China will issue 20 billion yuan (US$2.65 billion) worth of "certificate treasury bonds" beginning Sept. 6, the fourth such issue this year.

The T-bonds include 16 billion yuan worth of three-year bonds that carry a fixed annual interest rate of 5.2 percent, and four billion yuan worth of five-year bonds with a 5.74-percent interest rate, according to the Ministry of Finance.

The purchasers must register their real names to buy the bonds, which can serve as security for loans, but cannot be transferred, said the ministry.

Interest on the bonds will be calculated from the day of purchase, and purchasers will receive the principal and interest when the certificate T-bonds fall due.

The public can buy the bonds from Sept. 6 to 30 at the retailing outlets of 39 designated underwriting institutions, including the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, and China Construction Bank, as well as some other commercial banks.

China earlier issued a total of 110 billion yuan worth of certificate T-bonds in three batches this year, with 30 billion yuan issued from May 10, 50 billion yuan from April 1 and 30 billion yuan from March 1.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2007)