AIA(HK:01299) 第一财经·2025-12-31 13:46Core Viewpoint - The approval of AIA Asset Management and Aegon Asset Management to commence operations in Shanghai marks a significant step in China's financial sector's opening up, enhancing Shanghai's status as an international financial center [2][3]. Group 1: Company Developments - AIA Asset Management is fully owned by AIA Group, which is the first foreign wholly-owned life insurance company in mainland China, with operations spanning 18 markets in the Asia-Pacific region [2]. - Aegon Asset Management is initiated by Aegon Global Life Insurance Group, a financial services group with over 180 years of history, providing life insurance, asset management, and retirement solutions globally [2]. - Both companies aim to leverage their parent companies' characteristics, focusing on long-term value investment strategies and aligning with the demand for "patient capital" in sectors like technology, green investments, and elderly care [2]. Group 2: Industry Context - The rapid approval process, taking about six months, reflects the "Shanghai speed" and the city's commitment to high-level financial openness and improved business environment [3]. - The opening of these companies is expected to enrich Shanghai's asset management ecosystem and enhance the global resource allocation efficiency and service capabilities of the Shanghai International Financial Center [3]. - The ongoing high-level financial opening in China provides a solid policy foundation for the establishment of foreign asset management firms, coinciding with the growing demand for insurance capital due to an aging population and increasing investment needs [3].