The amount of Renminbi carried through customs between Shenzhen and Hong Kong in the first quarter of this year rose 574 percent over the same period in 2006, Shenzhen customs office reports.

The total reached a record 1.55 billion yuan (about 200 million U.S. dollars) in three months.

A spokesman from the customs office said the hike in demand was spurred by the appreciation of the Renminbi and the fact that mainland financial institutions have been approved to issue RMB-denominated bonds in Hong Kong.

Source: Xinhua