Hong Kong, December 05, 2019 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has affirmed
the A1 senior unsecured debt rating of China Development Bank (CDB).
Moody's has also assigned (P)A1 long-term foreign-currency
rating for the Medium Term Notes (MTN) program of CDB and (P)A1 long-term
local-currency rating for the MTN program of CDB, Hong Kong
Branch. A full list of affected ratings is at the end of this press
release, identifying each affected issuer.
The rating outlook is stable, reflecting Moody's view that
very close links between the bank's credit quality and that of the
government will remain broadly unchanged over the next 12-18 months.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The A1 senior unsecured debt rating of CDB is in line with the senior
unsecured debt rating of the Government of China (A1 stable). Very
close links between the bank's credit quality and that of the government
underpin its rating. Moody's rates the bank using the Government-Related
Issuers rating methodology.
China's State Council assigns CDB a development finance role of
supporting economic growth and structural adjustments, implying
a prolonged alignment of interests and objectives between the bank and
the government. In March 2015, the State Council approved
the bank's reform plan, reaffirming the bank's status as a development
bank, with credit support continuously pledged by the government.
The government fully owns CDB, directly and indirectly.
CDB functions under strong control and directives of the government,
with its operations and finances inextricably intertwined with those of
the government.
Moody's does not have particular governance concern for CDB, and
does not apply corporate behavior adjustment to the assessment of the
bank.
WHAT COULD MOVE THE RATING UP/DOWN
CDB's rating could be upgraded if (1) the senior unsecured debt
rating of the Government of China is upgraded; and (2) support to
the bank remains a government priority despite ongoing reforms in the
bank.
CDB's rating could be downgraded if (1) the senior unsecured debt
rating of the Government of China is downgraded; (2) changes in the
bank's policy role diminish its strategic importance to the government;
or (3) the government substantially reduces its ownership in the bank.
PRINCIPAL METHODOLOGY
The principal methodology used in these ratings was Government-Related
Issuers published in June 2018. Please see the Rating Methodologies
page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.
Established in March 1994, China Development Bank is a development
bank wholly owned by the Chinese government, directly and indirectly.
Headquartered in Beijing, the bank reported total assets of RMB16.2
trillion and total equity of RMB1.3 trillion as of year-end
2018.
The local market analyst for these ratings is Nicholas Zhu, +86
(106) 319-6536.
LIST OF AFFECTED RATINGS
CHINA DEVELOPMENT BANK
• A1 affirmed with stable outlook for long-term foreign-currency
senior unsecured debt;
• (P)A1 affirmed for long-term local-currency senior
unsecured MTN program;
• (P)A1 assigned for long-term foreign-currency senior
unsecured MTN program;
• Outlook maintained at stable.
CHINA DEVELOPMENT BANK, HONG KONG BRANCH
• A1 affirmed with stable outlook for long-term local/foreign-currency
senior unsecured debt;
• (P)A1 affirmed for long-term foreign-currency senior
unsecured MTN program;
• (P)A1 assigned for long-term local-currency senior
unsecured MTN program;
• Outlook maintained at stable.
REGULATORY DISCLOSURES
For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of
debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures
in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the
same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant
to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing
ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings
issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain
regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the
support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action
for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's
credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement
provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional
rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may
be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each
case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior
to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have
affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings
tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.
For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit
support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action,
and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action,
the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity.
Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures,
if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure
to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.
Moody's considers a rated entity or its agent(s) to be participating
when it maintains an overall relationship with Moody's. Unless
noted in the Regulatory Disclosures as a Non-Participating Entity,
the rated entities are participating and the rated entities or their agent(s)
generally provide Moody's with information for the purposes of its
ratings process. Please refer to www.moodys.com for
the Regulatory Disclosures for each credit rating action under the ratings
tab on the issuer/entity page and for details of Moody's Policy
for Designating Non-Participating Rated Entities.
Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit
rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating
review.
Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to
the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued
the rating.
Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com
for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating.
The first name below is the lead rating analyst for this Credit Rating
and the last name below is the person primarily responsible for approving
this Credit Rating.
Ray Heung
Senior Vice President
Financial Institutions Group
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Minyan Liu, CFA
Associate Managing Director
Financial Institutions Group
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077
Releasing Office:
Moody's Investors Service Hong Kong Ltd.
24/F One Pacific Place
88 Queensway
Hong Kong
China (Hong Kong S.A.R.)
JOURNALISTS: 852 3758 1350
Client Service: 852 3551 3077