China will issue this year's second batch of book-entry bonds worth 22 billion yuan (3.22 billion U.S. dollars) from Thursday, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the issue period would last till Feb. 23.

The 20-year bonds have a fixed yield of 3.86 percent, with interest to be calculated from Feb. 19, and paid twice a year on Feb. 19 and Aug. 19.The principal will be paid on Feb. 19, 2029.

The year's first batch of book-entry bonds worth 26.93 billion yuan (3.94 billion dollars) became tradable Wednesday. The seven-year bonds with a fixed yield of 2.76 percent were issued from Feb. 12 to 16.

(Xinhua News Agency February 18, 2009)