China mulling more oversight of 'asset management' industry

China’s financial watchdogs are considering casting a huge new regulatory net over the country’s vast shadow banking sector. The central bank has spearheaded the drafting of new regulations to tame China’s 60tn yuan ($8.7tn) “asset management” industry. According to the South China Morning Post, the rules would bring the various kinds of asset management products and investment schemes ­offered by all kinds of financial ­institutions under the one regulatory umbrella. Oversight for the flourishing sector is now split between the securities, banking and insurance regulators. China Minsheng Banking chief analyst Wen Bin said regulatory standards differed between watchdogs and a unified system would help regulators cut systemic risks and financial leverage. The rules would ban financial institutions from promising clients a minimum or fixed return, and they would have to contribute 10% of their management fees to a risk reserve fund.