Northbound trading of Bond Connect commenced in July 2017, allowing overseas investors to invest in the China Interbank Bond Market through infrastructural connection established between the Mainland and overseas bond markets for the first time. Southbound trading of Bond Connect was launched in September 2021, allowing Mainland institutional investors to invest in offshore bonds through the Hong Kong bond market, further enhancing the attractiveness of Hong Kong as a bond issuing platform and the liquidity of bonds issued in Hong Kong.