Strengthening Financial Ties: How the New Oman-China MoU Impacts Investment Opportunities for Businesses
MUSCAT, SEPTEMBER 13 – China Asset Management Co (ChinaAMC), one of China’s leading mutual fund managers with assets exceeding $423 billion, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an Omani government delegation representing several state and public sector financial institutions.
The MoU aims to foster two-way bilateral investment projects and establishes a foundation for enhanced financial cooperation among China, Oman, and the Gulf States. ChinaAMC, headquartered in Beijing, emphasizes its role as one of the largest fund managers in the region.
The Omani delegation included senior executives from the Oman Investment Authority, the Financial Services Authority, the Muscat Stock Exchange, and Muscat Clearing & Depository, along with investment managers from Mars Development & Investment and Jabal Asset Management. The MoU was signed by ChinaAMC CEO Li Yimei and Jabal Asset Management CEO Evgeny Korovin.
This agreement is part of a series of accords forged during the delegation’s weeklong tour of major Chinese cities, which included meetings in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing. Omani officials conducted approximately 15 high-level discussions with representatives from Chinese regulators, stock exchanges, sovereign funds, and other governmental entities, including ChinaAMC and CITIC Securities, China’s largest investment bank and brokerage firm.
Notably, this MoU builds on an existing partnership between ChinaAMC and Jabal Asset Management, initially announced late last year. This collaboration introduced the Loong Fund, designed to facilitate access to China’s equity market. Jabal Asset Management, a fully owned subsidiary of the Omani government, has the Oman Investment Authority as an anchor investor in the Loong Fund, marking ChinaAMC as the first mutual fund company in China to partner with the Omani government.
Additionally, during the Omani delegation’s visit, the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) signed separate Memoranda of Cooperation with the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) to enhance international partnerships and develop capital markets.
Furthermore, the Future Fund Oman (FFO), established by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), signed an agreement with Templewater, a prominent pan-Asia alternative asset manager, to launch Oman’s first dedicated Energy Transition Fund (ETF) in Hong Kong. With an initial capital of $200 million, this Fund aims to support Oman’s energy transformation and economic diversification under Oman Vision 2040, focusing on sectors such as clean molecules, energy storage, e-fuels, smart mobility, renewables, and green data centers.
Special Analysis by Omanet | Navigate Oman’s Market
The recent MoU between ChinaAMC and Omani financial institutions signals a transformative shift in Oman’s investment landscape, creating significant opportunities for bilateral cooperation and increased access to China’s capital markets. Smart investors and entrepreneurs should capitalize on this momentum by exploring partnerships that align with Oman’s Vision 2040, particularly in the growing sectors of energy transformation and sustainable investments. However, they must also remain vigilant to potential market volatility and regulatory challenges posed by increased competition from foreign entities.
