trading center in hopes of converting the city into a regional hub for mergers and acquisitions involving state assets. The exchange, China Beijing Equity Exchange, will facilitate sales and acquisitions of state assets that are not listed on the stock markets in Shanghai and Shenzhen. China's government estimates that the country has around 12 million domestic firms. Of those firms, 1,300 have been listed.
Analysts said they suspect the Beijing equity exchange is the capital's attempt to challenge the exchange in neighboring Tianjin's dominance of north China's equity exchanges.